Some Search Predictions for 2010

Kosmix calls itself a categorization engine because it takes your search query and returns results grouped into numerous categories, e.g. News, Videos, Images, Shopping, Twitter Trends, and many more, all on one page.  You could probably also call it an Exploration, Discovery, or Browsing Engine. If you aren’t familiar with Kosmix, there is a 1 minute video at the end of this post.

In this Kosmix blog post, product manager Sailesh Ramakrishnan provides his top Search trends for the new year. In it he identifies five main trends for 2010 – Media as Search Results, Apps Everywhere, Search with a Social Flavor, Demand Response and the emergence of possibly more than one new search giant. (Kosmix is an AltSearchEngines.com sponsor)

The last post provided a recap of  search in 2009 and expanded on some of the more important themes.  What do you think will be the important themes that will emerge in 2010?  Here is a quick glimpse into the looking glass:

• Media as Search Results:  Further expanding on the “no more 10 blue links” theme, much of this year’s search results will be answered by media such as videos, images, slideshows, podcasts, etc.  We have already started seeing this trend from the increasing number of “how to” queries for which there are full videos showing exactly how!
• Apps Everywhere:  Given the success of apps on the mobile medium, it seems likely that similar small apps will also become ubiquitous on our browsers.  There are already many widgets and gadgets on pages like igoogle and myYahoo, but going further, you can think of browsers like chrome becoming a mini OS where more complex plug-ins and apps enable you to do common activities like booking flights or buying movie tickets.
• Search with a Social Flavor:  This has been a few years in the making, but I think this year is when we will see a close integration between social networks and search.  Search results will be flavored by actions performed by people within your social network and in turn, you will be able to share the information you learn more easily with those in your network.
• Demand Response: We now have enough real-time publishing and searching tools that we can now post somewhat complicated questions and get near instantaneous responses.  Some of the more popular folks on twitter are already doing this when they post for restaurant recommendations or ask for help with something.

There are already companies working on many of these themes and the stage is now set for the process of seeking and finding information to be forever changed.  One other prediction that I think is likely given these themes is that while last year the number of big search engines shrunk with the Yahoo-Bing deal, this year we will see the emergence of a new search giant (or two!).  Any bets on who that will be?

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