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Ask.com Challenge

Sam Davyson [PersonRank 10]

Wednesday, December 6, 2006
17 years ago2,698 views

Today in a newspaper I saw an advert for the "Ask.com Challenge". It gave ten reasons why you should challenge Ask search. These were:

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1. Better algorithms! (And who doesn't love algorithms?) Basically it means Ask.com delivers the most relevant results for your searches, not just the most popular sites.

2. The guy next to you at work (let's call him 'Mark' to protect his anonymity) doesn't use Ask.com.

3. Which means when you search for a hot new restaurant, you won't automatically end up at the same 'hot new restaurant' as Mark.

4. Which is good. Because Mark is creepy. Everyone says so.

5. Plus, Ask.com has unique tools that make everyday searching even easier. Like Binoculars, which lets you preview sites before you click through. And Related Search to narrow and expand your search results.

6. In fact, our tools are probably why we're the fastest growing search engine in the UK*. But don't tell Mark.

7. And, right now when you search on Ask.com you could win instantly.

8. We call it Challenge Ask. The more you search the more you could win great prizes, like a Vespa or a flat screen TV**.

9. You don't even have to sign up to enter. Just search like always.

10. So use Ask.com to search for anything like "non-creepy-workmate". You won't find Mark, but you might find some great prozes.

Go to http://www.challengeask.com before Dec 10 2006 for your chance to win instant prizes everyday.

* Source: Neilson NetRatings.
** Certain terms and conditions apply. Please see www.challengeask.com for details.

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I thought that this take was kind of interesting. Google is by far the dominant search force in the UK. Ask here are marketing themselves as the search engine to use BECAUSE they are not the most popular engine.

Comments from Gary Price?

Gary Price [PersonRank 10]

17 years ago #

Sam:

It's difficult for me to speak on a marketing program, it's very far from the area where I work.

I can say that getting users to SIMPLY look, see, and perhaps try out a search product, any search product (something different) that MIGHT be of value to them, is a BIG challenge. Actually, I think this is the case with any product when users have become used to one specific one.

Basically, just look and see if what Ask.com offers might be of value to you. If yes, cool. If not, that's fine. Just look, see, and perhaps give it a try.

As a librarian, I would also say that knowing about and sometimes using more than one search tool is also a good idea. Often, non-geek searchers (like us) forget this fact. They might not even know about us in the first place.

While Google is the market leader in the UK and many other places, Ask is arguably the only major search engine soley focused on core search technologies. Our CEO has spoken many times on this issue.
See:
http://news.com.com/2008-1038_3-6067117.html

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