Search engine changes in the future.  Lots of search engines are changing again in early 2005.     By John Bolduan RealWebMarketing.com

It's been interesting to track some of the changes that the search engines are contemplating for the near future. I've been on top of it, blogging all about the changes over the last couple of months and I want to share with you some of the trends I see as I write this in late August of 2005.

With the Google IPO just out, there is a lot of excitement once again regarding search engines. People are wondering if it can really fly as a profitable entity. I don't think there is any doubt about that, but investors are a little wary of search engines just the way they were wary of dotcom companies in the late 1990's. Investors want to see tangible results, but even when they do, there seems to be some level of mistrust. No one really knows if they're getting the straight story when it come to the future of search.

The latest and most talked about aspect of online search that seems to make people nervous is the concept of personalized or desktop search. MSN is investing major dollars into their search strategy with the idea of personalized search. Not all the details are out on it but it includes searching the desktop and online almost seamlessly. Now, Google and Yahoo are also developing search tools and the concept of desktop search. This seems to be the holy grail of search, to dominate the search world on the PC and online. This makes for a branding that can propel a search entity into a common, everday use which people are not likely to give up easily. Every search engine is doing research on this and believe it to be the next big thing. I think there are some things that they're not telling us and see ways in which ubiquitous search is so crucial. Frankly, this consolidation of search doesn't seem to square with the internet itself, the democratic free flow of information without constraints. It's this type of uncertainty that is making for people to take a more wait and see attitude on search. We should be seeing this type of search paradigm coming out in either late 2005 or early 2005 depending on which company you talk to.

Another trend that makes the big three players in search tremble just a bit is the small technology companies that are making a break into the search engine wars. All these companies were small and developed very quickly because of a better mousetrap they made. They also know that there can be a technology that they haven't thought of that will make trouble for them. They could buy a smaller search company to fill a hole, but some of these smaller companies aren't that interested in selling out. Some of them are on a mission. You will see over the next 6 months a proliferation of Google or Yahoo clones that are going to try to grab a piece of the search pie. Don't be surprised if some of their technology actually is better than the big three and more relevant to search. This is going to be a time of greater change and you might see a breakout company doing a better job and becoming a force to be reckoned with. You can check my blog as I write to not only report news but some of the trends in the industry of search.

I know it sounds crazy as not much is happening in the news right now, but big changes in search are in motion. All the indicators point to this change, so be on the look out. The next big thing in search may be someone you never heard of or it's all about the behemoths of search getting even bigger. So it's important as website marketers and website owners, that we stay informed about changes to search because it can directly affect us too.