Vertical Search Engines

Google's eye-popping success in making its search engine an attractive advertising platform has prompted many companies to try their luck in this space.

Unlike their general-purpose cousins, such as the ones run by Google and Yahoo, vertical search engines contain information in their indexes about a specific topic. Consequently, they are aimed only at people interested in a particular area, and deliver a narrow and very focused audience to the companies that advertise on them. It is like a shortcut to enter the search engine market.

Vertical search hasn't escaped the radar of Google, Yahoo and the other leaders in general Web search. They all let users search through local business directories and provide driving directions and maps. Some have job engines. Others provide different levels of multimedia content search. But these search engines aren't generally considered to go deep enough into specific areas, which is where others are finding the opportunity.

However, that could change.

Examples of vertical search engines are,
Indeed | one search. all jobs
SourceTool.com
The Plastics Web