social search Archive

So it's a rainy night here in NYC and Carvel is out of my favorite flavor. As I walked back to my apartment, I thought to myself, let's see what the domain history is for Mahalo. Surely, Mr. Calacanis couldn't have been the first registrant in 1995, right? Alright, so let's pop over to the Internet Archive Way Back Machine, spin the wheel and see what comes up!

Actually, there isn't much which was disappointing. Only nine links over four years. So I started clicking, and six of the pages are your standard "your webserver is ready" crap. So I click "December 3, 1998" and what do I find? A PORN SITE. That's right folks, the new "Super great human awesome going to beat Google search engine" used to be a porn site. :)

Here is a screengrab (images didn't load):

Anyway, just a bit of fun on a hot, hazy and humid night. And I guess this post is better than eating a 2,000 calorie Flying Saucer.

Update: Jason has sorta replied to the SEO question… check out his reply

So let’s get right to it. Earlier today, TechCrunch posted an exclusive about a new search engine founded by his conference partner, the Silicon Valley Superstar Jason Calacanis. I have spent the last 30 minutes using it and here are my findings.

Called Mahalo, meaning “Thank you”, this is a “human-powered search engine” says Arrington. Mahalo states their objective as, “Mahalo’s goal is to hand-write the top 10,000 search terms.” It seems most of the “top tech bloggers” made it in, they must be somewhere in the top 10k, I learned something new today. Actually, their technology page shows a lot more completed pages. So from what I can tell, it might be top 10k plus other “hot” names. Which got me thinking… see below.

So I guess CenterNetworks will never have a page! And neither will the other 24 billion web sites and search terms. We just get the same-ole Google results. Though there are no ads (I guess for now?) so that’s a good thing.

It appears to use a Wiki engine for the technology which will help to keep costs down along with (what I assume) a network of very low paid offshore staff to make the pages.

Item #1 – Human Search or Human Directory? 

I am not sure I get why this is a “human search” when it really is more of a “human directory” – right? Or am I missing something? Either way, maintaining those pages will be an ultra-bitch. What happens when new “gossip” needs to be added about someone, how will those pages stay up-to-date?

Item #2 – Mahalo vs. AboutUs

Now let’s get back to my title. First, what’s the difference between Mahalo and AboutUs.com? Both Wikis. Mahalo looks better. AboutUs allows me to edit my page. I don’t see much else that’s different honestly. As much as I bashed AboutUs when it launched, Ray will never have the pull that Jason will so eventually Mahalo will overtake AboutUs even though I prefer the ability to edit my own page.

Item #3 – Sustainability

Will it be possible to create a “live” search engine from this? I doubt it. Maintaining 10,000 (2008-25k) will be nearly impossible without hiring every available content person in most of the world. Another reason this is a directory, not a search engine.

Item #4 - Gaming the real search engines

More importantly, I have the same concern with Mahalo as I did with AboutUs. This is the ultimate way to “game” Google/Yahoo/etc. Create a page that highlights x person, get Mahalo up to a high page rank (with links like the one I just provided) and now traffic is sent to Mahalo instead of to the person/company web site. These type of web sites should not have a pagerank nor should be listed within the search engines. It is interesting to me that after all of Jason’s talk about SEO being dead, he launches the master SEO play.

Summary

Will this get some play? Sure, it’s like if Apple put out a half-baked iPod. Would it still sell millions? Yep. I just don’t see the value here. And while this might get to be the “answer” for the Silicon Valley/San Francisco crowd, I can’t picture my mother using this with her mahjong friends over Googling-it.

WatchMojo has a good writeup about the service and why it may or may not work.

Two search engines, Eurekster and WikiSeek, have been in the press today, but for different reasons.  While Eurekster has raised $5.5 million in a round of venture capital, WikiSeek (which is backed by Sequoia) is having trouble creating their identity.  They are both very concerned with the social aspect of search, and have provided a niche service to address the growing need for better search.  So in the end, which one is more likely to succeed?

Eurekster

• found a niche and stuck with it.  Provides social search results within a community.
• created swikis.  Allows their service to be exported.
• actively engages users by allowing query results to be voted.
• creates ad revenue for websites.

WikiSeek

• found a niche and stuck with it.  May not provide much value to many users.
• highlights Wikipedia search results and does not offer enough outside results.
• passively engages the user, offering little to no interaction with search results.
• does not create ad revenue for websites.

It is key to engage the user for a social search engine, as it should be inherently social at its core.  Several of Eurekester's swiki features do for many what WikiSeek does for one, thus diversifying their appeal for users.  While Eurekster has lost some of it's footing in recent weeks, it seems to be back on the right track.  WikiSeek is receiving support from Wikipedia, but that may not be enough.  We'll see what WikiSeek's beta has to offer in the end.

This article was written by Kristen Nicole, who writes for 606tech.com.