This doesn’t translate well to the mobile universe. At 4INFO, we attempt to give you the answer immediately, instead of pointing out a potential answer elsewhere. So, how does 4INFO deal with a query like, "What are the names of the James Bond movies starring Timothy Dalton?" We’ll get back to this question.
First, let's speak generally about the activity of web search. A search for "kc chiefs" on a popular web search engine produces 5,540,000 results, with the top few results being links to kcchiefs.com, nfl.com, kansascity.com, and the like. If I wanted to look at Chiefs history or read interviews with Dick Vermeil, then the web is my place. If I want to know the result of last week's contest at Oakland or who they play this weekend, the web is still a great place to find these answers and I, personally, always go to ESPN for that information. But, I am not always in front of my computer when I need to know something. At 4INFO, we call a search for specific, concise information a "focused search." In other words, it is a search for something very pointed, almost to the measure of being a question with a yes/no type of answer. Here is what 4INFO returns for a “kc chiefs” query sent to 44636:
NFL
KC:23 OAK:17 F 9/18
Nxt:
KC@DEN 9/26 9p
The concept is that when you are mobile, then you need very specific information about how to get somewhere, when your flight leaves, when the movie starts, what time the game comes on, etc. You haven’t the time or the space to look through wap site after wap site to find this type of information.
The challenge is to change the mind set of mobile users and teach them focused search; a mobile-style search instead of a web-style search. And, at the same time, continue to improve our ability to determine what the user is seeking.
Let’s get back to, “What are the names of the James Bond movies starring Timothy Dalton?" which is a query that came across 4INFO’s Text Message (SMS) Search service recently.
Upon receipt of the query, 4INFO keys on “Dalton” and “James” because it is attempting to answer a focused search (I’ll leave the contact info out of these to save space and protect the innocent):
>>WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE JAMES BOND MOVIES STARRING TIMOTHY DALTON?
Kiko James L
Dalton, OH
Wayne County National Bank
204 Mill St S
Dalton, OH
44618
330-828-2281
Let’s take a brief time-out and figure out what our major competitors, Google and Yahoo!, return for this SMS search.
Google said…
Sorry, ‘what are the name…’ did not return any results.
Yahoo! said…
Sorry, ‘what are the names of the james bond movies starring timothy dalton?’ does not return any results.
I simply wanted to point out that 4INFO, at least, tries to answer the query. Now, let’s get back to our James Bond fan because he isn’t done trying to find out about Timothy Dalton. He continued his SMS Search and this time 4INFO keyed on the word “Title.”
>>NO, THE ACTOR..WHAT ARE HIS JAMES BOND TITLES?
Stewart Title
401 Ryland St
Reno, NV
89502
775-789-4100
First American Title Insurance
310 Kietzke Ln
Reno, NV
89502
775-823-6200
(This user is very persistent, but so is 4INFO! This time the server keys on the word “Movies.”)
>>LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN..TIMOTHY DALTON PLAYED JAMES BOND IN WHAT MOVIES?
Movies At Oakland
578 W 14 Mile Rd
Troy, MI
48083
248-585-7041
Liberty Bond Services
1450 W Long Lake Rd
Troy, MI
48098
248-641-0552
(Did I say “very persistent?” I should have said “very, very, very persistent.” In the final attempt to answer this question, 4INFO keys on the word “Bond.”)
>>JAMES BOND..JAMES BOND..NO JAIL BONDS OR TITLE AGENCIES...I WANT TO KNOW THE NAMES OF THE FILMS THAT TIMOTHY DALTON PORTRAYED JAMES BOND…
Fast Action Bonds
Center, TX
75935
936-590-4000
Williams Bail Bond
830 State Highway 7 W
Center, TX
75935
936-598-9762
Yes, when it comes down to it, 4INFO failed to give this user the answer that he was seeking, as did the other SMS search services. His best bet would have been to access a WAP site to get the information or call a friend at home who could find it on the web.
That won’t always be the case! Fear not, 4INFO has a solution in the works that will fit well within our menu-driven conflict resolution system. But conflict resolution, my friends, is a post for another day.
About the author:
Bob Roth fell into the world of Internet Marketing in the mid-90's when the sole job requirement was being a warm, hard-working body. He has since worked with Yahoo!, broadcast.com, SimpleNet, NetIdentity, and currently serves 4INFO.net as the keeper of the company message, outreach specialist, and creative cerebrum.