Just a quick note to update (and thank!) the many mobile companies who contacted me to be considered for inclusion in the eContent 100, a list of the 100 companies that matter most in the digital content industry. I was chosen to judge the categories Mobile Content, Search Engine & Technologies, Collaboration and Social Media. Round 2 of the judging ends tomorrow but, since I’ll be in London on business, I’m wrapping up my voting today.Some initial observations: I am surprised and inspired by the breadth and quality of the companies, again sure-fire signs that the mobile search market will not be dominated by the usual suspects.
Granted, the U.S. market share of all the alternative search engines combined equals only a few percentage points. (My esteemed colleague and partner Charles Knight at AltSearchEngines counts 1,400 - 100 of which are serious players.) However, the PC is not mobile.
On a personal device other factors (such as location, context, relevancy, behavior) play in favor of a Long Tail of mobile search engines. And there’s a better chance they’ll make money since we will expect (and embrace) a vastly different mobile search experience. (Think of the companies that won the recent Mobile Search Awards and you’ll get where I’m coming from…)
Another development that stands out: The first-ever appearance of ad networks (because they have correctly opted to offer publishers super-cool tools and support), social networks and dynamic personalization companies in the nominee list.
In my view, this underlines profound changes underway in the mobile content creation / delivery / monetization value chain. But will the industry generate enough revenue to feed them all? My string of conferences, briefings and meet-ups tells me consolidation is inevitable…
More observations and impressions as I work my way through the list of top-notch companies. This year’s eContent 100 will rock!
From Peggy’s blog MSearchGroove HERE.
Caronte Web
Federated Search
Highlight Health
MSearchGroove
Ramenos Blog
Reel SEO
Software Abstractions
The Genius Files
The Next Web
September 26th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Cool–I love that magazine! I love all the Information Today publications: Searcher, Online, Computers in Libraries, Information Today–it was in the last that I first learned about my boss on this blog, Charles Knight.
Way to go, Peggy! I had better finally get that cell phone.