What is a vertical search?
Vertical search is a specialized search focused on a particular topic or type of content. It differs from traditional internet searches in looking for more specific information related to the user’s query.
How does vertical search differ from traditional internet search?
An example of vertical search is the travel search engine Kayak. It specializes in collecting information related to airfare, hotel bookings, rental cars, and more. Kayak aggregates data from dozens of online sources, such as airline websites, hotel booking sites, and car rental companies. This data can then be filtered based on criteria like price range, amenities, or customer ratings.
Another example is Yelp, the popular business review site. Through its vertical search engine, users can look for businesses nearby and read reviews from previous customers. This data helps inform users’ decisions when choosing restaurants, salons, repair services, etc.
The benefits of vertical search for users
Vertical search brings several advantages to users.
- It makes finding specific information easier. By narrowing the search scope, users are more likely to find what they need quickly and with fewer clicks.
- Provide more detailed results than traditional internet searches. For example, Yelp reviews may include photos of the business or specific feedback from customers.
- Makes it easy to compare different products or services. For example, a travel search engine like Kayak provides side-by-side comparisons of airfares and hotel prices for users.
Types of popular vertically-focused sites
Examples of some of the most popular sites:
- Shopping sites like Amazon and eBay
- Video streaming services like YouTube and Vimeo
- Real estates listing search engines like Zillow and Redfin
- Travel search engines like TripAdvisor, Expedia, and Kayak
- Business review sites like Yelp, Trustpilot, and Glassdoor
- Job search engines like Indeed, Monster, and ZipRecruiter.