The online search scene continues to evolve as morecontextual search sites sprout up in the market. However, analysts say demand for such search engines remain niche.

Unlike search engines that run on keywords, search sites such asHunch, Answers.com, Mahalo and ChaCha, aim to deliver results tailored to specific human situations. Hunch, for example, asks users a series of five to 10 questions before churning search results.

Madan Sheina, principal analyst at Ovum, described contextual search engines as the combination of two components:hard statistical machine-driven search algorithms, andsoft human contextual metadata.

People almost always run searches to help them make decisions, Sheina said in an e-mail interview. The purpose of search, he added, is to assist the users in “some kind of information [or] research–be it finding a local plumber, analyzing a company’s latest 10-K form, or discovering how the investigation regarding Michael Jackson’s doctor is progressing.”

Contextual search is akin to bringing search to users, as opposed to bringing users to search, Sheina explained, adding that such engines provide search capabilities that understand what users are doing. “I think this is something all users would like to have, but up to now, don’t know who to ask or where to look,” he said.

Continues @ http://www.zdnetasia.com

Related articles by Zemanta

• Say “Mahalo” to a redesigned, crowd-sourced Mahalo (arstechnica.com)
• Microsoft seeks to patent user-generated search results, with a twist that might just make it work (istartedsomething.com)
• When the founders of Flickr, Twitter put their money into something, it is worth taking notice (thisisherd.com)
• Are You Sure You Are Selecting The Right Keywords? (content123.com)