Towards an investigation of trends in local search and implications of a national portal

Abstract

It has become commonplace for search engine and web directories to combine and use additional sources to provide a comprehensive service in the form of Web portals. The purpose of this article is to point out the value of local search and highlight global developments in local search services. This paper also introduces different types of Web portals and focuses on how horizontal Web portals operate. Success factors for local search and Web portals will be discussed in order to identify possible areas of growth for Ananzi. The key points discussed include the value of structured relevant content for local search listing the need for improved personalisation and understanding of user queries.