New search features at Netscape

• Nov. 9, 2001

Netscape has become the uniting factor in the merger of AOL and Time Warner services. Instead of combining all of the properties now owned by AOL-Time Warner, the company is using Netscape to tie it’s interests together. In March, AOL-Time Warner introduced the Netscape toolbar to several of it’s prominent pages. The toolbar now appears at the top of pages like CNN.com and Time.com. The Netscape “hat” includes functionality for mail, Instant Messenger services, calendar options, and a button for searching using Netscape Search.

Netscape Search pulls results primarily from the Open Directory Project, a human edited directory powered by volunteers. Where Open Directory does not return results, Netscape Search turns to results pulled from the Google database. The re-launch of the Netscape home page saw some changes to how information can be found. The home site now features tabs that let you specify your area of search. The tabs include web searches, money, travel, and more. The tabs allow you to search using specific services. For example, the classifieds tab allows you to search for careers at Monster.com, and the Web Search tab gives you a choice of search engines. The added functionality includes the ability to perform related search queries as well. 

With the prominent placement of the Netscape “hat” on many well-traveled pages, the Netscape portal hopes to create a stable flow of traffic through their engine. For more information on the new Netscape Search options and AOL – Time Warner, click here to read an article by Danny Sullivan for Search Engine Watch.

Heather Wood
heather@searchengineposition.com