When we don't have a hand-written result (which is often since we're in build mode) we return a tabbed interface of your favorite services like Google, Delicious, YouTube and Flickr. Your search is, of course, canned in each tab so you don't have to retype it. You can also set any of the services as your default, so if you're a fan of Ask over Yahoo and Google you're all set.
Here I've searched for "bmw ipod connector" on Mahalo.
Now, we have many pages related to BMWs and iPods, but we haven't done one on this long-tail search. In the design below we show you a couple of Mahalo pages you can "also try." These pages like iPod Accessories and BMW 335xi MIGHT have what you're looking for, but if they don't you've got Google right below it.
Now, if Google doesn't have what you want you can very easily switch over to another service, like say Delicious, and do the "BMW ipod connector" result there. So, what we're doing with this new tabbed interface is giving the user the BEST possible experience when we don't have a hand-written result. I think it's very unique and I'm finding that the process of getting a human search if possible and a range of everyone else if not is really solid.
If you didn't want to make a switch from Ask, Yahoo, MSN, or Google to Mahalo now you really have no excuse! Clearly the human results are better than the machines ones, and if we haven't done your human result we give you not one search engines but all of them. Other services are not too keen on linking to their competitors, but Mahalo is all about helping users so we don't have a problem doing that (also, we're starting from nothing, so we got nothing to lose right?).
If Delicious didn't have what you want it turns out that there are actually videos on YouTube. Now, i know this is not some revolutionary advancement, people have being doing tabbed stuff like this forever. However, it is a really nice user experience when combined with human search. In fact, the tabbed interface you see on this long tail search is EXACTLY what our Guides would do when build a single human curated pages. So, in fact this tabbed interface is the precursor to a human result. In other words, the next best thing!
Mahalo for taking the time and do let me know what you think!
1. Yes, I'm sure it's possible to get used to that. At the moment, though, I don't think I like viewing it in a frame like that. How about doing a redirect? So, for example, if I choose Google as my choice of service -- rather than wiki, Yahoo, MSN etc -- then you redirect me right to Google? Not good for page views, but surely good for getting users to adopt Mahalo as their homepage.
On another note, I see you've went more aggressive with your ads. Put simply, it had to be done. One of the most worrying points for Mahalo, from my perspective, was the shocking CPM you were likely to achieve where your ads were positioned before. I think, when it comes to ads, you've got the right thing between being too intrusive and standing a chance in hell of them ever being clicked on. With your old positions I was starting to wonder if you were planning on introducing CPM ads at one point.
On another note, I don't think Google would be happy with those pages (no result SERPs) ending up in their index! Keep up the good work :-)
Posted at 6:23PM on Nov 21st 2007 by Chris McElroy