Vertical search
Definition
Vertical search is a type of search engine that is designed to focus on a specific industry or subject area. Unlike general search engines, which provide results from a wide range of websites and content, vertical search engines are specialized to return results that are relevant to a particular topic or field.[1]
Examples
Examples of vertical search engines include:
- Google Images for search images
- Google News for searching for news
- TripAdvisor for searching for reviews of hotels and other travel-related businesses
- Indeed for job search
- Kayak for flight search
Implementation
Vertical search engines can be very useful for people looking for information or products within a specific niche. They can save time by providing more relevant results and can be especially helpful for people looking for information on a particular topic that is not well covered by general search engines.
Additionally, Vertical search engines generally has better usability for specific niche, for example, the filters available on job search site is more specialized towards the job searching process, compared to general search engines.
Vertical Search Engine Optimization (VSEO) is a different approach to SEO focused on a specific industry, topic or field. This technique makes sure that the website is optimized for search engines specific to a certain niche or vertical.
Google vertical search engines
Google operates a number of vertical search engines, also known as "vertical search properties," which are designed to search specific types of content. Some examples of Google's vertical search engines include:
- Google News: A search engine that focuses on news articles from around the world.
- Google Images: A search engine that allows users to search for and find images on the web.
- Google Shopping: A search engine that helps users find products to buy online.
- Google Maps: A search engine that helps users find businesses, addresses, and directions.
- Google Flights: A search engine that allows users to search for and compare prices on flights.
- Google Books: A search engine that allows users to search the full text of books that have been scanned by Google.
These vertical search engines are powered by Google's underlying search technology, but they have been customized to provide more relevant results for the specific types of content that they are designed to search. In addition, Google also offers specialized search engines for many specific topics, like health, finance, and jobs, which also called as Google for Jobs, Google for Healthcare, Google for Finance and so on.
Vertical search and SEO
When it comes to vertical search and SEO, it's important to understand that the rules and strategies that apply to general search engines may not always be the same. For example, the keywords and phrases that are important for a website in the travel industry may be different from those that are important for a website in the healthcare industry. As such, it's important to have a good understanding of the specific vertical that you're targeting and what strategies will be most effective for that audience.
Additionally, some vertical search engines like Google Images and Google News, have their own set of guidelines and best practices to follow. For example, Google Images, use of alt text, image filename and title to rank images, while Google News has their own news publisher guidelines to follow.
Overall, SEO for a vertical search engine requires a specialized approach that takes into account the unique characteristics of the industry or topic in question. It is important to stay updated with the guidelines provided by that specific vertical search engine.
Related links
Google SERP Features: A Visual Guide to Search Result Types. Image pack