What’s Happened To Ask.com?
Like an old faithful friend, Ask.com has been there in there if needed, standing in the background as others took the limelight over the years. Trailing behind the big three, Google, Yahoo and MSN, Ask.com has decided to take a different road. The old faithful is changing, moving on. It feels like the death of an old friend.
Ask.com’s new CEO, Jim Safka , announced plans to return to basics. The restructuring strategy includes:
- Reducing the workforce by 8% or approximately 40 employees.
- Plans to broaden its audience beyond Middle American by refocusing the search engine with predominance on female consumers.
- Refocusing on answering questions on entertainment and health issues.
The rocking reports prove that the search engine world – like life – is filled with constant change. Gary Price, former Director of Information Services at Ask, writes in his blog, “No tears, just smiles. It’s time to move on.”
For more about Ask.com’s fate:
- All Things Must Pass; Moving On from Ask.com by Gary Price, ResourceShelf blog
- What Is Ask.Com’s New Strategy? The Wall Street Journal
- Ask.com search site to cut jobs, realign strategy, by Michele Gershberg; editing by John Wallace, Reuters.com
- Ask.com to Cut 8%, Revamp Search, by Kevin Newcomb, SearchEngineWatch.com
- Search engine laying off staff and changing gears by David A. Utter, WebProNews
- Search Community Reaction to Ask.com New Search Strategy – Search Engine Roundtable
- IAC Cuts 8% Of Ask.com & Kills Search Engine by Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Land
- Ask.com to Become Women’s Site – Google Blogoscoped
- Ask.com Cuts 40 Jobs, Gary Price Among Those Laid, by Loren Baker, Editor, Search Engine Journal
- Ask.com is Dead by Jim Hedger, SEO Blog
- Goodbye Ask.com: A Brand Evangelist Hangs It Up by Lisa Barone, BruceClay.com
Tags: Ask.com, search engine news