A few weeks ago, I reported about the “new & improved” AOL Search and how it is geared more for advertisers than for consumers. AOL Search has now rolled out its new product and the reception has received mixed results.
According to an article on CNET, “AOL has added a clustering technology to AOL Search to automatically organize relevant search results by topics. That information is displayed alongside the list of general Web search results and is designed to reduce the need to wade through a long list.” I find this to be perhaps the most useful feature of the new AOL Search as AOL offers some good alternative guestimates of what a searcher may be looking for, plus by clicking on one of these Web Matches it cuts down on the paid Sponsored Links.
There is also a Recent Search History feature, which may be helpful for some searchers. As you type into the search box some alternatives are listed to assist your search and if the search happens to be about a company listed on one of the stock exchanges, you can click on “Get company info for…” and be taken to a Quotes and News section about that particular company.
Like I had stated before though, there is way too much real estate given to the search results pages for Sponsored Links as the organic results seem to be enveloped like a slice of lox on a bagel sandwich. And the organic results are not even AOL results as they are served up by Google.
In addition, if you navigate your way to the AOL Directory, you’ll not see AOL results either but DMOZ listings. All-in-all, the new AOL Search is simply a new candy wrapper around the Google / DMOZ candy.
