Social Search on the Horizon

It seems that the social aspects of the web are reaching all corners of the industry. While recently discussed issues like web browsers gaining traction on social networks, the web is becoming more social in other ways. One of the ways in which the web is getting more social is through social search. What is social search? Social search blends the Internet organizing power of search, and combines it with that of social media.

One company who is attempting to capitalize on social search is Aardvark. Aardvark is a startup that is working on software that lets users find what they are looking for online, with the help of other internet users. According to BusinessWeek.com, “Add Aardvark to a PC or smartphone buddy list, and then send it questions about restaurant, travel, and product recommendations. Aardvark sorts questions into categories, then combs through data culled from other users’ Facebook profiles in search of the half-dozen people who might know the topic best. Answers come back within a few minutes”. Of course, users do not have to answer these questions, they are merely prompted to do so. One problem they might run into, however, is how enthusiastic users will be to answer these questions. After all, social search is based solely on user participation. Can social search really take over?