Vertical Search Works Launches VSW Search™, a Semantic Search Platform for Web Publishers

NEW YORK, Aug. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Vertical Search Works (VSW), a rapidly growing technology company that provides search and paid search to Web publishers, announced today the launch of VSW Search™, a new platform based on its proprietary semantic search technology.  

VSW Search™ is a search bar that publishers can deploy free of charge on their websites.  With VSW Search™, site visitors conducting a search are driven to a publisher-branded results page, rather than being immediately directed away from the publisher's site via a search toolbar.  The top two search results direct site visitors to content housed within the host publisher site, allowing Web publishers to retain visitors while generating additional page views and advertising revenue.  

"We believe VSW Search™ is the 'killer app' for search," said Colin Jeavons, CEO of VSW.  "Publishers on the Web are thirsty for page views, and by delivering a semantic-powered search, we can help them better engage consumers by offering relevant, actionable search results."

VSW Search™ is powered by proprietary semantic search technology originally developed for the U.S. intelligence services.  Semantic technology understands a search term not simply as a keyword, but as a concept within a hierarchy of other related ideas.  It therefore understands the searcher's intent more like a human being would.  For example, a search for "java" on a food website will return only advertisements, recipes and nutritional information related to coffee; it will not return any results for computer programming.

Foodchannel.com is one of the first major sites to deploy the search bar.  Damion McDunn, technical lead for the popular foodie website, says, "VSW Search™ is an excellent way to recapture our audience, extending time-on-site and page views while offering additional CPM and paid search opportunities."

About Vertical Search Works 

Vertical Search Works' mission is to provide better, more accurate search to people seeking information, knowledge, products or services within their area of interest.  VSW leverages proprietary semantic search technology which understands user intent better than traditional keyword-based search.  Users can experience VSW Search™, a targeted vertical search engine, on the Web sites of major online content producers in the Food, Home & Garden, Weddings and Entertainment industries.  The company also offers VSW FeatureLink™, which allows marketers to feature their products with an image and a 140-character call to action next to relevant content from VSW's online publishing partners.  Marketers pay a fixed price cost-per-click and generate additional sales without the complexity of keyword bidding.  VSW FeatureLink™ is complementary to all paid search and advertising models currently used by its publishers.

Vertical Search Works was formed from the February 2010 merger of Convera Corporation, a leading developer of search technology for the U.S. intelligence community, and Firstlight ERA, a leader in advertising sales technology.  VSW is headquartered in New York.  For more information, visit www.verticalsearchworks.com.      

Media Contact: Keith Campbell, 973-945-6514, [email protected]

SOURCE Vertical Search Works