2:15-3:15 p.m.
Information-Gathering on the Internet: An On-line Directory Service's Perspective
Moderator: Illya D'Addezio, Assistant Vice President, A.M. Best


Internet Search Services--We're Good but Need to Get Better

Internet search services are attracting millions of users daily but still have improvements to make before they can serve all the needs of insurers and other business customers, representatives of two leading services said Monday.

The pair addressed a gathering of insurance leaders at the annual insurance information and issues conference hosted by A.M. Best Co., held this year in Washington, D.C.

Terrence D. Gray, of Lycos and Scott Hoffman of Yahoo! said both companies are refining their software to overcome a number of shortfalls. Those expected improvements will soon include:

-Better classification systems that categorize web pages by subject and user interests;
-The ability to respond by geographic location; and
-The ability to follow up to better observe users' experiences in searching for data to see if they're truly being served.

Both touted the advantages of advertising on the search services, which present advertisements to those looking for internet sites that contain particular words or subjects.

Gray said the latest figures show that about 61% of all American insurance companies now have internet sites, with more joining the online community weekly. There are about 10 million internet sites worldwide and Yahoo! receives about 9,000 requests per day operators who want their sites listed in the search engine, Hoffman said.

Search companies have been successful in creating advertising that can be customized according to the type of information requested, both said, adding that the customization increases with the amount of information searchers are willing to reveal.

But insurers are licensed on a state-by-state basis. One drawback of the national search engine is that someone seeking insurance information is presented with a list of companies that qualify, regardless of where the search is based.

Search companies are developing systems that geographically classify searchers by the internet service provider used, but even that has limits. For instance, those systems record every user of America Online as Virginia-based, because that national service has its main operations based in that state, Gray said.

Gray said improved search software is expected to roll out shortly that should further aid businesses in both finding information and displaying their ads to searchers.

"If you hang with us a few more weeks, you'll see how much of this plays out," Gray said.