Google Grooms Search with Analytics

Google has added search reporting and event tracking to its Analytics software for businesses, casting a spotlight on the convergence of search and business intelligence and the notion search obligations dont end by helping users find what they are looking for.

The new reporting tool allows customers to condition search on their sites to identify keywords, categories, products and trends across time and user segments and gauge how effectively, or ineffectively, they are helping users find what theyre looking for.

Adding reporting and event tracking tools to search, Google is confirming what many in the industry already hold true: Pointing Web users to information and products is something every search engine can do; the trick is how to improve upon the initial search so the user has an even easier time looking for what they want upon their return.

Industry experts believe this convergence of search with BI techniques could be a sweet spot for those that get it right.

Google boosted the BI quotient, adding event tracking, which lets users measure visitor engagement with a sites interactive elements, such as AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript and XML), JavaScript, Flash movies, page gadgets and downloads.

The software will be available soon for its Google Custom Search, Google Search Appliance, Google Mini appliance, as well as for search products that arent from Google, the Mountain View, Calif., company said in a statement Oct. 16.

Google redoubles its enterprise search push. Click here to read more.

Googles tools are the latest in a swath of enterprise search upgrades.

Google Oct. 10 rolled out Google Search Appliance 5.0, adding the ability to find and aggregate any objects sitting in enterprise content management systems, as well as its own Google Apps cloud.

Vivisimo introduced social tagging, bookmarking and networking capabilities to its enterprise search platform Oct. 8.

Endeca unveiled Sept. 17 Discovery Suite modules that allow the use of customer-generated content such as reviews, ratings and tags in search returns.

Google also upgraded Version 5.0 of its Urchin Software, which the company purchased in March 2005 to pad its enterprise search tools. The new Urchin 5.0 assets, available in limited beta, are geared for businesses who want a software version of Web analytics.

The package includes tools to help customers migrate configurations and data from previous versions of Urchin. Users can request a free 90-day trial of the beta version of Urchin software from an authorized reseller.

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