In a move that once again puts Google into closer competition with Microsoft, the search giant launched today a fee-based, hosted site search service targeted at small and medium businesses.
The new Google Custom Search Business Edition helps SMBs add search capabilities to their Web sites. A free version displays ads, while businesses with more complex sites can buy the Google Search Appliance to provide site and intranet search behind the firewall.
Google Custom Search Business Edition gives customers the option to display ads and the ability to customize search results. Google will provide e-mail and telephone support. Indexing up to 5,000 pages will cost $100 a year, while 50,000 pages costs $500. Prices start at $15,000 for 1 million pages and more.
The new search offering marks Google’s latest foray into hosted services for businesses. Many of those hosted services, such as Google Apps, compete marginallyand some say directlywith Microsoft’s long-established desktop software market.
Google’s Custom Search Business Edition is likely to compete with Microsoft’s own version of enterprise search.