Google co-op has evolved into Google Custom Search Engine (CSE) which allows sites to develop a vertical search engine using Google technologies. IDG has already implemented this vertical search capacity at Macworld and we've replaced the Macworld internal search with CSE.
Macworld.com experimented with Google Co-Op after it debuted, says Jason Snell, VP and editorial director of Mac Publishing. "We looked at it as a way to better define our content and to improve our traffic," he says.
Upon discovering that his colleagues frequently used Google in conjunction with the "site:" operator to search their own site (rather than using the built-in search engine), Snell says his publication jumped at the chance to create a CSE as a replacement for Macworld.com's unsatisfactory search capabilities. The fact that his company was already a participant in Google's AdSense program made the decision easier.
A critical distinction between Google Co-Op and CSE is control. "Co-Op was really a part of Google," Snell says. "This is controlled by us."
We plan to announce further developments shortly. Check out the tags - news, reviews, blogs, tips etc. Search is now filtered to improve the results. Google has been trying to improve the quality of their results - Google's Custom Search Engine is a step in the right direction.
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