Comments on: Ask.com’s Safka: 40 Jobs Cuts; ‘Reevaluating’ Product; Ditching The ‘Digerati’

By: ActualUSer

ActualUSer — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:51:37 +0000

I think you guys are missing the point. For Ask to be a smash hit for IAC, they only need to grow share a tiny bit. Like a few points.

Now ask yourself whether they are more likely to gain that share by trying to be the ultimate deep Web search engine, or by focusing on a brand and set of features that will appeal to the audience that is already using and has been loyal to the site.

What most people don't know is that AskJeeves didn't have porn for a long time. For mothers (and feminists) like me, that's a huge deal.

This one actually seems like a no-brainer to me.

By: Red

Red — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:18:47 +0000

Agree with JB – Ask is in big trouble.

The key insight is what, that women search differently than men? That people in the midwest search differently than people on the coasts? Def feels like AOL.

Safka is the wrong guy to turn Ask around. He's a marketer with no real product sensibility. What did he do at Match or AT&T;that was worthwhile? Seems like he stepped on a steaming pile here…

By: JB

JB — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:18:19 +0000

so what they're saying is that their user base are the ones who used Ask Jeeves rather than the digital "elite" that actually knows which is a good search engine and how to use it? Didn't need to rebrand it as Ask to achieve that. Sounds a bit like the AOL strategy of yesteryear: target the late adopters who don't know enough to go to a more sophisticated service. Good luck with that.