Ask for better search results

Ask.co.uk, the UK branch of the Ask Jeeves search website, is adding new features to make its search results more relevant to users.

Typically, search results will list thousands of links to websites containing content that matches the search term. But broad search terms, such as 'windows', can produce many links to unrelated sites.

Ask is using a tool to link single-word searches to other related words, which will be available in the UK next year.

For example, searching for 'insurance' will produce a separate box of choices such as car, life or home, allowing users to access a list of relevant sites in fewer clicks.

"We have understood that different searches demand different functions," said Chris Martin, Ask Jeeves vice president of production and technology. "Just providing a list of results isn't enough any more."

Ask's search results now also contain recommended sites, which may in turn be further divided into sub-categories. So children's toys could be divided into games, action figures and dolls.

These sub-categories are compiled using Ask's own archives (which also include pictures) and cross-referencing links from other sites to content most commonly accessed via a common search term.