Search Engine Marketing Professional Organisation (SEMPO) India had organised its second meet for a panel discussion on Search 2.0. The panellists for the discussion included Vivek Bhargava, Chariman of SEMPO, and Managing Director of Communicate 2; as well as Group Heads from ValuePitch Interactive, GroupM and Interactive Avenues. The discussion was moderated by Kiran Kumar, Manager-Internet and Marketing Services, Google Inc.

Some of the important issues addressed at the discussion were whether Search 2.0 is just another fad that attempts to go piggyback on Web 2.0; the problems that Search 2.0 purports to solve; and the Search 2.0 scenario in India.

Defining Search 2.0 as the third generation search technology which encompass preview powered search, languages other than English, category specific searches and theme-based search, the official communiqué added that the panellists emphasised on relevancy of search and how the next generation search would be to take search to a higher level, wherein the search engine is able to display ads according to the need and the requirement of an individual user.

Bhargava observed, “The next generation of search marketing, as it will get individual specific, will not limit itself to Internet. It will use mobile, TV and even outdoor as media.”

The official note further pointed out that India has already seen a few Search 2.0 engines like Burrp, which is a search engine for restaurants. Furthermore, local search engines such as guruji.com that give city and region specific information will continue to gain popularity.

“Search advertising already constitutes 55 per cent of the total online advertising the world over and the trend is expected to be the same in India. ZenithOptimedia estimates the Internet advertising market of India to grow to Rs 2,250 crore in 2008 from Rs 210 crore in 2006. Thus the search market in India could cross Rs 1,000 crore in the coming year,” added Bhargava.

SEMPO is a global non-profit organisation serving the search engine marketing industry and marketing professionals engaged in it. SEMPO's education and outreach initiatives are sponsored in part by Microsoft, Yahoo!, Google, SuperPages.com, Atlas, and Search Engine Strategies.