Google has been the dominant force in search for the last decade. The company changed what a search engine is capable of and has a usage-share unparalleled in almost any other industry. Does that mean the competition for search is over? In an effort to avoid an antitrust lawsuit, Google would definitely have you (and the government) believe that is not the case.

via StatCounter

Recent news about Facebook suggest that Google hasn’t completely cornered the search market. The social media giant is developing its own search technology to combat Google and other engines. Reports mention that Facebook search will offer typical internet search capability, as well as Facebook specific features. These include an efficient search of status updates, pictures, videos, and more. The engineering team working on the project is reportedly led by a former Google engineer.

Facebook has a great opportunity with their 800 million+ users. However, many analysts have pointed out that in order to be successful they must not simply replicate Google search. Facebook must create a new search on its own terms that incorporates well into its social community and that users like using better than Google.

Search isn’t all bad, but it could be a lot better. Facebook’s entry into the search realm, along with popular sites such as Amazon, Kayak, and Rotten Tomatoes demonstrate, that most consumers are willing to use specialized search engines in order to find specific results. With this in mind, Pikimal is hard at work building our customizable search. For many products, it’s the best technology available to help users make well-informed decisions. With the growth of specialized search, there’s still plenty of room for players in this game.