Face 360 Search: What is the moat of Baidu?

In Qihoo 360 launched a comprehensive search, tiger sniff the first time has asked the search technology experts, the former Sogou web search effect of the owner Guo wrote a "360 search to move whose cheese." His view is: 360 of the launch of the search, the most affected is Google. And with Google's downfall and search for the fade out, the future of Chinese search will be staged Baidu, Sogou, 360 of the new kingdoms. And as everyone in the quality of the difference gradually smaller, the future of the search war will be a very fierce channel, market and marketing debate.

These days, as the situation gradually unfold, the capital market, Baidu's share price even to a certain degree of impact; in the field battlefield, in order to guard against 360 of the attack, Baidu in their own encyclopedia, know and other pages to add tips, guide the use of Qihoo search for people to switch to Baidu.

August 22, Sogou CEO Wang Xiaoquan in the letter to employees inside the company that:

"360 and Sogou competition is not new, especially in the field of browsers." And in the search field, I think this will be the two sides together on the subversion of Baidu. Because 360 of the entry, search into the Baidu, Sogou and 360 of the "new Three Kingdoms era", we and their enemies are also friends. ”

　　"Common to the subversion of Baidu!"

However, before that, Sogou and 360 must realize that in the face of Baidu, they have what the ridge is not around. Today, we continue to ask Guo Hanlai to explore.

His article is as follows:

360 Why must do the search

360 and Sogou is relatively close to the profit model, are browser mode, both the source of the two are search, navigation, games. But through the earnings analysis, we can find that there are large differences in the distribution of the two parties, as follows:

　　

Note: All data are from public data, such as earnings, from both sides, in units (million dollars). Among them, the odd tiger search earnings are not involved, is the author to inquire.

Sogou Search total income of 22 million U.S. dollars, in accordance with browser traffic accounted for 60% of the calculation, the browser to its search contribution income of 13.2 million, and 360 of the installation of the browser is 4 times times the Sogou, if the same effect, the income can reach 52.8 million U.S. dollars, a full 70% growth space, If close to Baidu's rpm (thousands of search gains), or expand other sources of traffic, revenue can be more growth. Of course, to reach Sogou This step is not easy, the need for brand, search experience, liquidity and other long-term accumulation and improvement.

So, 360 doing the search is almost a choice that has to be made.

Sogou relative to 360, without expanding the product line in the case of game revenue, there is also a huge increase in space. In addition, the navigation part also has certain promotion space.

360 Search, whether can really threaten Baidu ?

360 Search to be bigger and stronger, must recognize what Baidu has.

　A strong brand advantage

Some people say that China's search engine market is two kinds, browser and Baidu. Although not completely accurate, but also very good response to the current situation of the entire market.

Due to the overall low end of China's internet users, a large number of netizens or through the Web site and other means of access to search engines. In fact, the active use of search engines (input URL access or favorite access) users almost all concentrated in Baidu, and a small number of high-end users are Google's fans. The active flow mainly comes from the brand influence and the appeal, is the problem which all other search engines are difficult to solve.

and other search engine traffic more depends on the channel, the channel generally includes the website station, the Internet café and some website inside search box. Like Sogou or 360 this has its own browser quality channels can be directly access to traffic, but others will rely heavily on traffic to buy. These two years with Sogou and search the fierce competition, the flow of the purchase price is also rising, if there is no strong liquidity to support words, it is difficult to recover costs.

And we found that the unit flow to get the cost of Sogou and search is far higher than Baidu, why Baidu can also buy traffic? This is because, in the same Web site navigation station, put Baidu or Sogou search box, users of the search box is not the same rate of use, which is still a strong brand advantage caused.

Outside the channel, Baidu's strong brand advantage, which is very difficult to be shaken in a short time, but also other search engines are difficult to cross a ridge.

Powerful product Moat

Baidu Search in the list of hits, the top ten impressively is the following results: (The following results are basically orderly but may be slightly different)

Baidu knows, Baidu Encyclopedia, Baidu Library, Baidu Bar, Baidu Video, Baidu Pictures, search search questions, Youku, Archie Art, Baidu map.

In addition to search and ask and Youku, they are all Baidu's products. In here, know, library and post bar is almost irreplaceable, the former both have a lot of very high quality content, even for part of the long tail query is the only quality results, and stick has a lot of loyal users, will be a lot of inquiries of the user's main needs. and encyclopedia, although there are interactive encyclopedia, and other competitors, but Baidu Encyclopedia has the most abundant content and quality of the structure, but also the current competitors are difficult to compare.

These products and powerful content resources, constitute a strong "moat" Baidu, is all other search engines to face the difficulties, if not row up, then the user experience may be affected, if the platoon up, the user is likely to stay in Baidu after the past. Baidu can also use a variety of methods to this part of the user to stay in Baidu, as is currently the user from 360 search prompts.

There is another will let other search engines are more depressed one thing, all non-Baidu search engine, search volume ranked the first keyword must be "Baidu", which will make Baidu home will also be on its top ten.

　　Huge investment in surrounding resources

To be a good operation of a search engine products, not only to the web search itself well, but also the need to achieve a large number of peripheral products, such as commercial products and vertical search, although not as difficult as the web search itself, but also the need for a large number of human input.

In order to more accurately meet the needs of users, improve search quality, not only to do the basic algorithm well, but also when users have the need to embed the results of vertical search. In Baidu and Sogou, embedded vertical search includes video, music, pictures, news, maps, shopping, real estate, recruiting, software, microblogging (has been stopped). Although it can be as now and immediately, the gold cooperation, but if you want to further improve the search experience, especially the long tail experience still need to develop themselves.

and the development of commercial products is not easy, in addition to the development of a similar to Phoenix Nest bidding system, and a set of advertising matching and click Rate Prediction algorithm, but also need to establish a large number of agent channels, this also has to invest a lot of energy and manpower.