Loren posts that Google will tomorrow launch a Custom Search Engine which will allow publishers to create their own specialized Google Search Indexes made up of specific sites.
This will include a revenue sharing model that is similar to what AdSense offers through it’s search box.
Loren quotes a Financial Times article that writes:
“Users of Google Custom Search Engine will be able to select the websites they want to be included in their searches, and add to this list in future by “tagging” websites they visit. Any searches will then return results just from that slice of the Google search index.
Google also said it had created an easy way for users to “paste” a search box for the personalised engine on to their own webpages, so that visitors can carry out searches using their preferred parameters.”
This will be an interesting one to watch in the next couple of days. I can see some applications for blog networks particularly.
update – Google Custom Search Engines have gone live.
In terms of how you make money from this – Google writes in their CSE FAQ:
‘To make money from your Custom Search Engine you can join Google’s AdSense for Search program, which places contextually relevant ads on your Custom Search Engine’s search results pages – and pays you a share of all the revenue that’s generated from those ads. For more information about how the AdSense for Search program and Custom Search Engine work together, visit the Make Money page in your search engine’s Control Panel.’
