NEW YORK, Jan. 12, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — Vertical Search Works™ (www.verticalsearchworks.com, VSW), a leading provider of patented semantic search and advertising solutions, announced the launch of its new VS4Food™ search offering for publishers.

VS4Food is a vertical search engine that resides on a publisher’s site.  Users can enter a query without leaving the site through a toolbar, and the search engine returns results from both the publisher and from other web sites relevant to the query. VS4Food automatically organizes results into facets, relevant categories associated with the query. For example, searching for “sirloin steak” will classify documents in categories about grilling recipes and wine pairings. Similarly, a search for “Emeril dessert” will return categories such as cooking show, dessert recipe and cookbooks.

VS4Food features relevant images next to results, making the page more attractive. Images are selected by analyzing the article and identifying pictures that illustrate the article’s topic.  In addition, the new VS4Food Products Services facet allows the user to browse the relevant product and services associated with their query.  The search results also contain relevant advertisements selected by VSW’s proprietary semantic ad matching technology. 

“Together, these new capabilities help create a unique search experience for the user,” said Colin Jeavons, CEO of VSW. “Our semantic search helps Web publishers mitigate search leakage, and hold on to visitors longer and increase page views. This in turn increases revenues, since search has a better click-through and conversion rate.”

VS4Food leverages VSW’s semantic search technology, which organizes millions of concepts and expressions into more than 80 distinct content verticals.  This technology allows VSW to serve the most relevant search results and highly targeted ads for advertisers and publishers in key content areas.

About Vertical Search Works™:

Vertical Search Works’ mission is to provide better, more accurate search to people seeking information, knowledge, products or services within their area of interest.  VSW leverages proprietary semantic search technology which understands user intent better than traditional keyword-based search.  Users can experience VSW Search™, a targeted vertical search engine, on the Web sites of major online content producers in the Food, Home Garden, Weddings, Family and Entertainment industries.  The company also offers VSW FeatureLink™, which allows marketers to feature their products with an image and a 140-character call to action next to relevant content from VSW’s online publishing partners.  Marketers pay a fixed price cost-per-click and generate additional sales without the complexity of keyword bidding.  VSW FeatureLink™ is complementary to all paid search and advertising models currently used by its publishers. Vertical Search Works was formed from the February 2010 merger of Convera Corporation, a leading developer of search technology for the U.S. intelligence community, and Firstlight ERA, a leader in advertising sales technology.  VSW is headquartered in New York.  For more information, visit www.verticalsearchworks.com.

SOURCE Vertical Search Works