Critics, doomsday prophets and technophiles alike envision the day that Google takes over and swallows the (somewhat) democratic internet. Except in Russia. According to Business Week, at http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_27/b4091060426533.htm?campaign_id=rss_tech, Yandex is not just competing with Google, it is superseding it. Yandex was originally designed as a linguistic program to parse the complex Russian language, but developer Arkady Volozh recognized the potential of the program as a powerful search engine. Since the program was designed with the Russian language in mind, it more specifically supports Russian users than Google Russia. And, it is winning the war against Google in Eastern Europe.
Why so popular? The search tools and user functions designed by Yandex more closely match the local user needs, language and search syntax of its clientele. Google in the United States my be the most receptive and customizable internet search engine for us, and since the United States is the only country on the planet, then what is best for us is best for everyone, Right? But no. What is best is what works best with the native language, syntax, and habits of the users.
What does this mean for the Google world? First, it means that Google may not take over the entire internet. Stiff competition between Google and Yandex pushes each one forward to become more innovative and user-centered. Yandex recently produced a software program, Yandex Money, targeting small businesses and working as a net-payment option. This could thoroughly increase the chances that Yandex will continue to top Google as a resource for up-and-coming internet commerce in Russia. As access to internet spreads across the smaller cities of Russia, citizens and entrepreneurs can expect a similar e-commerce boom as happened in the US in the 1990’s. As small internet businesses grow, both Yandex and Google will be working fast and furious to cater to the e-business trends. Yandex is a step ahead of Google as of now, but will the Google goliath stay behind? That will depend on the responses of users and the future of innovative, locally-controlled resources designed specifically for the Russian local users.
As competent and ubiquitous as Google is in the United States, local control will make or break Google as the ruler of the web. If Yandex continues to be successful, international business continues to grow (and it will), and Eastern European internet access becomes more widespread, than Google may have to step it up in order to conquer the true World Wide Web.
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