More Choice of Search for Schibsted’s Mobile Users

Sesam will be a desktop icon on mobile phones
Copenhagen/London, 5 February, 2008- Norway’s number one mobile search engine Sesam, has teamed up with mobilePeople to offer its users a wider choice of search options. Sesam’s users can now conduct mobile searches through a new downloadable mobile search tool (java client) as well as via the existing Sesam mobile browser mechanic. Both services are powered by mobilePeople’s liquidTM platform.
Once the user has downloaded the Sesam application it sits on the mobile phone like a desktop icon on a PC. The solution utilises a single search box approach. When users type in a search term, mobilePeople undertakes a search across all data sources including images, newspaper articles, global and local web-sites, blogs, maps and TV programme overviews returning the results by category. Search results like businesses and people can be viewed on a fully realised map based on mobilePeople’s liquidTM MAPs technology.
“Research shows that mobile users engage freely with both methods of search. This is why we’ve decided to introduce a dual mobile search strategy,” said Bjørn Tveiten, Head of Mobile Search at Schibsted Søk. “By introducing the downloadable search client to expand on our search offering we’re further cementing our position as market leader. We’ve enhanced our mobile search strategy to ultimately drive more mobile traffic and aide our user retention.”
In 2007, mobilePeople announced the introduction of banners and sponsored links into Sesam’s existing browser-based searches. So, the launch of application driven mobile search further enhances this ongoing relationship.
Jens Andersen, CEO and co-founder of mobilePeople commented: “The mobile search market is blossoming and companies need to adopt more holistic strategies in order to successfully monetise. One size simply doesn’t fit all anymore. Some users prefer a browser-based approach to search, others are more comfortable with a downloadable application. We believe that by offering more ways to access search - companies will massively drive user loyalty and repeat searches.”
Launched in 2005, Sesam has quickly become a top mobile web destination for mobile users in Norway. It currently enables in excess of 30,000 mobile searches a day and helps 150,000 users a month find the information they are searching for on the move. In June 2007, Sesam’s browser-based mobile search (wap.sesam.no) was recognised as "Best Mobile Search Engine" in Norway’s leading online mobile magazine, amobil.