Apparatus, Methods, and Computer Program Products for Facilitating Dynamic Search Engine Service Competition

摘要

Apparatus, methods and/or computer program products are provided that facilitate selecting a search engine for performing a search request by soliciting bids from a plurality of search engine services. The search request is awarded to a search engine service that submits a bid that best satisfies user criteria, such as search engine preference, search results format preference, and price. Apparatus, methods and/or computer program products also are provided that facilitate submitting a bid for the right to provide search results for a user search request. The search engine service with the winning bid performs a search using the search request, acquires advertising to be displayed with the search results, and provides the search results and advertising to the user. The search engine service pays the user and/or a network service provider a portion of advertising revenue.