Search engines are a cash-cow for its developers. Through search engines, businesses battle it out for first page rankings which make them highly visible to the search query enthusiasts.

This pays off tremendous dividends for them, increasing profits, brand name image, and overall performance. Before, websites had to rely on "search engine optimising" their web pages with infused keywords and perhaps a small fee for an optimisation firm to guarantee them top placement. Nowadays, individuals work directly with Google and Yahoo paying for top placement in the form of "sponsored links".

If you visit Google.com and type "sunglasses" in the query box, you're lead to a listing of relevant web pages on sunglasses. On the right side of the screen, there is a special cut-off section reserved for sponsored links. These are examples of a paid search initiative. Google benefits tremendously from sponsored, paid search links because they are targeted ads that are shown only to potential consumers interested in the product) and that they are performance based (advertisers pay for every click generated by users). In essence, they are innovating the entire idea of online advertising and making annoying, intrusive banner ads less effective.

As a result of paid search success, Yahoo's Overture program has more than 100,000 clients and the sites earnings reports have doubled year after year as a result. Better pricing and an influx of new customers has only contributed to increasing company profits. By 2004, Yahoo revenues should reach a whopping $2.8 billion dollars, with paid search accounting for half ($1.4 billion) of that. Although Yahoo has enjoyed success, Google is right on their heels. They have 150,000 paying clients and have lead the Internet in total innovations made. One may ask: what is in it for these companies besides profits? For starters, there is a sense of pride. The Web is the leading forum for people to receive and give information through the breaking news, sports, car prices, Mike Tyson quotes, Billy Joel lyrics, and a whole lot more. This sense of pride comes from being the "lens" of the world. By being the No.1 search engine provider, Google and Yahoo can benefit by introducing us to new ways of viewing the world we live in. What an important job!