Search Engine Reported 40% Traffic IncreaseFeb 11, 2004

Overview

 Search engine ooBdoo.com ( http://www.oobdoo.com) reported an increase in traffic by over 40% after integrating thumbshots from thumbshots.org. ooBdoo.com, pronounced as "oo bee doo", provides directory search primarily to users in the United States since October 1998. Formerly operating under Inter-Change.com and later re-branded to ooBdoo.com, the company is based in United Kingdom.

Thumbshots.org ( http://www.thumbshots.org) is an open and non-profit initiative by Smartdevil.com ( http://www.smartdevil.com) that contributes back to the Internet community. Thumbshots are thumbnail snapshots of web pages providing preview functionality for search engines and directories.

Immediate Positive Feedback

Like other search engines, ooBdoo.com relies heavily on traffic to generate revenues from banner advertisements and paid inclusion. Users prefer thumbshots because they get a greater sense of control of where they want to go and what they will see next. "Searching is now so much easier," said an ooBdoo.com user. Among other benefits, users are able to relocate a previously visited site faster and easier with thumbshots. "You can tell exactly what sites you have already visited and makes it easier to find them again," according to a user feedback received.

The overnight success of thumbshots on search results has prompted ooBdoo.com to extend the thumbshots service into their static directory of over 250,000 pages and with plans to integrate into their U.K sister site at http://www.oobdoo.co.uk. "The amount of positive feedback we are receiving due to the introduction of thumbshots is incredible. It is because of this phenomenal success that we decided to integrate Thumbshots into our static directory pages," said Mike Hammond, CEO of ooBdoo.com.

Thumbshot is an exciting and useful feature that adds tremendous value to any search engine or directory. The integration process often takes minutes and does not affect existing backend processes. Search engines and directories don’t have to spend a lot of effort or resources to get dramatic positive results immediately. "Thumbshots has given oobdoo.com a new dimension," said Mike Hammond.

About Thumbshots.org

The Open Thumbshots Project ( http://www.thumbshots.org) is an open and non-profit initiative by Smartdevil.com ( http://www.smartdevil.com) that contributes back to the Internet community. Thumbshots.org provides free thumbshot preview images available for download and by direct request. Thumbshots.org is made possible through community efforts and donations.