Let’s face it. Major search engines such as Google are effective for certain types of searches, including research for a particular topic. But some topics are challenging to find on Google (especially on the first results page) and can be answered more quickly by asking a trusted peer or network of social contacts. That’s the concept of a new start-up called Aardvark. This latest advancement in search is a hybrid of Internet search and social media. In fact, experts dub it as a new type of online search — social search — and it may just change the way consumers find what they’re seeking. As a leading search agency, we’re constantly monitoring these new developments to keep you at the forefront of search marketing.

Headed by cofounder and CEO Max Ventilla (who is a former Google employee and an up-and-coming entrepreneur) and a staff of 16 San Francisco residents, Aardvark “helps people find what they want online by asking others who know the subject matter best [and are] likely to weigh in with a helpful response,” reported BusinessWeek.com. To utilize this easy-to-use service, download or install nothing. Simply add Aardvark to a PC or smartphone buddy list, and send it a question through instant messenger about what you’re searching, from how-to questions and local recommendations to interest and hobby inquiries. It’s compatible with a variety of instant messenger services such as Gmail Chat, Google Talk, AIM, iChat, MSN Messenger, Hotmail, Yahoo! Messenger and others.

After Aardvark receives your question, it analyzes your question’s topic and sorts it into a category. Then, it routes your question throughout your social network to connect you with approximately five to six best matches for the category. Aardvark considers various factors when putting you in touch with a reliable source, including location, connections on popular social networks like Facebook, related topics in social profiles, people who share your interests and more. Within minutes, you will receive a direct response to your search about local eateries, worldwide travel tips or even product suggestions, for example.

Ventilla has been adamant about differentiating Aardvark from the popular Twitter. Aardvark is not intended to be a broadcast channel between you and your followers. The “software breaks down questions and sends them to a small subsection of a user’s circle of acquaintances.” The bigger a user’s network, the faster and more accurate the responses.

The hot topic of search is a trend that continues to evolve, generating new developments at a rapid rate so consumers always have new channels to conveniently find what they need. Companies at the forefront of search marketing also see in Aardvark an opportunity to reach consumers who are ready to make a purchase. In fact, advertisers are willing to dump a lot of money to have their brands appear in relevant question-and-answer searches. Several online retailers have contributed referral fees to Aardvark when “users embed [links] to their sites in the [answers]” to the questions.

While the anticipation over Aardvark’s success remains high, Ventilla continues to monitor and update the platform to avoid potential pitfalls. For example, some fear that social search could become unpopular when “users are peppered with questions from people they barely know.” Because of the potential annoyance users may experience by being inundated with requests, other social search companies haven’t succeeded among large audiences. But Ventilla is working to further develop the system so users aren’t overwhelmed with questions. One such development is to include “information about users’ Amazon purchase histories and Twitter activity to make the system more relevant” and less dependent on user response.