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Discovery Communications and the Google Search Appliance
Overview Discovery Communications, Inc. (DCI) is a leading media and entertainment company. From the launch of Discovery Channel in the U.S. in 1985, DCI now has operations in 152 countries with 180 million total subscribers. DCI's 33 networks of distinctive programming represent 14 entertainment brands, including TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Kids, and a family of digital channels. Other DCI properties include Discovery.com and 165 Discovery Channel retail stores. DCI also distributes BBC America in the United States. The Challenge Discovery hosts sites for each of its 14 channels featuring schedules and information for each series and program. These information-packed sites are comprised of some 60,000 files, which garner 120,000 search queries a day. A previous search product was difficult for the Discovery web team to maintain, because it required extensive resources in order to update relevancy algorithms when new content was added to the network. Even with significant optimization, the search results were not effective, and it was widely believed that Discovery users limited their page views as a result. This third-party solution also made it difficult to add new content in order to insure its freshness on the site. Things got to a point where the Discovery web team needed to make a change in order to get simplified search maintenance, more useful search results, and better control of the site’s content. The Solution “The Google Search Appliance is easier to set up than your home PC,” says IT Department Representative Patrick Gardella. And, adds Carl Lewin, Web Developer, “Deployment was straightforward – there was nothing to it.” He adds that the appliance easily incorporates three data libraries (collections) into one, so that a single search returns an integrated set of relevant results. For example, Discovery.com can now deliver results based on the user’s path -- Animal Planet viewers see Animal Planet results on top, in addition to TV program listings and Discovery Store product links. Discovery also uses Google’s keymatch feature to suggest “Editor’s Picks,” search results reflecting the most popular search queries. Carl Lewin also appreciates the spellcheck feature. “No matter how someone spells ‘hippopotamus,’ we can recommend the correct spelling and appropriate links to information,” he says. Perhaps best of all, says Patrick Gardella, “the Google Search Appliance requires very little maintenance. It’s so easy to use and manage, we sometimes can’t believe it.” Results Not only have pageviews increased, says Mark Irwin. The number of daily searches has grown 70 percent based on the value of searching with Google. “More people are finding information they need, which means they stay longer to read, search further, and shop,” says Irwin. “Users are familiar with how to use Google,” says Patrick Gardella. Adding the Google logo to the bottom of our pages “gives people more confidence in search results,” adds Carl Lewin. “We’ve been very happy with Google,” says Mark Irwin. “It’s reliable, has lived up to its promise, and works very well in our environment.” About the Google Search Appliance The Google Search Appliance is an integrated corporate search solution that extends Google’s award-winning search technology to intranets and websites. The Google Search Appliance is available in three models: the GB-1001 for departments and mid-sized companies; the GB-5005 for dedicated, high-priority search services such as customer-facing websites and company-wide intranet applications; and the GB-8008 for centralized deployments supporting global business units. For more information, visit http://www.google.com/enterprise/gsa/. |
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