 With the internet and its vast amount of free information,
why would anyone pay for information nowadays?
You're correct in your assessment that there's a huge amount of free
information available today. Before deciding what route you take to procure your
information, ask yourself a couple of questions:
- How important is this information to your organization?
Perhaps more importantly, what would the outcome be if you used
inaccurate or outdated information? While there's a huge amount of
information available, the internet offers no control over quality or
accuracy.
Is the information you found authentic or have you just quoted someone who threw together his or her own web site? A professional searcher
can help you isolate the validated information you truly need for success.
- How much time do you have available for the search?
Even simple searches often end up consuming large chunks of time. Which
of your tasks have gone undone while you devoted yourself to the search? A
professional searcher cannot only isolate high quality information, he or
she can free you up to use your time in more productive ways. You'll most
likely be putting the information to productive use more quickly.
OK, I understand why I need to use and pay for a professional
searcher, but why are you recommending we use a fee based information source?
Can't you find virtually anything you need on the free internet? Every business
publication I know has an internet presence.
The vastness of the internet can leave us believing everything can be found
there. However, that can be a dangerous view to hold. It's important to know
what you WON'T find when you search the free internet. Consider:
- More than two-thirds of the top business publications either post only
limited free articles on their Web sites or do not make any of their content
available on the Web for free.1
- The visible content on the web makes up less than 20% of the total
available content.2
- Tasini decision: Publishers cannot exceed their scope of privilege when
publishing freelance writers' work. Basically: What you saw in print may not
be included in electronic (or other) archives due to legal reasons.
If the information is important to you, consider which sources will deliver
the most complete, timely and accurate information. A professional searcher can
help you zero in on the right sources for the right information. High quality
information from a fee based service often turns out to be a bargain in the long
run.
1 Factiva. A
white paper prepared for Factiva, a Dow Jones and Reuters Company, by
Mary Ellen Bates, June 2004
2 Find.com. The
Myth of Broad Search. Presented by Chris Travers, CEO, and
Matt Turck, CIO, at Websearch University, Washington, DC, September,
2004
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