Ask.com to cut jobs, rethink product strategy

By Michele Gershberg

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Online search site Ask.com will eliminate about 40 jobs, or about 8 percent of its workforce, and is reevaluating its product and marketing lineup under new Chief Executive Jim Safka.

Safka said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday that he had taken a close look at who uses Ask.com, which has nearly 45 million visitors per month, and what they want from the service.

The company, owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), found that about 65 percent of its users are women, with a high concentration of users in their late 30s in the U.S. Midwest and Southeastern states. In the wider search market, women account for closer to 48 percent of users.

"If we can do a better job of understanding who these customers are and answering their questions, we will grow," Safka said. He was due to outline the strategy to staff on Tuesday.

"What this means is everything we do will be put through this strategic filter," Safka said, referring to future products and distribution outlets, from the Web to mobile phones.

Safka said the company would focus more closely on increasing the number of queries a user makes on its site and revenue per query.

He said Ask.com is also committed to its specialized search technology, despite reports that it might pull the plug on its Teoma engine in favor of a deal with Google Inc (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).

"We've got world class technology and technologists that we're going to put on this task, and we're going to be adding to that group of people," Safka said.