See:
http://searchenginewatch.com/showPage.html?page=3628647

According to Ask.com spokesperson Nicholas Graham, nothing could be further from the truth. “The idea that we’re going to become a women’s site is just plain wrong.”

Were they to build out a new ad network (which they’ve apparently already done to a fair degree anyway)/ ad platform with complete transparency for domainers, they’d be buried in business … forever.

Or how about taking their business to the .EU and setting up shop there trying to capture that market like Baidu did in china.

Its a big world.

Or how about a develop their own ad network instead of using Google.

There were several things they could have done (and not done) to raise their search profile and percentage of the market; including their ineffective advertising.

There’s already plenty of sites and resources–including iVillage (which has never lived up to expectations)–for woman; married and not.

Would have been better to go after a truly fast growing market like 50+ years young folks…or how about building a new ad platform specifically for monetizing domains.

I think it is amazing that they have moved in this direction and away from the search channel.

I do not share your enthusiasm for this move.

I thought that this was done by ivillage many years ago, and it never turned into a major portal.

If they could have made inroads through their own network and could have captured 10% of the U.S. search market, it would have been a better move for them.

As the population is increasing and growing that kind of service to cater to married women is in demand.