Adding a site search to your Web site or blog can increase traffic and readership by allowing readers access to stories around a topic or subject. Many companies provide site search functionality, including Google, Eurekster, and Lijit. Today another company has entered the U.S. market and it's bringing along a freshly issued patent.Quintura provides a visual site search that combines a traditional keyword search with a visual tag cloud approach. Both options can be combined to refine a search query. Quintura was issued a patent last week for: "Search engine graphical interface using maps and images." Quintura's business model is based on a revenue-share between the site publisher and Quintura. Site publishers can also "buy" the inventory and either run their own ads or remove the advertising from the search.

Beginning today, publishers can add the Quintura site search to their Web site or blog. In June, Quintura partnered with Maxim magazine to power the site search for the Maxim and Blender sites. Quintura's development and research teams are located in Moscow.

I recently switched from the internal search provided by my content management system to Google's site search. Immediately after the switch was completed, traffic increased 15% and readers who searched viewed two additional pieces of content on average. Quintura claims that their site search publishers see a page-view increase of 30% to 100% when using its service.

My advice is to test all of the site search providers and find the one that works best for your audience.