Ask Jeeves heads to Spain

Web search provider Ask Jeeves is testing a Spanish version of its search site.

The Spanish service, dubbed Ask Jeeves Espana, is currently available in test form, with a full-fledged launch expected this summer, the company said Tuesday.

The Spanish search site is part of a larger plan that the Oakland, Calif.-based company has for Europe. Other international markets so far tapped by Ask Jeeves are the United Kingdom and Japan.

"International expansion is an important component to our corporate growth strategy," Steve Berkowitz, Ask Jeeves' CEO, said in a statement. "We believe the Ask Jeeves brand has a tremendous opportunity to succeed in Europe because it offers the only differentiated world-class search experience to consumers."

Ask Jeeves was recently acquired by InterActiveCorp in a deal worth $1.8 billion.

Ask Jeeves Espana will use the company's Teoma search technology, which looks at the content of a Web site rather than its link popularity while conducting a search. Other Ask Jeeves features, such as My Jeeves and Binoculars, will also be part of the Spanish search site.

Ask Jeeves hopes that its Spanish site will be able to generate substantial revenue by featuring sponsored links from other search leaders, such as Google. It also intends to join up with leading consumer media companies in Spain to expand its user base, Ask Jeeves said.

In related news, the company announced that Ask Jeeves Japan, a joint venture between Ask Jeeves and Japanese company Transcosmos, has completed trials and will formally launch soon.