Online portal Ask.com has modified its search engine services.

Under the facility, entitled Ask3D, the search firm has divided results into three separate sections.

In the left-hand pane, users will be presented with various options to help them either expand or narrow their search results based on potential interests, which could prove useful to online marketers looking to target specific audiences.

The centre section provides traditional text-based links and allows users to preview websites before clicking through.

Meanwhile, the right-hand screen contains relevant videos, pictures, news stories and Wikipedia entries.

Chief executive Jim Lanzone told Reuters: "It's like searching on dozens of search engines at once and having an intelligent decision maker choosing relevant types of content for query."

According to a Hitwise study conducted last month, Ask.com has a two per cent share of the British search engine market.

However, Greg Sterling suggested on Search Engine Land that this proportion may rise as the move could help Ask.com in "building awareness and gaining attention".

Two weeks ago, Google announced it was to combine various media such as news, videos, picture content and websites into search results as part of its Universal Search facility.