The BEST Search Engines - Competing, Compared, and Combined ~
Search engines are the most powerful tools on the WEB in my opinion. They are trusted and held accountable for providing the "BEST Search Results" and information to the surfing consumer. Search Engines play a critical role in the responsibility of connecting people to other people and businesses. There are millions of searches being driven every single day. Maybe that's why they're called engines? haha~ Understanding how they work is important, but not showing up on them could be harmful to you and your business.
Search Engines are the "Driving Force" on the Internet
Today's Tip ~
Writing great content and in the proper format, can and will get you discovered by most of the search engines over time. One suggestion I would offer is to submit your Blogs and sites to at least these top 3 Search engines, it could make a significant difference in your search results. You just never know what search engine a consumer is loyal to and using on a daily basis. With all the changes and new Search Engine tools out there today, it's hard to say which one, if any, will ever win the competitive battle for "King Of The Hill!"
In the meantime, Submit your Blogs and sites to these Top 3 Search Engines
Submit Your Blog To GOOGLE - Click Here
Submit Your Blog To YAHOO - Click Here
Submit Your Blog To BING - Click Here
Google Update ~
Is the Power of "Search" and "Results" really Changing? Yes. Most of you have probably heard about some of the changes going on at Google. They announced that for the past several months, a large team of their staff have been working on a secret project. It's called "a next-generation architecture for Google web search."
"It's the first step in a process that will let us push the envelope on size, indexing speed, accuracy, comprehensiveness and other dimensions. The new infrastructure sits under the hood of Google search engine, which means that most users won't notice a difference in search results. But web developers and power searchers might notice a few differences."
If you're interested, you can preview Google new infrastructure at: http://www2.sandbox.google.com
Comparing The Competition ~
Microsoft's Bing is a BIG player in the Search Engine scene, and is doing a pretty impressive job creating a BING Buzz. Here is a site that allows you to search both Bing and Google side by side to compare the results. BING vs GOOGLE Since many consumers know or are finding out about this stuff, it's important that you keep up with all the tools they're using too.
Combining The Power of Top Search Engines ~
Each search engine has its own group of committed users and followers, but what if their powers were combined to make an even greater tool. Some third party sites and developers have taken the "search" concept to another level. Knowing that Google, Yahoo, and MSN will never consolidate and unite as one, there are a couple sites that are engaging and blending them behind the scenes. They are changing the way searches are getting results. Webcrawler.com combines the power of Google, Yahoo, Live Search and ASK into one.
Another one is Tattoodle, a customizable search engine that combines the power of Google, Yahoo, and the MSN Bing Search engines. You can customize the browser with your own themes and photos, but the real power is in the combination of the three working together seamlessly to find its users the most accurate and relative content.
Searching ALL The Search Engines ~
Now, if you wanted to search all the most common search engines, check out 20Search.com. They allow you to search 20 of the top used sites including Netscape, AOL, Alta Vista, Ask Jeeves, Excite, Lycos and 14 others. Even though there may be a much smaller percentage of users on these other "Search Engines" it's a percentage you may not want to miss. 20Search.com also lets you submit your Blogs or sites to many of these other search engine sites.
See where you are, do you show up on these others? Search them using the keywords and phrases that you are wanting to be found with in your geographic areas. Each engine will be slightly different. It's worth taking the time to look for sure.
Don't Get Left Out In The RAIN ~
Lastly, don't forget about our very own search engine right here on ActiveRain. Not only our members use this tool to find other members and Blog posts on AR, we have quite a few visitors using our search tool as well. In the last 30 days, we've had over 44,000 unique visitor searches done right here in the Rain. I think I use this one more than any other to be honest. 40,000 of those might be me. lol~ Many of the questions you may have about AR can be found and answered right here using our custom built in search engine.
While many of the search engines will continue to compete and change, new sites and tools will emerge. Regardless of what search engine is the best, or will be the best one out there, the fact remains that your efforts to show up on ALL of them is important, and is a key component to the success of your business.
May you find ALL that you are "searching" for, and do it in good health and happiness. :-)
Hard to believe it has taken me 2 1/2 years to reach this blogging crusaders milestone. LOL~ Thank YOU to all my friends here on AR for following and supporting my Blog, and to the non-members as well, the journey has been absolutely incredible!
Congratulations on reaching post #400. Good news and bad news for me though - I save your posts and add them to my "Brad Andersohn homework to-do list"!
hey thank for this article, it was very informative
I've been trying to test search on Caffiene for ages. They are never available. I'll keep trying.
You just have to keep up.
I am of the opinion that ActiveRain is a tremendous contributor to my searchability on Google.
Excellent! I learn something new everytime I read your new blog post. Keep em coming!
Brad - this is EXCELLENT information. Thank you so much for sharing - yet again. :) I'm still trying to figure out a way to put a value on what you and all the other staffers do ... and it's impossible You are all priceless. Thanks again!
Congrats on 400, Brad. Not only are your blogs informative as heck, but they are also darn pretty;)
Wendy - haha! Sure miss our meetings and chats. How about I just print them all out, bind them, and send you my book! lol~
TMS - thanks, hope this helps you in the "search" for success.
Lenn - I LOVE the new photo!! (and your comment too) You've reminded me that I need to update mine. Yikes!
Ricky - thanks, come see us "Live" in Scottsdale, Bob and I will be doing a workshop on 9/2. I'll go do a post about it now...
Carol - you are too good to me us, always! :-)
Jason - 400 for this two-fingered typist is huge! lol~ Thanks for noticing all my "Color" in this one. haha...
Lenn - Keith McMullin did a post about it being down, I tried to get in again just now and had the same result...it should be back up soon....
Just as I was trying to figure out the cool widgets you have you hit me with some more good stuff. Unfortunately the downloading of the widgets are not cooperating.
BIG CONGRATS TO YOU FOR YOUR 400TH BLOG! Also, Thank you for helping all of us right here on Active Rain. I am sure many would be lost with out you.
I do love reading your posts on your blog. I like them not only because they have great information, but they are laid out very user friendly. It is easy to read. I need to learn how to lay them out this way. Anyway, we always concern ourselves with search engines, and obviously it is important, but content is still king, and I believe the "Caffiene" and Bing searches are going to value updated and fresh content more. Thanks again.
I just got off the phone with Mike Carpino. He has done a great job with his TEAM Blog and adding multiple contributors from his office. It looks clean, professional, and the hyper-local content is formatted properly to serve his traffic and the search engines.
Glad we got your widget issue taken care of too! :-)
Great talking to you today Mike, keep up the great work!!
Mikes Outside Blog
Google announced that the 'Beta Caffeine" link would be up later today. More info in a post from this morning. Early reports indicate that social media content may perform better with SERPs in the new version.
The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask, right? You said in your post that bloggers should submit their posts to Google, Yahoo and Bing....but you didn't say HOW. Did I miss something or am I stupid? I am new to blogging and there is SO MUCH to learn. I REALLY appreciate all this information. Thanks.
Leslie
Hi Leslie - no such thing as a stupid quesion is right!! :-)
The links are in this post just after the 2nd paragraph, they look like this:
Just click on the proper one to add your blog or site to that search engine. To add to the others, click on the 20search.com link. Hope that helps and sorry they weren't easier to find in this post, maybe I will go make them bigger and in "RED" Thanks. :-)
Brad, Congratulations on reaching 400. Amazing how fast time goes when you're having fun :) Ok, I'm glad you explained it more, I thought I was the only one that didn't quite get it. Your help is always SO appreciated....my hyper local content is till high in Google---THANK YOU!
Well, first of all, congratulations! And, secondly, this was lots of fun...I tried them all. Thanks so much for putting them all in one post!
Blog-N-Roll Brad...
Let me guess. You found a way to break Google :)
TLW...ROAR!
Thanks . . . and duly submitted!
Hope that'll create some Active SEO Rain
P.S. Do we do this once? Or, is there a magic formula to go by?
THX
TLW - ROFLMAO!!! Yup, I was there... I think I broke it! shhhhhhh..... Geez!! :-))
I didn't know you had to physically send to other search engines. I guess I never though about it before. I thought it went automatically. You said no dumb questions or statements. Right?
I don't even want to tell you how many posts I have...
And search engines are a fickle thing... and yet they aren't that fickle at all. Coming up to #1 for a competitive term might mean that hard core tweaks have to be employed, but for most of us, the same things that make a good post make it rank well.
Thanks again for some great info, you just keep providing us with good ideas to take us to another level, and use more of our time
Brad - This is great. But do I not get the"juice" from google as well by just posting here? If I don't do this am I missing out? What about my outside blog? same thing? Confused?
Congrats on post #400. Thanks for all of the great advice that's come from them.
I've added my blogs and some other sites.
Frankly, this was above my head. I will save it for later and refer to it when I have less distractions and a fresher mind. I had no idea I could choose which search engine to submit to. That sure is a big, deep, never-ending rabbit hole. When I started my real estate career 2 yrs ago, I had no idea I would be doing the "computer thing" to such an extent! I do believe it is important, but there is only so much I can absorb, process, and apply at any 1 time.
Good stuff...you always come up with good stuff...I gotta admit, this is absolutely cool that you've done all of this for us, Bard...except for breaking Google...I can't even get into the site to submit my blogs and website lol...
Hi Brad. Thanks for this post and congrats on your 400th. I am nowhere near that number LOL Not yet anyway :-)
Beta link is back up...click on the logo and see how your SERPs change...
Evening Brad, You are so right "...the journey has been absolutely incredible! "
Very well done !
Brad,
Again I always learn something new when I read your post. You have my gratitude for helping me understand the world of blogging and search engines.
Best wishes
Sharon
Brad,
Thank you for the information. I have read several of your posts and continue to gather the information from them to use. Thanks again.
Brad- congrats on # 400. Yours is an automatic "read and bookmark" for me . Thank you all the research you do and for laying it out in a way that makes it so easy for us to use. Question: once we submit our site/blog to one of the search engines, do we need to return periodically to re-submit?
Hi Brad - Congratulations on your 400th post. I think I'll need to set aside a chunk of time and read a lot of them. You always have so much information in your posts.
Now I need to become familiar with the other search engines (i.e. anything that isn't Google). Another project to add to the collection of projects on my Brad created to-do list. :)
Brad, congrats on the 400th post - so like you to make it a powerful one with great advice for us.
Brad: That's the key point... it's all of the above, regardless of our personal passions about who's best. Search Engine's deliver up the most relevant and freshest content. That's their job. I want them to be my best friend and look to me as an authority. Great post... thanks.
Brad.... Thanks for the submission tip.... And congratulations on your 400th Blog post !
Brad-thanks for the great tips..its really hard to keep up with what the search engines are looking for! :)
Brad:
I wish someone would pay me to write 400 blog posts. ....and you get to go to all sorts of great events like Inman Connect and REbarcamp. I'm jealous. I've bookmarked this post. There is so much good information here on Active Rain. I don't know why more people don't participate.
Brad, congrats on the 400th post! But it's the great content that makes it memorable for us as well. Thanks, bookmark, bookmark, bookmark!
Sharon
Hi Brad...Great Post very informative and helpfull as always ...Thanks !
Brad..it is amazing all the great tips you provide to the AR members. Thanks so much. I've added my blog to the first three. I also use the search engine on AR...love it. BTW, congrats on reaching your 400 posts. I reached my 200th post around the first of July.
Brad,
For an interesting side-by-side view of Caffeine Vs regular old Google, try this -
http://www.facesaerch.com/caffeine/
You type your search phrase in one box, and it returns both Caffeine, and regular old Google, side-by-side.
And a question, if I might - I'm a brand new member (joined tonight), and my site is less than 3 weeks old. Fortunately, it's already #1 on yahoo, and #'s 1,2 & 9 on Google - but nowhere on Bing, as far as I can tell. Since it won't even be 3 weeks old until Saturday, should I just wait for Bing to find it, or would you recommend I submit it?
Thanks,
Jeff
Touche! Another bookmarked blog post, Brad. Thanks!
Thanks Brad, I'm on this one right away. While I definitely knew all of these, I've just forgotten to do it in a while.
I think that the war is over on search and Google won, but Yahoo still scores well in Oklahoma City on local search, so they are not to be ignored. The new battle brewing that I see is Google, Facebook, and the new kid on the block, Twitter.
Two fingered typist Brad? I am shocked! I would have thought your fingers would fly across the keyboard! Great post, as usual. Very helpful.
Thnaks Brad. This is the information I was looking for. No - It's the information I need.
Thank you kindly..Helpful information Bradster to keep what we do, found, indexed and soaring up the search engine recognition ladder for the work we all do in here day in, day out.
Carla - you only need to submit it once to each site.
Claude - when you submit your site, webpage, blog, etc to the search engines, it's like registering it. The content here on AR will get you tons of "juice" but the additional exposure and domain name being submitted to the search engines will help too. Just don't fall for the sales gags where some ads or solicitors want you to pay for it. I registered at just the top 3 for now, but I have many blogs and pages out there.
An - we all started where you are. Every one of us. Not that it makes it any easier, but trust me, in time you will be right there with the rest of us. Just look at all this computer stuff as if it were your first listing presentation. Haven't you gotten much better over time? The more you hang out and participate here in the rain, it's inevitable that you'll just keep getting better and smarter here too. :-)
Kathy - thanks. You won't need to register your site or domain names and blogs more than once, unless at some point you change the URL or web address. I wonder what happens if you do register it again, you might just get back a message saying already registered or... Hmm...guess there's only one way to find out... :-))
René - Dead On! You nailed it. Your comment sums it up perfectly!!
Midori - Great Content! Just keep writing GREAT CONTENT!!
Carol - Thank you. Just in case it's not obvious enough, I DO LOVE MY JOB!!!! :-))))))))
Jeff - Welcome to AR, It's Great to have you on board! Thanks for that comparison link, I'll check it out (and try not to break it.. LOL)
I would go ahead and submit everything to BING instead of waiting. These search engines have created these sites to register your domains for a reason, so you might as well take advantage of their offer. If they didn't serve a purpose or have value, then Google, Yahoo, and BING along with the others wouldn't have created them right?
Evelyn - haha... ok, I'm actually up to four fingers now...but they are getting pretty fast!! lol~
Thanks for the tip and congrats on your 400th post! I was able to submit to each on one the search engines.
Thanks Brad, done, except for your broken Google. Please fix it!
You have become the "professor" for us here on AR, thank you sincerely.
As much as I have read you, I would have guessed you on @ 800 posts, I was surprised but I congratulate you regardless on this milestone. (You sure Bob's got the counter running correct?)
Brad, you are such a wonderful resource for us - congratulations on all the accolades you have received.
Teacher, I'm off to do my homework!
Brad - gonna have to bookmark this one for review later. GOOD stuff that I'm sure I'm missing out on.
You have some pretty nifty stuff here to mess around with; but, as you said, maximizing our exposure on these search engines is what's important.
Brad,
I've been waiting to hear how Bing is doing and based on your post it seems to be a worthy player out there. Have to check that Google vs. Bing comparison tool out.
Brad,
Thank You for your suggestion to go ahead and submit to Bing!
I did it this morning around 10 AM Pacific, after seeing your response to my question, and I just now had a chance to check it for the first time - and now I'm at #1 in Bing too, for viral real estate farming.
Thanks again,
Jeff
Congratulations on your 400th post Brad. And as always,thanks for sharing this much needed information with this Rookie. I needed this one. I am still working on becoming a much better blogger. Have a great weekend Brad. Great post.
Brad, thanks for the post! I just registered all of my websites and my blog with the three search engines you posted!
Jeff - great news, thanks for coming back to share that. :-)
Some themes you can build around the new Tattoodle Search Engine Page:
You can also use your own photos: kinda fun to change it up a bit.
Here's a link to a video interviewing Matt Cutts from Google. He's talking about the new Google, and oh yeah, his new haircut...
Hey Brad, I always enjoy your posts and learn from them.
Patricia Aulson/portsmouth nh
Hi Brad, It was great great information for me. I always thought that these search engines just pull the infomation automatically and we can't really change anything unless we pay for it. But this is soo cool. I am gonna go ahead and add my web information on these search engines. I am new in AR so this is the first time I am reading your blog It was very interesting and I see that you reached #400 blog So CONGRATULATIONS! and thanks for helping us on Active Rain.
Thanks for the valuable information. I don't realize that it had to be subitted like that to each search engine.
Thanks Brad - I entered my blogs and my website into them. Got sidetracked for quite awhile because I can't remember my old yahoo login info and it won't let me add a new account to link here and won't give me access to my old account even though I've given it every alternate email address I've ever had. I'll have to do that one later when I can try coming at it fresh again.
This is GREAT!!! I just entered my blogs and website to them also....
WOW! This is awesome. And I am so printing all of the suggestions to check these out. Tattoodle? I feel like I blink and new, important sites pop up overnight. Brad - another home run for you. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your information.
Hey, Brad! Thanks for the awesome links! I'm all registered for Bling, Yahoo and Google!
Brad, Excellent information. Thanks. I've not concentrated much on SEO, but have started it recently and I normally submit ot search engines using web ceo.
BRad - more than I thought I ever wanted to know about search engines, and a boatload more that I do know. You are the master at this sort of post. Bravo!
Jeff
Thank you for the great (as usual) information. Cant wait to go and try and figure it out. I just wish that techy stuff came easy to me.
Marie - it may seem that it doesn't come easy, but it will over time. Just like the rain helps things grow, you'll find that the "rain" here does the same thing. :-)
I am so freaking out! I never realized how much AR has to offer Brad. Reading your posts is like getting a graduate degree in internet school!
Man you are awesome - thanks!
Dan - WOW! Thanks, what a great comment and compliment. AR does have a lot to offer our members which in turn creates probably one of the greatest Real Estate resources not only for our members, but for consumers as well. This place is a "Library" for pretty much anything anyone would ever want or need to know. If you ever need any assistance here, I extend my "open door" to you anytime. Thanks. :-)
Trying to read up on all of the posts i have missed of yours recently - thanks SO MUCH for sharing all of this information!!! It is SOOOOOO helpful!
Emily - you are too kind, I have been following you around my blog today! lol~ Thanks for commenting, I hope you'll find some other useful stuff here while you're hangin out!! (BIG SMILE!!!!)
OMG this is such great, helpful info...I could spend hours on this one post! I will bookmark for later too!