Using Search Engines
Without a doubt, search engines are one of the best aspects of using the World Wide Web. Similar to a card catalog in a library or directory assistance at the phone company (but far more powerful than both of these combined), these search engine web sites allow us to access the seemingly infinite sources of information out there in cyberspace.
Even though there are literally thousands of search engines (most of them very small and localized) most businesses only need to be concerned about the top 15. Once your web site is completed and uploaded to the World Wide Web, you want your site to be accessed by these "Top 15" search engines ASAP. After your site is registered with each of them, they schedule your site to be "indexed." Basically, this means that they send out a "spider" or a "robot" to go through your site, adding the descriptive words and phrases to their own databases. Then, when someone types in a search query, they use their software to go through these databases to find the closest matches.
Each search engine uses a different algorithm to rank your site, so it is virtually impossible to be listed near the top with each of them (in fact, your ranking within each engine will shift periodically as they alter their own algorithms). The key is to have your site as correctly designed as possible, register your URL (and re-register it every 1,2 or 3 months if necessary!), and then let the search engines do their thing. Be aware that since search engines are commercial sites, some of them will list a company"s URL higher if that firm pays for that position, so nothing you do will put you ahead of these people unless you pay more than they have.
Finally, understand that there is a technical difference between a "search engine" and a "directory". A search engine will automatically index your site once you register with them, whereas at a directory (such as Yahoo!) you submit your URL for consideration, then an editor (an actual human) decides if your site is right for them. You can learn a great deal about search engines and how they work at Search Engine Watch.
[NOTE: When your firm's web site is custom designed by us, we automatically submit your web site to the top search engines.]
Here are the most important Search Engine URL's for "Adding Your Site" to their database:
If you are going to do your own site registration, before you begin type out a short but highly descriptive paragraph about your company/products in a word processing program such as SimpleText or NotePad. Some of the registration forms will require a written description, so you can save time if you copy and paste as necessary.
If you are ready to initiate an online presence, please contact us.
