Newsletter #6 - Search Engines, Part 1

Several people have asked, "Isn't it about time for a Newsletter?  You're not going to stop doing the Newsletter, are you?"  Okay, stop worrying.  Some of you already know that Cheryl, the editor, just started teaching Excel and is swamped with new course preparations.

But that's also the good news, if you use Excel, because now Cheryl knows more than anybody ever should about it.  And, as always, regular clients get free support via phone and email (not to be confused with 24 hour support, thank you).

We promised you an article on Search Engines.  Here is Part 1 of this important topic.

There are really two things to think about regarding Search Engines: One is how to find stuff using them, and the other is how to get your website recognized by them. These two questions are related by the ways the engines work. There are several good articles on search engines and how they work at searchenginewatch.com. If you have the time and interest, check it out. In the meantime...

How to find stuff using Internet Explorer Search

I often use Netscape for browsing, but when I search (or want a dictionary or thesaurus) I always go back to Internet Explorer.

Do: hit Customize and add all the major engines to your searches.

They say that only about four search engines really matter*: Alltheweb (now owned by Overture), Google, Inktomi (now owned by Yahoo) and AltaVista (which Overture also recently bought). So, while a lot of people swear by Google, you can run your searches through the other big three via the IE customized search. Works for me.

*This is only true for searches. All the engines matter when you’re trying to get recognized by them, because they all read each other; and the more listings you have, the higher your rank will be. More on that in Search Engines: Part 2

Advanced Search Tips

·Most search engines allow you to refine your search by putting "+" or "-" in front of key search words. A plus sign in front of a keyword means that word MUST be included in the result. A minus sign means the word MUST NOT be included in the result. So... "California +state -university" would return sites identified with California State except those for universities.

·Finally, check out this Internet Explorer shortcut... Type google or yahoo (or any business name) directly in the address bar, hold CTRL and hit ENTER. This trick works for many business (.com) sites. Holding the CTRL key while you hit ENTER automatically adds http://www. at the beginning and .com at the end.

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