Search Engine Tutorials

Search engines and search results are very important. They've transformed lives.

Search is the second most popular activity on the internet. It's second only to email. The search industry has the reputation of being a big money-maker.

The Future of Search Engines

Search Engines can take your query and in seconds return all kinds of information. The problem is they return too much information. Sometimes not even relevant to what you are searching for.

One of the biggest things in developement is personalized search engines. Personalized search engines will know what context of a word you are looking for. Let's say you're a computer professional, if you search for the word "mouse", the search engine will know you're looking for the kind that plugs into your computer, not the animal.

One of the new ideas in developement is QueryTracker. First you log in to QueryTracker. Then you will be asked to name your queries. Each of your queries will run through the search engine every 24 hours. Any new links will automatically be identified as well as documents you have already viewed will be identified if new, relevant text has been added.

It's a great concept, however the day I tried to create an account, it wasn't working. I gave it a name and password to create an account, but when I tried to proceed, it just kept looping back to "create an account". I'll let you know if I ever get in.

Search Engine News

MSN Search

Microsoft plans to launch it's own search engine within 12 months. Currently MSN's search results come from Inktomi and Overture. Inktomi and Overture are owned by MSN rival Yahoo. No specific date has been mentioned for the launch.

There is speculation that Microsoft wants to have web search built into it's next operating system, code-named Longhorn. Longhorn is due to be released in two to three years.

You need a smart search engine if you're going to attract people to a portal like MSN. The more people you attract the more money you make on advertising. "...we set our goal to be absolutely the best from a user perspective and from an adveriser perspective" - Steve Ballmer, Microsoft Chief Executive.

Microsoft is also planning to integrated search into messaging and digital music. They have a service under development called "Answerbot" which will answer plain english type questions.

Text Advertising

Microsoft stated they are going to change the way MSN Search displays text advertisements. They will display them at the top and to the right of search results rather than include paid listings within the search results.

MSN Search will be displaying three paid listings at the top and to the right. Two of the three paid listings will be ads sold directly by MSN. Their paid listings are currently sold through Overture. They ended their paid listing relationship with LookSmart last January.

Overture was bought by Yahoo last year. MSN says it will continue to work with Overture for the time being.

Yahoo

Yahoo Expanding into Russian Language

In an attempt to expand into more international markets, Yahoo will be coming out with a Russian language version. They will also be expanding into more Eastern European and Southeast Asian languages which will include Polish, Turkish, Bahasa, Thai and Vietnamese languages.

Yahoo Buying French Search Engine

Yahoo has agreed to buy internet price-search company Kelkoo for $580 million. Kelkoo operates in nine European countries and is Europe's leading e-commerce search engine. Kelkoo's search engine provides users the ability to find what they are shopping for at the lowest price. Availability is also shown and purchases can be made online.

Yahoo is planning on keeping Kelkoo as a seperate web site but may use some of Kelkoo's technology on other parts of Yahoo. Merchants will pay Yahoo whenever they send a referral.

Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is comprised of many different aspects. Natural SEO is working within the rules in order to achieve high rankings. Artificial SEO is attempting to cheat the system in order to achieve high rankings.

Excluding Robots