Search Engine Optimization and Web Positioning will mean very little without knowledge of how users actually use Search Engines to help them find what they are looking for. There are literally thousands of Search Engines on the Internet today, and yet there are a few that stand out as being most popular. Even though they all do not share exactly the same look or functionality, they are all built on the same principal: to give users a list of the most relevant web sites and web pages found on the internet that relate to the words the user has just typed into the search field.

Let's start at the VERY beginning:

What is a Search Engine?
A Search Engine is a web site which catalogs as many web sites and web pages on the internet as possible and categorizes the information so that internet users can find information they need. This is especially helpful when they don't know of a specific web site they'd like to visit.

The comparison can be made between a Search Engine and a menu at a restaurant. You would like to know all the food that is available to you at the restaurant before you decide what to eat. A Search Engine will give you all (or most) of the choices of web sites that pertain to information that you are "hungry for"!

How does one find a Search Engine?
When you first log on to the Internet, chances are you will begin your experience at a Search Engine. Usually one is already set up for you when you purchase either a computer or Internet service for the first time. You may choose to use any Search Engine you like at any time. You can also choose your favorite Search Engine to be your "home page" or the first page that appears when you connect to the Internet. Click here to learn more specifics about some of the most popular Search Engines on the Internet.

How does one USE a Search Engine?
Though each Search Engine may look different, each will feature a "search field" or white box near the top of the page within which (when clicked on with your mouse) a text cursor appears. Here is where you type in the topic you are interested in exploring.

In remembering, however, the millions and millions of pages of content on the internet which may be cataloged in that particular search engine's database, this is THE most important step in learning how to make best use of the search engines. The rest of this article will cover techniques on optimizing your search to get the information you need.

Somewhere near the search field is a button or link with the word "Go", "Search", "Begin", or some other way of starting your search after you've typed your topic of interest in the search field. Once that button is clicked, or the ENTER key is pressed, the search engine will quickly produce a list of web pages and web sites that somehow pertain to the topic or words that you've typed. BUT WAIT! Before you click that button and begin your search, read on!

How does a Search Engine create its lists?
Search Engines use complex software programs (sometimes called "robots") which scour the Internet and collect data to bring back and populate their database. This sounds simple, but when there are literally millions upon millions of pages of data across the Internet, then how is this done? How do these programs begin to catalog each one into its own category - or several categories? These complex programs employ algorithms which each page they come across is compared against, much like a scorecard. The algorithm defines the Search Engine's rules that a page must follow in order to be listed within its database. The same rules apply to all categories, all topics, but each topic has certain keywords that best describe that topic. (An example of some keywords for a clothing retailer's web site, for instance, might be shirts, slacks, ladies blouses, shoes and purses.)

No matter which topic a site would likely be found under, keywords pertaining to that topic must be found within the text or code of that web site in order to meet the rules set up as that Search Engine's algorithm. The algorithm is very specific as to how many of those words appear on the site and where they should appear. If a robotshould happen upon a web site that meets these criteria exactly, it is given precedence in its database and that site will appear nearer to the top of the list than a web site which doesn't comply with that algorithm.

How do I find exactly what I'm looking for?
The best way to maximize the relevancy of the word or words that you've asked the Search Engine to search the Internet for is to use multiple word phrases. Here's an example: OOPS! You've just accidentally broken your spouses' favorite glass pitcher when pouring yourself lemonade. You need to purchase a new one and have it shipped to your door before you're found out! The fastest way to shop? The Internet! You log on to Google.com (a popular Search Engine) and begin your search for pitchers. Here's what you find. Within the top thirty results, there are only a few that are even remotely related to the glass lemonade pitcher you desperately need to replace. Most relate to sports -- either baseball, or even horseshoe pitching! You are running out of time, and your options are to either narrow your search, or spend valuable time looking through the 397,000 results looking for the specific green depression glass pitcher you need to replace! Here's how Google would recommend searching according to their Advanced Search page:

"depression glass" + pitcher + green -baseball -horseshoe

By placing parentheses around the words which need to be in exact order, a plus sign in front of the words that MUST be included and a minus sign in front of the words you do NOT want included in your search, you have optimized the search to fit your criteria. The product you are looking for should now be found within the top 30 results!

This method for narrowing searches is called "Boolean" logic or a Boolan search. Not all Search Engines support Boolean logic. Check the area surrounding the search field of your favorite Search Engine for a "Help" or "Advanced Search" button or icon. Most of them offer their own step by step instructions on how to get the best results.

Click here to find more information
about searching the Internet!

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