Website Links

Website Marketing

How do you select a company to optimize your website? Google offers some things to watch out for when selecting a search engine optimization firm.

Search Engines

Although there are thousands of search engines, there are only a few that actually index the web. Other engines use the results provided by the primary search engines for their results.

Google is the top search engine, and also provides results for Yahoo, America Online, and other engines. AltaVista was a pioneer search engine that diversified into a portal, and is now refocusing as a search engine.

Inktomi does not provide its own search engine results, but powers other search engines, including MSN and Overture. Fast presents its results on AlltheWeb, and also provides results to Lycos and HotBot.

Directories

Until recently, searchers at Yahoo saw directory results first, followed by crawler results. Now, crawler results and directory listings are mixed, unless the user specifically visits directory only results. The Open directory is a volunteer effort. Its listings are available for free to any site that wants to use them. Among the major sites showing Open Directory results are Google, Netscape, and AOL.

Webmaster Resources

Anyone that wants to find out more about search engines and how they work should definitely visit Search Engine Watch. It contains useful information for both searchers and webmasters.

Another great resource is WebmasterWorld. It presents information on search engines, website maintenance, and other topics in a bulletin-board format, with members jumping in to help out other members with advice, suggestions, and resources.