Don`t Let Your Visitors Get Lost in the Avalanche - Google CSE: Another Approach
(Page 3 of 4 )
I reviewed Google's Custom Search Engine (CSE) when it came out in November of 2006. Google's approach to helping users build exactly what they want to help them find the information they want is no better or worse than Yahoo Pipes; it's just different. Since I already reviewed it, I'm not going to go over it completely here, but I will touch on the high points.
The idea behind Google CSE is to let users build a search engine that is focused specifically on their own interests. It can be built by one person working alone, several people, or even a large group. As with Yahoo Pipes, you don't need to be a programmer to make it work.
Creating a CSE is a simple four-step process:
- Place a search box on your web site.
- Specify the sites you want to include in searches.
- Customize the look and feel to match your site.
- Invite your community to contribute to the search engine.
You specify key words that you want your search engine to focus on in its searches; when I did the review there was a character limit on the text box for the key words, so you want to be careful about the words you choose. Then you choose the URLs which your engine will search either exclusively or predominantly. Here you're not limited so much; you can even add URLs later (that's part of building the search engine, after all). Better still, you can specify that your search engine either include OR exclude the site, or even just that one page. So if, for example, you're building a CSE that covers Jewish history, you can choose to exclude web sites which distort that history.
The applications for Google CSE are obvious, and almost too numerous to mention. I mentioned them in the review, of course. Obviously, a CSE on your web site is major linkbait, but there's another reason to build it, or a Pipe, or some other related item: it will help your visitors find the information they need.
Next: A Path Through the Avalanche >>
More Search Optimization Articles
More By Terri Wells
/ 4 
