Search Engines and Algorithms: MetaSearch Engines, A Tool for SEO - Disadvantages of MetaSearch Results
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The Disadvantages of MetaSearch Results
Unfortunately, some MetaSearch engines seem to be casting smaller nets by relying on subject directories and pay-per-click engines for their web results. I, for one, do not like searches that included sponsored listings. Anyone can pay for a search keyword to produce results. Take Google’s AdWords Program for instance. If I wanted to utilize the Pay-Per-Click program for my SEO website, but decided I wanted to have my ad appear for the word football, there is nothing to stop me from doing so. So including sponsored listings in with organic search results seems to propagate irrelevant search results far more than it would help curb them.
Many MetaSearch engines don't offer advanced searches, or the variety of search options that individual search engines do. When you initiate a keyword or phrase search on a MetaSearch engine, you are usually at its mercy as far as how the search is configured and conducted. I should mention, however, that more and more MetaSearch engines are adding advanced search options. Dogpile, for example, now includes search options like word exclusion, language filtering, date range, and more.
When a MetaSearch query is made, the MetaSearch engine usually takes into account a large number of the popular search engines. Although MetaSearch engines query a number of individual search engines, not enough search Google, one of the largest and most popular search engines on the Web. Part of this problem could be related to Google’s requirement of an API key. Anyone can apply and receive Google’s API key, but you are limited to 1000 searches per day. To apply for a commercial API, I am sure it is quite pricey. Myriad Search, one of the Bias Search Engines I referred to above, give you the option of entering your own API key. This allows you to include Google’s results along with the results from the other individual search engines. Otherwise, even though the MetaSearch engine includes Google as one of the search engines it compiles results from, unless you have an API key, it always returns no results from Google.
Conclusion
Regardless of MetaSearch Engines’ drawbacks, overall, they are still a good way to perform cross search engine referencing in your SEO efforts. The upside is they are constantly seeking to better themselves overall in their usefulness. Familiarizing yourself with the search engines and the way they display results can be a huge undertaking unless you utilize the tools at your disposal, like MetaSearches. With the many diverse search engines, being able to compare results from two, three, or even more of them at a time, you are well on your way to performing efficient SEO. By effectively using MetaSearches for cross-platform performance, you have one of the means to minimize your workload and the amount of research it takes for good SEO.
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