| If you are considering adding a search capability to | | | | over your site’s indexing and cataloging and |
| you website, here are some things to know. | | | | some of your newer content might take some time |
| What are the benefits for adding search to my | | | | before it is able to be searched. |
| website? | | | | 2. Major Search Engine Search Service: For example, |
| Adding search to your website can be very simple | | | | Google and Yahoo provide search services are |
| and can even be free. It will make navigating for | | | | reliable. If you already use them as your website |
| content easy for your visitors as well as for those | | | | host, you might want to use their search because |
| search engine spiders. Because search makes it | | | | you are already familiar with their settings and |
| easier for your visitors to navigate your site, they will | | | | formats. These services have some of the same |
| be more likely to find what they are looking for on | | | | disadvantages as mentioned earlier for hosted search |
| your site. And because search makes it easier for | | | | server; though, with the major search engines, you |
| search engine spiders, you are more likely to gain a | | | | have even less control and your search box and |
| high ranking for your pages. | | | | search results page is pre-formatted and often |
| What is needed for the most effective search? | | | | includes unwanted icons and advertisements. |
| In order to get the most out of your search | | | | 3. Host Your Own Search Server: Hosting your own |
| capability, you must have relevant content with | | | | search server will give you the most control over |
| quality keywords and meta tags. Your search | | | | how you want your search customized. Though, |
| results can only be as good as your content is. If | | | | you will have to have the time and the know-how in |
| you do not have quality content, you will not get any | | | | order to host your own search server. Hosting your |
| quality results from your search. | | | | own search server, for instance, requires that you |
| How do add search to my website? | | | | are familiar with PHP or Perl scripts, or that you have |
| Here are a few different options for how you can | | | | the budget to pay a company that can set this up |
| add search to your website: | | | | for you. |
| 1. Hosted Search Server: Using these servers is | | | | If all of this seems like too big of task, contact |
| very straightforward and there are many free search | | | | someone who does SEO in the Bay Area for |
| servers available. A disadvantage for using a hosted | | | | assistance. |
| search server is that you are limited with little control | | | | |