Today’s Search Engines

Search Engines vs. Online Directories

Look, I use search engines as much as the next guy…okay, probably more. Sometimes I’m looking for a search engine alternative…sometimes I just don’t have time to wade through the first 3 pages of different yellow page results, newspaper articles, referral listings (like SERVICEMAGIC), etc. After all, if I wanted to get a plumber from a yellow pages listing, I probably would have gone directly to an individual yellow pages website to do my search. When I do a search, I want to find the websites that are relevant to the terms I used…not a yellow page result or ServiceMagic ad.

Search Engines – How Accurate Can These Results Be?

A Google search for <Plumber in Muncie, IN> generates over 40,000 results. Wanna know what happens if you take out the “in”? <Plumber Muncie, IN> generates a staggering 132,000 results. REALLY? HOLY CRAP! That’s a lot of plumbers in a town with a population that tops out at about 120,000. The question to use search engines vs. online directories is really matter quantity – do you want millions of results with 90% useless information, or do you want 10 results with 90% useless information? Either way, you have the potential to find the one useful result you actually need.

Why so many search engine results? What’s the point? Does anyone ever really see the result that’s in the 112,456th position? Now, I’m just theorizing here, but I’d think not. Search engines are great if you’re looking for massive amounts of information that may or may not be useful. For those who live in Muncie, IN and need a plumber, today’s search engines aren’t always the best choice.

Online Directories – Are They A Real Search Engine Alternative?

Whether or not online directories are a legitimate search engine alternative depends on where you’re looking and how you’re looking. Whether or not the results are better is a matter of personal preference. In contrast to search engines, I’ve found that online directories not only have much less information, but that information is generally more relevant – or at the very least, there is simply less crap to wade through in order to find the information you’re truly seeking. If I’m looking for a jeweler, I don’t think there should be a million and a half results – and I shouldn’t have to worry that the best jeweler in my area is buried somewhere on pages 314 – 697 of those results.

Search Engine or Online Directory – What’s the Difference?

Online directories are essentially nothing more than a mini-search engine. The major difference: search engines provide information in mass quantities from each and every perspective. If you mention “shoes” several times in the text on a page of your site, the search engines will index each occurrence of the word “shoes” and VIOLA! – that page is now among the relevant results for the term “shoes” in that search engine’s results. Those results will include everything from blogs about shoes to shoe manufacturers to shoe distributors to reviews of shoes. Even if it is just your random ranting and raving about tennis shoes, dress shoes, manufacturers of shoes, losing shoes, breaking shoes, repairing shoes or buying shoes…it will be in there. It may be listed on the very past page, in the very last position, but it will still be in there…among the 300 million other results for “shoes”.

Online directories typically provide listings that target specific products, services and/or businesses. Most online directories are categorized according to their content – such as Arts & Humanities, Entertainment, Shopping, Travel, etc. So, next time you’re looking for a photographer, a movie, a pair of shoes, a vacation destination or any product or service in between, check out an online directory – you might be pleasantly surprised!