What's the best search engine to use?

Answer 1

Google, Yahoo, MSN, are top 3 and each deliver differently. Google is a search engine I would not use if I am looking for infromation, facts and so forth...as Google looks diferently for sites then MSN or Yahoo would, which may offer better shoopping sites. The point is, Google tends to be more informational and judges sites differently, MSN will quickly index sites and new sites can obtain top organic placement quicker, and Yahoo also looks differently and favors sites differently. So, using a variety of engines can meet different needs. As a matter of fact, I have a client who has high Google placements but prefers high MSN as that is what converts better for her security site...go figure..each is different.

A search engine's content is its database of web sites -- the information assembled by its spider program. Each search engine has its own style and technology that sets it apart. Elements that vary from search engine to search engine include:

The spider
Because every spider is programmed to search for and retrieve sites in its own particular way, each search engine has its own unique database.

The database
How is the database cleaned up and filtered? The frequency with which sites are spidered affects the database's freshness. When a database is updated frequently it will contain a minimum of "dead" links.

The formula
Different search engines employ different search retrieval formulas, or algorithms, to provide relevant content in response to a user's query.

Features and functionality
The various search engines have different bells and whistles to appeal to searchers' different experience levels or individual tastes.

The look
Engines' graphical user interfaces vary, as do the format in which they present their results. In many cases search engines consider the details of how their databases are constructed and maintained to be proprietary information. This information is seldom completely available through their Help or FAQ screens. You can begin to get a "feel" for the type of information an engine gives you by using it regularly.

So basically, each engine is different and depending on what you need is which one you will find best

Answer 2

I want a search engine that ALWAYS accepts what I type between quotes and lets me know if it finds anything which matches my typing exactly.
Currently sites I use seem to assume I cannot type and search for "close approximations" or phonetic equivalencies. That may be useful as a second line of attack but the first search needs to be exact phrase. It seldom is!

Answer 3

Google is the best of a so-so lot, but I see lots of room for innovation in the search engine industry.

I agree with Michael that Google has MORE results for any search.

Answer 4

I have found that Google gives me the best research.

Answer 5

Google has always been the best and most efficient. Also they have stuff there that the others do not have.

Answer 6

Google is simple and effective, why mess around.

Answer 7

I like ask,the way that it is designed, so you can just type in a question, it can be very convenient.

Answer 8

so far i found Dogpile to be pretty good:)