A search engine is an online tool that allows users to search for information on the internet. When a user enters a search query, the search engine uses a complex algorithm to analyze and rank web pages and other online content according to relevance, authority, and other factors. The search engine then returns a list of results to the user, typically ranked in order of relevance, that match the user’s search query.
Post Google Launch
When Google was first launched in 1998, it was one of many search engines that were available at the time. However, Google quickly gained popularity because of its clean, user-friendly interface and its ability to deliver more relevant search results than other search engines. As a result, many other search engines struggled to compete with Google, and some were eventually shut down.
One reason why Google was able to gain an advantage over other search engines was its focus on using PageRank, an algorithm that analyzes the quality and quantity of links pointing to a web page, as a key ranking factor. PageRank helped to identify high-quality web pages and prioritize them in search results, which gave users more accurate and relevant results.
Another factor that helped Google to gain an advantage over other search engines was its ability to monetize its search engine through advertising. Google introduced its AdWords program in 2000, which allowed advertisers to bid on keywords and display their ads alongside search results. This helped to drive revenue for Google and also provided a way for advertisers to reach their target audience more effectively.
Overall, Google’s ability to deliver more relevant search results and monetize its search engine through advertising were two key factors that contributed to its success and ultimately led to the decline of many other search engines.
Search Engine Algorithm
A search engine algorithm is a complex set of rules and processes used by search engines to determine the relevance and ranking of web pages and other online content in response to a user’s search query. The algorithm takes into account a wide range of factors, including the content and structure of the web page, the quality and relevance of the content, the authority and trustworthiness of the website and the links pointing to the web page.
Search engine algorithms are constantly evolving to ensure that they provide the most relevant and useful results to users. Search engines such as Google use machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to continually refine their algorithms and provide more accurate and relevant results. Some of the key factors that are typically considered in search engine algorithms include keyword relevance, content quality, user engagement metrics such as click-through rates and time on site, and the authority and trustworthiness of the website and its backlinks.
Here is our list of 23 Great Search Engines That Exists Other Than Google
1. Bing
Bing is a web search engine owned and operated by Microsoft. The service has its origins in Microsoft’s previous search engines: MSN Search, Windows Live Search and later Live Search. Bing provides a variety of search services, including web, video, image and map search products.
Comparing Google With Bing
Bing and Google are both popular search engines, but they have some differences. Bing uses a different algorithm to rank websites, which means that it will show different results for the same query. Additionally, Bing includes more information on its search engine results pages (SERPs) such as images, videos, and news stories, while Google tends to focus more on webpages.
2. DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo is a search engine that emphasizes protecting searchers’ privacy and avoiding the filter bubble of personalized search results. DuckDuckGo distinguishes itself from other search engines by not profiling its users and by deliberately showing all users the same search results for a given search term, without using filters based on user-tracking.
Comparing Google With DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine that doesn’t track users’ searches or store their personal information. Google , on the other hand, is a comparison shopping service that allows customers to compare prices and features of different products and services. DuckDuckGo focuses on providing an untracked, secure search experience while Google Compare focuses on helping customers make informed decisions when shopping for specific goods and services.
3. Yahoo! Search
Yahoo! Search is a web search engine owned by Yahoo!, which was created in 1994. It was the first major search engine to use its own algorithms and crawling technology to create an index of websites and their content. Yahoo! Search has since become one of the most widely used search engines on the Internet, powering billions of searches every day. In recent years, Yahoo! Search has been focusing more on providing personalized search results based on a user’s history and interests. The company is also investing heavily in artificial intelligence technology to improve the accuracy and relevance of its search results. In addition, Yahoo! has partnered with several third-party companies to provide additional services related to search, such as text-to-speech capabilities and image recognition. Going forward, Yahoo! plans to continue innovating in the search space in order to stay competitive with other major players like Google and Bing. The company is also working to make its technology available across a variety of platforms, including mobile devices, wearables, and virtual assistants such as Alexa and Siri. With these efforts, Yahoo! hopes to create an even more advanced search experience for its users.
4. Yandex
Yandex is a Russian-based multinational technology company that specializes in internet-related services, including search and information services, ecommerce, transportation, navigation, and online advertising. It is the largest technology company in Russia and the fifth-largest internet company in Europe. Its services include Yandex.ru (a popular search engine), Yandex.Taxi (a ride-hailing service), and Yandex.Money (an online payment system). The company also offers cloud storage solutions, webmail services, and mobile apps for both Android and iOS devices. Additionally, Yandex operates an artificial intelligence research lab and develops autonomous vehicles.
5. Ask Jeeves
Ask Jeeves is an online question-and-answer search engine that allows users to ask questions in natural language and get direct answers from the web. It uses natural language processing technology to understand user queries, and then returns a list of relevant webpages. Ask Jeeves also features a variety of other search tools such as a dictionary, encyclopedia, and image search. The search engine was launched in 1997 and was acquired by IAC in 2005.
6. AOL Search
AOL Search is a search engine that was launched by America Online (AOL) in 1997. At the time, it was one of the most popular search engines on the internet, competing with other search engines such as Yahoo and AltaVista.
AOL Search was known for its simplicity and ease of use, with a user-friendly interface that allowed users to quickly search the web for information. It also had a number of features that made it stand out from other search engines, such as the ability to search for news articles and other types of content.
However, as other search engines like Google began to dominate the market with their more advanced algorithms and superior search results, AOL Search began to lose popularity. In 2005, AOL announced that it would be phasing out AOL Search and instead partnering with Google to provide search results for its users. Today, AOL Search is no longer in operation as a separate search engine.
7. Baidu
Baidu is a Chinese search engine and technology company, founded in 2000 by Robin Li and Eric Xu. It is the largest search engine in China and one of the largest Chinese technology companies, with its headquarters located in Beijing.
Baidu provides a wide range of internet-related services, including web search, image search, video search, news search, online encyclopedia, maps, cloud storage, and various online marketing services. It also has developed its own artificial intelligence technologies, such as voice recognition and natural language processing.
As a search engine, Baidu’s market share dominates the Chinese market with over 70% of the search engine market share in China. However, it faces intense competition from other Chinese technology giants such as Tencent and Alibaba.
Baidu has also expanded its operations globally, offering various products and services in countries such as Japan, Thailand, and Brazil. However, due to censorship laws and regulatory restrictions, it has not been able to expand into certain Western countries.
8. Ecosia
Ecosia is a Berlin-based search engine that was founded in 2009 with a mission to plant trees and combat climate change. Ecosia uses its profits to fund reforestation projects around the world. In addition to its environmental mission, Ecosia also protects user privacy by using encrypted connections and not tracking or storing user data. Ecosia’s search results are powered by Bing, but it also provides its own algorithm to optimize results for environmental and sustainability topics.
9. StartPage
StartPage is a privacy-focused search engine based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 2006 and emphasizes user privacy by not tracking or storing user data. StartPage’s search results are powered by Google, but it provides additional privacy features such as the ability to access websites anonymously and the option to view search results in proxy mode, which allows users to browse the web without revealing their IP addresses.
10. Dogpile
Dogpile is a meta-search engine that was launched in 1996. It allows users to search for web pages, images, videos, and news articles from multiple search engines at once, including Google, Yahoo, Bing, and more.
11. Wolfram Alpha
Wolfram Alpha is a computational knowledge engine that was launched in 2009. It uses artificial intelligence and natural language processing to provide answers to factual queries, such as mathematical equations, scientific data, and historical facts.
12. MetaGer
MetaGer is a privacy-focused meta-search engine based in Germany. It does not store user data and it uses open source software. It searches multiple search engines such as Bing, Google, and Yahoo and provides anonymous and uncensored search results.
13. Ixquick
Ixquick is a privacy-focused search engine that was launched in 1998. It does not store user data and it allows users to search multiple search engines at once. It provides anonymous and uncensored search results and does not show personalized ads.
14. WebCrawler
WebCrawler is a search engine that was launched in 1994. It was the first search engine to allow users to search for images, video, and audio content. WebCrawler now uses Google for its search results.
15. Exalead
Exalead is a search engine that was launched in 2006. It provides web search, image search, and video search, and it is known for its advanced search capabilities and semantic search technology.
16. Qwant
Qwant is a privacy-focused search engine based in France. It does not track user data and it provides uncensored and unfiltered search results. Qwant uses its own search index and provides results for web, images, news, and social media.
17. Gigablast
Gigablast is a search engine that was launched in 2000. It provides web search, news search, and image search. Gigablast allows users to customize their search results and provides a variety of advanced search options.
18. Mojeek
Mojeek is a privacy-focused search engine that was launched in 2004. It does not store user data and it provides uncensored and unfiltered search results. Mojeek uses its own search index and provides results for web, images, and news.
19. HotBot
HotBot is a search engine that was launched in 1996. It was one of the first search engines to allow users to customize their search results. HotBot now uses Google for its search results.
20. Lycos
Lycos is a search engine and web portal that was launched in 1994. It provides web search, news search, and image search, as well as a variety of online services such as email, weather, and sports.
21. InfoSpace
InfoSpace is a search engine company that operates multiple search engines, including Dogpile, WebCrawler, and MetaCrawler. InfoSpace also provides a variety of online services such as email, maps, and weather.
22. Alhea
Alhea is a search engine that provides web search, image search, news search, and video search. It also offers a variety of online services such as email, games, and weather.
23. GoodSearch
GoodSearch is the on our list of 23 Great Search Engines, it was launched in 2005. It allows users to support their favorite charities by donating a portion of their search revenue to charity. GoodSearch uses Yahoo for its search results.