What Is A Search Engine

A search engine such as Google or Yahoo are designed to search for information on the Internet, for example information webpages or images. Search engines operate from complex algorithms to ensure the searcher receives the most relevant information to meet their search criteria. Search engines work by storing information about webpages within the world wide web, these webpages are then retrieved by a website crawler. The web crawler or spider searches through webpages on a regular basis storing useful information relating to a webpage within its database. Including any prominent keywords associated with the webpage. When a user searches for a specific product/service on the Internet, they will usually type in one or two keywords related to the search. The search engine will then analyse their database of recently cached websites and retrieve the most relevant to the particular search criteria.

The role of the search engine has become increasingly important as the Internet is being used more to display websites and Online information. The number of people using the Internet to search for information has increased dramatically over the years. As a result search engines are essential in order to sort these webpages into a form of order and present them in an easy to manage format. The algorithm that a search engine use is cutting edge at producing relevant results, although search engines are constantly reviewing their algorithms in order to develop them to be more specific. The online search engine industry is highly competitive, at present Google monopolises the industry, setting the algorithm standards.

Search engines are user friendly, Yahoo have a free E-mail facility, news, games and much more. Consequently if you sign up for a free account with Google you will have access to their iGoogle facility. IGoogle contains a wide range of gadgets you can download to your computer in order to customise your Google Online experience.