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Choose the Service For You
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As with the results page layout, the Search
Result List Items (the pages which match the search) is familiar from
your experiences with large public search engines.
Some of these services allow you to customize the elements of the items
on this list, which lets you match the layout to the data you have. For
example, some sites have useful URLs which give some context to the page,
while others are just confusing, and should be omitted from the results
Other features may include:
- a ranking number or graphic indicator of how well the engine thinks
the page matches the search terms (this can be quite confusing).
- a file modification date (in two-digit US date format: 09/16/99,
four-digit year-first format: 1999-09-16, or some other format)
- a file size (best in K, Kilobytes, rather than bytes)
Page Text
Most search services display some text from the matched pages, allowing
searchers to learn something about the contents before they click on
the link. This can come from one or more of several sources:
- the contents of the Meta Description tag
- matching lines: sentences which contain the search terms
- summary text: uses a special formula designed to find the
sentences which best summarize the page content
- first useful text: avoiding navigation information by extracting
text after the header tags, etc.
- top text: text from the top of the page, including any navigation
text
If you have carefully written META DESCRIPTION tag contents for each
of your pages, so they'll rank well and look great in webwide search
engines, you will probably want your site search to display them as
well. Be sure to choose a remote search service that will show these.
Otherwise, some services do a good job of extracting useful text and
even highlighting the words which match the search terms.
Result List Required and Optional Features
req. = required, opt. = optional, no = not available, meta desc. is the
Meta Description tag.
| name |
URL |
ranking |
mod date |
file size |
page text |
match info |
custom results |
notes |
| Atomz
|
opt. |
opt. |
opt. |
opt. |
opt.. meta desc.
/ top text; also opt. matching lines |
highlights match
words |
many options |
|
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FreeFind
|
req. |
no |
no |
no |
meta desc. if available,
otherwise extracts first useful text |
no |
no |
|
| Google |
yes |
no |
no |
yes |
hit highlighting |
no |
no |
Links to cached pages, similar page search |
| IndexMySite |
no |
rank but no score |
no |
no |
meta desc. if available,
otherwise first 50 words of text from page |
no |
no |
Can change fonts, size, style and color
of result items. |
| siteLevel |
opt. (no link) |
no |
opt. (4 digits, year first) |
opt., in K |
configurable: defaults to
meta desc. |
highlights match words in
extracted text |
can choose page text options,
length, show/hide others |
form with checkboxes & text fields for
customization. |
| MiniSearch |
no |
no |
no |
no |
meta desc. if available,
otherwise blank line. |
no |
no |
|
| MondoSearch |
no |
no |
opt., (choice of format) |
no |
(in secondary pages only)
meta desc. if available otherwise extracts first useful text |
match words listed |
many options, within special
format limits |
special category result format |
| PicoSearch |
opt. |
no |
no |
no |
opt. meta desc. / top text;
opt. matching lines |
highlights match words |
minimal |
Can bring up results pages in different
frame; more customizable in paid version. |
| NetCreations
PinPoint |
opt. |
opt. |
opt., (2- digit US) |
opt., in K |
very short cryptic bits of
text, probably attempted summary |
highlights match words |
very customizable except
page text |
irregular page text display |
| SiteMiner |
req. |
req. |
no |
no |
extracts top text |
highlights match words |
no |
doesn't always show page text |
| Webinator |
req. |
req. |
no |
req., In K |
summary text |
"match info" link |
no |
|
| name |
URL |
ranking |
mod date |
file size |
page text |
match info |
custom results |
notes |
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