Internet users can find information on a desired subject or keyword through the assistance of filtering tools known as search engines.
These computer tools round up information based on keywords entered into a search box and provide a plethora of entries best matching those entered keywords. Search engines give Internet users a quick and easy way to locate information on a topic of interest.
Three search engines – Google, Bing and Yahoo – dominate the information landscape, grabbing the lion’s share of Internet searches. There are 3 billion Google searches done every day. For some perspective, know that there are 7 billion people in the world.
After the big three, there are second- and third-tier search engines that can also be used to locate information on a certain topic. Sites like Ask.com and www.wolframalpha.com can be equally as effective in locating information. Lesser-known sites, such as 7Search.com in Chicago, continue to battle to grab a bigger share of the search-engine pie.
In less than 15 years of existence, Google has become the pre-eminent way to locate information, especially for our young people. Ask them to look something up in the telephone book and you will likely get a blank stare looking back at you.
Search engines can even get you to places you had no intention of reaching. Sites such as 7Search.com and ask.com capitalize on the wrong spelling of a website and provide links to other sites on those misspelled sites.
When you have not just tons of information on a topic, but people capitalizing on the common misspellings of a name, it shows you how far technology has come. While some people may get frustrated with their misspelling and go back to their initial search effort and try again, some will click on provided links to websites on the misspelled page. Remember, traffic, no matter how somebody got there, is better than no traffic.
