| We discussed a lot
on how to search information from Internet, specially search engines
- various tips, tricks and traps. But what about information at
your backyard - your website ?
Surely, you know its content like the back of your
hand - but what is the comfort level of a visitor ? Can he/she find
information from your website with equal ease ?
Visitors of your website are the most important people
for your business - for they are not just surfers but also existing
or future customers. A website search engine is one of the most
important constituents of a good navigational aids - and research
has shown that a website with good navigational aid has more chances
of winning customers than others.
-
But hang on ! Do I need a search engine ?? I am
doing all right without one at present !
-
My site is too small - why should I spend on search
engine ?
-
Isn't it too costly and technically difficult
to have my own search engine ?
These and many others questions, issues and apprehensions
- many being quite valid, requires discussion. In a short series
we shall discuss essential elements and as usual a resources list
to help you.
I have elaborate menus and links at my home page -
then why would I need a search engine ?
You have worked hard to create, collect, edit and display
contents for your website, not to talk of significant investment
in time and money. You feel your effort is successful if the website
is able to communicate a positive image about your company and products
to potential customers. But the quality and quantity of content
is not the only issue: to have value, your site must be accessible.
You might have a carefully developed menu system to
logically move from page to page - but many people simply want to
locate a specific product right away, and don't want to follow links.
In other cases, visitors will come to your site for a reason you
could never anticipate, and obviously will not find a pre-arranged
menu system very helpful.
A Website search engine gives your visitors a chance
to find something on your site by searching, like universal search
engines such as AltaVista, or Google. Because your site is focussed
on a particular area or topic, a site search engine will allow visitors
to find required information quickly and without wading through
hundreds of irrelevant results. It will keep them on your site,
and will allow you to learn more about what your visitors are looking
for.
Who Needs a Web Site Search Engine ?
-
Websites having valuable data and/or large number
of pages. Its difficult to define exact number of pages or quantify
value, but if it takes quite a few mouse clicks or considerable
time to reach a particular page or locate a piece of information
- you probably need a search engine for your website. Remember,
site search engine increases comfort level of visitors - try
to put yourself in visitor's boot and figure out the comfort
level without search engine. Ask your friends and customers
for an unbiased view.
-
Sites where many visitors come from search engines
at pages deep within the site hierarchy
-
Growing sites that are adding new and valuable
information regularly
Who Doesn't Need a Web Site Search Engine
-
Very small sites where required information is
easy to locate.
-
As rule of thumb, if you can reach all pages in
your website from home page through just one mouse click - you
possibly do not need a website search engine. Obviously, this
is for a standard home page - not a gigantic list of links.
-
Sites which are lists of links focussed on one
topic - with excellent navigation structure
-
Database-driven sites, where the content is mostly
stored in database rather than static HTML pages What you need
in such cases is a database search tool, rather than a site
search engine.
Suppose, I need a search engine for my website. What
do I do next ?
Related Links:
Source: FAIDA
- Newsletter on Business Opportunties from India and Abroad
Vol: 3, Issue 21
September 12' 2002
Author :
Dr. Amit K. Chatterjee
(Amit worked in blue-chip Indian and MNCs for 15 years in various
capacities like Research and Information Analysis, Market Development,
MIS, R&D Information Systems etc. before starting his e-commerce
venture in 1997. The views expressed in this columns are of
his own. He may be reached at amit@infobanc.com
) |
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