Search Engines?

Jay Honeck

Jay Honeck

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Jun 6, 2008
Messages
11,571
Location
Ingleside, TX
Display Name
Display name:
Jay Honeck
Can anyone recommend a good internet search engine?

Google has become almost unusable, with their "pay to be seen" policies that have turned it into one, giant, useless ad. Bing is somewhat better, but not much.

I'm to the point where I would pay for a search engine that returned actual usable results. Are there any pay-as-you-go search engines?
 
Why are you paying anyone for this????

I usually use Google, which does a more than adequate job for anything I'm looking for, but use Yahoo as an alternative.

No one has commented or even hinted that remuneration would be in the offing
(besides you)
 
Hmmm I have no issues with Google, and find it to work better than Yahoo and Bing.
 
oldShar said:
Why are you paying anyone for this????

I usually use Google, which does a more than adequate job for anything I'm looking for, but use Yahoo as an alternative.

No one has commented or even hinted that remuneration would be in the offing
(besides you)
Click to expand...

??? I'm not following what you're saying.

I'm not paying anything -- the advertisers are. This economic model worked well for years, but has completely warped the results on Google and rendered the results less valuable.

Example: Search for "Things to do in Texas" on any given date. The results are complete garbage. The ones that pop up paid Google to be there, and they show things to do everywhere, not where I am searching.

Example: Search for "hotels in San Antonio". The Bates Motel could be listed first, simply by paying Google more.

I am looking for a real search engine that sorts by parameters other than money. I WOULD pay for access to a real search engine that returned actual, valid results.
 
I switched to Bing this week after Google celebrated Ceasar Chavez's birthday on Easter Sunday rather than Easter

That was the last straw for me, I "vote" with my feet


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Zhunter said:
I switched to Bing this week after Google celebrated Ceasar Chavez's birthday on Easter Sunday rather than Easter

That was the last straw for me, I "vote" with my feet


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I have been using Bing more lately, after reading an article that described how much they have improved.

The results are somewhat less commercial than Google, but since they follow the same "pay more to be seen more" economic model, if more of us jump to them they will quickly devolve into Google.

As I am typing my wife is trying to find stuff to do in Texas next weekend, and is so ticked off with Google she has given up. What comes up is just pay-per-view rubbish. We need a new search engine that works better.
 
You can't pay your way to a higher rank Jay. You can just pay for the adwords spots which are clearly marked. Those with high page ranks in the normal results did not pay Google for that.
 
Uhh, just scroll down. The paid ads are at the top and easily distinguishable.

And I don't care about the doodle, 95% or more of my google searches are from a browser toolbar so I usually don't see it.

Bing is ok, certainly just as good. I am just used to using google and don't have a compelling reason to switch.
 
I only use google to find information, definitions, etc. If i want to search for something which I may potentially spend money on, I will use google only to find discussion forums or other independent opinions on the subject, and only then will get into more specific details of my query. Google does what it does well, but when it comes to being a consumer, anything ad-supported is not theplace to look.

For example:

I want to find out about quality leather wallets. I don't use google. I start my search on trusted sites and forums to see what people recommend. Once I have an idea of what to look for, I will look at the individual retailers, and possibly use google with some very specific search terms to find other sites that may have independent information.

If I want to find a recipe for tiramisu, I will use google.
 
Last edited:
jasc15 said:
I only use google to find information, definitions, etc. If i want to search for something which I may potentially spend money on, I will use google only to find discussion forums or other independent opinions on the subject, and only then will get into more specific details of my query. Google does what it does well, but when it comes to being a consumer, anything ad-supported is not theplace to look.

For example:

I want to find out about quality leather wallets. I don't use google. I start my search on trusted sites and forums to see what people recommend. Once I have an idea of what to look for, I will look at the individual retailers, and possibly use google with some very specific search terms to find other sites that may have independent information.

If I want to find a recipe for tiramisu, I will use google.
Click to expand...

Well, if you can look past the paid wallet ads, Google is actually quite good at identifying quality leather wallets.

But for finding about quality leather wallets, there is another option.
 
Jay, to me the issue is not really advertising as Google is not currently bumping listings based on advertising - the bigger issue is the amount of SEO games that are played. People pay a LOT of money for SEO.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Can anyone recommend a good internet search engine?

Google has become almost unusable, with their "pay to be seen" policies that have turned it into one, giant, useless ad. Bing is somewhat better, but not much.

I'm to the point where I would pay for a search engine that returned actual usable results. Are there any pay-as-you-go search engines?
Click to expand...

You are a smart Man, Jay. Most people don't realize that Google hasn't really been a search engine for years. I still use Yahoo mostly, but use Google a bunch with the understanding that the results are bought and paid for - but are still useful.
 
goodsearch.com gives a penny to the charity of your choice for each search you do.

I kind of like this model.
 
Sometimes when I use google I will go straight to the 2nd page to skip the nonsense and get down to business.
 
Zhunter said:
I switched to Bing this week after Google celebrated Ceasar Chavez's birthday on Easter Sunday rather than Easter

That was the last straw for me, I "vote" with my feet


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Considering Google hasn't mentioned Easter in 12 years, that this year was a "last straw" is quite perplexing.

Coincidently, Chavez's birthday is the same day every year. Easter is not.

And I still use google. I just use it intelligently.
 
I have no problem distinguishing the paid ads from the search results on Google. They are in a different color and/or area of the page.

That said, you can pay an SEO expert to work your page rank higher up the list. Sorry, but any search engine can be manipulated to some degree.
 
Einstein376 said:
Try:

https://duckduckgo.com/

Search results are not driven by ads.

Jim
Click to expand...

Just searched for "Port Aransas Hotels", and got the same ten or fifteen bogus results. Not a single Port Aransas hotel came up -- just like Google. Instead, you get all the BS "Hotels.com" search engines, where you must pay to play.

I want a search engine that returns actual results -- not merely a list of ten more search engines that the chains own. Is there such a thing?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3...
 
alfadog said:
I have no problem distinguishing the paid ads from the search results on Google. They are in a different color and/or area of the page.

That said, you can pay an SEO expert to work your page rank higher up the list. Sorry, but any search engine can be manipulated to some degree.
Click to expand...

Any one can easily filter out the ads. That's not what I'm talking about.

When I search for "Things to do in South Texas", I want a list of events that are happening -- not a list of websites that sell advertising to event planners.

Somehow these pay per view shills have leveraged their way to the top, crowding out the events we're actually trying to find. I would like a search engine that weeds them out.

Dunno if there is such a thing, but I would pay an annual subscription for it.



Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3...
 
Jay Honeck said:
Just searched for "Port Aransas Hotels", and got the same ten or fifteen bogus results. Not a single Port Aransas hotel came up -- just like Google. Instead, you get all the BS "Hotels.com" search engines, where you must pay to play.

I want a search engine that returns actual results -- not merely a list of ten more search engines that the chains own. Is there such a thing?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3...
Click to expand...

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=hotels+near+Port+Aransas,+TX
 
Zhunter said:
I switched to Bing this week after Google celebrated Ceasar Chavez's birthday on Easter Sunday rather than Easter

That was the last straw for me, I "vote" with my feet


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Ditto. Chrome is next soon as I can figure out why FF is misbehaving and fix it. I have uninstalled it and re-installed it and continua to see the spinning blue circle that just spins and spins; then I get a message that it not responding.:mad2: IE is NOT an option for me.:nono:
 
Jay Honeck said:
Just searched for "Port Aransas Hotels", and got the same ten or fifteen bogus results. Not a single Port Aransas hotel came up -- just like Google. Instead, you get all the BS "Hotels.com" search engines, where you must pay to play.

I want a search engine that returns actual results -- not merely a list of ten more search engines that the chains own. Is there such a thing?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3...
Click to expand...

I searched for Port Aransas Hotels in Bing, Amelias Landing was the 6th one listed below those that are clearley labeled ads and in a blur box.......just sayin
 

Attachments

  • Port.png
    Port.png
    180.8 KB · Views: 16
Jay Honeck said:
Any one can easily filter out the ads. That's not what I'm talking about.

When I search for "Things to do in South Texas", I want a list of events that are happening -- not a list of websites that sell advertising to event planners.

Somehow these pay per view shills have leveraged their way to the top, crowding out the events we're actually trying to find. I would like a search engine that weeds them out.

Dunno if there is such a thing, but I would pay an annual subscription for it.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3...
Click to expand...

The problem is in your search. No site that is a "thing to do in south Texas" is likely to use that term. Say a dude ranch in South Texas. You will find them by searching dude ranches, not "things to do". Sites that use the term "things to do" are aggregator sites of one kind or another and there is nothing wrong with them as a start point. You look at one and say "How about a dude ranch?" then you search dude ranches.
 
Last edited:
Another example. I just searched county fair south Texas and found a few sites that list fairs. I would rather start there than a lot of links to individual fairs.
 
You're getting good advice here, Jay.

One person suggested crafting your search as a maps-based search, which is a good way to find businesses in a specific area. For some businesses, like hotels, restaurants, and gas stations, it's a downright excellent way to get good results.

Another person suggested using the search engine results in an iterative fashion to home in on the results you really want. "Things to do" isn't something that any search engine today returns good results for, especially not in the sense of a "calendar of events" like what's happening downtown this Tuesday. But if you skim through the search results, you will likely find results like TripAdvisor.com or Yelp.com with suggestions for popular attractions, or a local news site that posts weekly events calendars, and following those links may get you to what you want.

You may choose not to be satisfied with those suggestions. I would suggest that is akin to someone complaining that their hammer is not driving the screw into the wood as well as they would like, and asking for recommendations on a better hammer to use.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Just searched for "Port Aransas Hotels", and got the same ten or fifteen bogus results. Not a single Port Aransas hotel came up -- just like Google. Instead, you get all the BS "Hotels.com" search engines, where you must pay to play.

I want a search engine that returns actual results -- not merely a list of ten more search engines that the chains own. Is there such a thing?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3...
Click to expand...

I searched word for word the same thing you did on Google and got a list of 7 hotels there. Also, I use Google as a way to get me to the place with the information--not as a place that has the information. For example, I never ever go to "www.tripadvisor.com." I use Google to take me to, for example, "Fribourg, Switzerland Hotels," at which point Tripadvisor takes over. And it's free too! Google specializes in sorting through webpages (like pretty much every other search engine), while Tripadvisor specializes in showing you hotels. I don't think it's as much the whole payment/advertising issue as one of what the website is meant for. For example, you don't see signs for a particular address from the highway, but you do see signs for the town your address is located in. Same sort of thing...if that makes any sense.

That being said, though, here are several Google results...it even put them on a map for me (though I did a normal Google search--not through maps). Didn't bother to screenshot that, though.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • Capture.JPG
    Capture.JPG
    72 KB · Views: 105
Jay Honeck said:
Just searched for "Port Aransas Hotels", and got the same ten or fifteen bogus results. Not a single Port Aransas hotel came up -- just like Google.
Click to expand...

Someone linked it, but didn't explain.
I use Google Maps for things like that anymore (because of the screwed up SEO results). Go to the city I want in Maps, then search for hotels.

I travel a lot now, and use Maps exclusively to find hotels, restaurants, etc.
It eliminates the junk.

Also, I just realized a few days ago that the "ignore results from the site" button is gone, so I can't eliminate the stupid secondary search sites that return exactly the words you searched for, with all sponsored results.
It also prevents eliminating results from a forum site, or things like hotels.com, or whatever.

Plus, it autocorrects my search text, which is problematic when I am searching for nonstandard terms, and it no longer lets me use some of the tricks I could use to search for exact word combinations in phrases.

Google is rapidly becoming less valuable to me.
 
In order to streamline my browsing, including using search engines, I employ Firefox + Adblock Plus + Ghostery
 
Last edited:
Zhunter said:
I switched to Bing this week after Google celebrated Ceasar Chavez's birthday on Easter Sunday rather than Easter

That was the last straw for me, I "vote" with my feet


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Luckily for you, the jebus is on the internet with a search engine just for you.

http://search.jesus.net/

(I found that with google -- there were no sponsored ads for these particular keywords :D )
 
Bing has been outed using Google search results as their own. That's right...put a search term in Bing and Bing would query Google and return that result as their own.

Also, Bing is in the middle of a 'Scregoogled' campaign where they advertise how Google reads your mail to serve you ads. Yeah, well...MicroSoft does the exact same thing. Besides, most people would prefer to get relevant ads. If I have to see an ad I'd rather it be for pilot head-sets than tampons. The advertisers agree. They don't want their ads going to someone who has no interest in their product.

So, Bing steals Googles search results. Bing has an ad campaign criticizing Google for what they themselves do. And you prefer Bing why???

By the way, you can edit your search result. Click on 'search tools' and below that you'll see a drop down box labeled 'All Results'. You can change that to 'Verbatim' and the ads should go away.

Viewing MicroSoft as more user friendly as Google...shesh. I've heard it all now.
 
Oh, here's a link to the Google Blog about outing Bing stealing their search results. Yeah, it's a Google blog and might be biased...but it was big news and if you're at all interested you can search yourself and find plenty of third party news about it. It happened. It's a fact.

Bing steals search
 
Jay Honeck said:
Just searched for "Port Aransas Hotels", and got the same ten or fifteen bogus results. Not a single Port Aransas hotel came up -- just like Google. Instead, you get all the BS "Hotels.com" search engines, where you must pay to play.

I want a search engine that returns actual results -- not merely a list of ten more search engines that the chains own. Is there such a thing?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S3...
Click to expand...

Jay, your website needs some help, I went through about 10 pages of results for Port Aransas Hotels. you weren't on any. There's no reason your hotel can't be in the first 5 results on page numero uno.
 
bartmc said:
Jay, your website needs some help, I went through about 10 pages of results for Port Aransas Hotels. you weren't on any. There's no reason your hotel can't be in the first 5 results on page numero uno.
Click to expand...

Gee, someone upstream said we were #7 on the first page.

???
 
bartmc said:
Looked again, you're towards the bottom on the 2nd page. You can do better.
Click to expand...

I have it in the middle to bottom of the second page. Your meta tags could use some help, but more importantly would be to actually include your keywords throughout the copy on the site. Also - changing the link at the bottom where it says "click here for more information" to something like "Learn about our breakfast in bed every morning" or something.

Have you ever looked into digg? If you can find a good reason to digg your site, you'll get some more credibility.

There's a bunch more ideas, but your off base on the google slam - you may see paid ads at the top (I do, and most other people do too), but they're easy to distinguish from the real search results.
 
SkyHog said:
I have it in the middle to bottom of the second page. Your meta tags could use some help, but more importantly would be to actually include your keywords throughout the copy on the site. Also - changing the link at the bottom where it says "click here for more information" to something like "Learn about our breakfast in bed every morning" or something.

Have you ever looked into digg? If you can find a good reason to digg your site, you'll get some more credibility.

There's a bunch more ideas, but your off base on the google slam - you may see paid ads at the top (I do, and most other people do too), but they're easy to distinguish from the real search results.
Click to expand...

His meta tag is showing Frontpage 5.0. I can't imagine google ranking that very high, if they consider the generator meta tag (and I would, and I'd rank Frontpage 5.0 sites low, unless there's another compelling metric not to)

There are legit ways to do SEO that aren't hard or cost a dime. I'm not an expert in this field but I did get ****ed off one time and spent many weeks working a site to the top of google. :)
 
Jay Honeck said:
Gee, someone upstream said we were #7 on the first page.

???
Click to expand...

Oh, this thread is self promotion. Sorry, I missed that.

Too bad you need to **** on Google to make your business move ahead. Read my post. Your OP said Bing was better. It's not. Fact.
 
Last edited:
Jay Honeck said:
Gee, someone upstream said we were #7 on the first page.
???
Click to expand...

Remember that Google prioritizes returns based on what it knows about the user. Everyone will see different results from identical Google searches (unless they scrub and anonymize internet presence).
 
PilotAlan said:
Remember that Google prioritizes returns based on what it knows about the user. Everyone will see different results from identical Google searches (unless they scrub and anonymize internet presence).
Click to expand...

You don't need to 'scrub' anything. If you're in Chrome (a Google product) you can simply go anonymous by clicking the 3 horizontal bars in the upper right. A drop down displays and select the 3rd or 4th choice: 'New Incognito Window'.

Boom, now you're anonymous. Search for something and see what 'Joe Blow' would see. Search for bomb making recopies and Google doesn't keep track and if the Government subpoenas them they will have NO RECORD. You're ISP, however, will certainly rat you out so be careful.

Google is good. MicroSoft is BAD. Stop trying to twist it to your liking to sell rooms. Oh, and stop watching Fox too....while you're at it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top