What types of search engines are there?

What are search engines?

A search engine is a digital tool that enables users to search internal data sources or the internet for specific information, websites, products or content. The best known at present is undoubtedly Google, but it also includes Bing, Yahoo or specialized enterprise search tools such as searchit. With the help of search queries, search engines deliver relevant results from their index – a gigantic database with billions of pages.
Search engines continuously search the web with so-called crawlers, analyze content, store it in the index and display suitable results in the search. For SEO agencies, the way a search engine works is the key to making websites easy to find.

What types of search engines are there?

There are several types of search engines, depending on their mode of operation and objective, with regard to the way they work, their objectives and the accuracy of the search results.

1. Full-text search engines
   This type forms the basis of classic web search engines such as Google, Bing or Yahoo. They search complete texts on websites, analyze content automatically and evaluate it for suitable search queries. The focus is on relevance and topicality. It is essential for every SEO agency to optimize content so that it is displayed well in such search engines.
2. Meta search engines
   These search engines do not use their own index, but forward search queries to several other search engines (e.g. Google, Bing, Yahoo) and bundle the results. Examples: MetaGer, Startpage or DuckDuckGo (with meta function). They often offer more data protection and combined information from different sources.
3. Catalogs (web directories)
   Instead of automated sorting, manual sorting is used here: Editors or agencies add websites to categories, similar to a business directory. An example of this type of search engine is the Open Directory Project, also known as dmoz. These types have become rarer, but are still used in special niche applications.
4. Enterprise Search
   These search engines are used in companies. They enable internal documents, emails or databases to be edited and found. Examples: searchit, Elasticsearch, Apache Solr or Microsoft SharePoint Search. This type of search plays a particularly important role in marketing, internal knowledge management or e-commerce.

How do search engines work?

Search engines go through several steps:

1. Crawling: Websites are scanned automatically.
2. Indexing: The content found is saved in the index.
3. Ranking: For a search query, the search engine evaluates which results are the most relevant.
4. Display: The results are presented to users – depending on relevance, quality and technical optimization (e.g. loading time, mobile optimization).

Search engines such as Google work with complex algorithms that are constantly evolving. SEO aims to design content in such a way that it appears in the search results in the best possible way.

Problems with search engines

Despite their efficiency, there are also challenges when using search engines:

• Data protection: Google’s handling of personal data is a particular point of criticism.
• Manipulation: Search results can be distorted by excessive SEO optimization or spam.
• Filter bubbles: Search engines personalize results – which can limit the availability of information.
• Outdated content: Not all websites in the index are up-to-date, which can lead to incorrect information.

The largest search engines and their market shares

The market is clearly dominated by a few search engines:

For SEO agencies, performing well on Google is the most important goal – but other search engines also offer opportunities for targeted marketing, especially in certain regions or with privacy-sensitive target groups.
A solid understanding of the function, types and challenges of search engines is the basis for successful SEO, digital visibility and effective marketing.

Tip: Have your websites regularly checked for SEO suitability, both technically and in terms of content, in order to be at the top of the search results on Google, Bing & Co.