{"id":3275,"date":"2021-11-01T19:29:26","date_gmt":"2021-11-01T19:29:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.act4apps.org\/?p=3275"},"modified":"2021-11-01T19:29:30","modified_gmt":"2021-11-01T19:29:30","slug":"what-is-a-search-engine-and-what-does-it-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.act4apps.org\/what-is-a-search-engine-and-what-does-it-do\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Search Engine and What Does it Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Search Engine<\/p><\/div>\n
Everyone with a computer or internet access knows what a search engine does on the surface, since it has become the primary navigation tool for the majority of information we seek and consume. But what is a search engine exactly, and how does it present us with the information it does with such speed and efficiency? Here is a list of some background information.<\/p>\n
1. Search Engine Definition<\/h2>\n
A search engine is a website that allows users to search for content using keywords. The search engine results page, or SERP, is presented to the searcher with ranked content to browse.<\/p>\n
2. How Do They Work?<\/h2>\n
Search engines work through three major steps. First, there is the \u201ccrawling\u201d stage, in which the engines use programs called bots, crawlers, or spiders, to search the internet for content. The second step is \u201cindexing,\u201d during which the engine will try to organize the content based on keywords. Thirdly there is \u201cranking,\u201d in which the results are ranked based on factors like keyword relevance, site traffic, and loading speed, among other factors.<\/p>\n
3. What are the Top Search Engines?<\/h2>\n
The most popular search engines are Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Baidu, the latter being primarily used by Chinese residents and speakers. These search engines, among a few other popular ones, have been embroiled in controversy in recent years because of their privacy practices, which involve taking and storing user data and sometimes selling to parent companies, like Verizon. Those who prioritize privacy will find numerous alternative search engines<\/a> to use, however, including OnePage, StartSearch, and DuckDuckGo.<\/p>\n