I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For…Why Search Engines Fail.

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I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For…Why Search Engines Fail.

By Paul Bliss
http://www.mediapostinc.com/paul.cfm?col_id=1

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For…Why Search Engines Fail.

Imagine asking a stranger for directions to a clothing store. Chances are, the stranger will tell you one of two replies. They'll direct you to the nearest clothing store they know of, or they'll send to to the last one they just passed. But you're looking for the latest Spongebob Squarepants kid's shirt. You didn't tell the stranger that, did you? Probably not. So, you got directions to the local Disney store, which of course, would not be selling any competitor's clothing.

How did this happen? Simple. Like most of us, when we type something into a search engine, we just assume that the search engine knows what we mean. A computer can only do what we tell it to do, so that's why we may not get the desired results that we are seeking. Back when the 'Net was young (1990), you could get away with such simple phrases because there wasn't much content on the Internet as there is now. This is why when you're searching, be sure to be as specific as possible. The Search Engine's entire existance is to provide relevant and specific results to you, the user. Tell the engine more relevant phrases, and you will be rewarded accordingly.

And as I heard somebody famous once say: "The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist."

~ Paul

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