Getting the most relevant search results

Reviews say these features are important to consider in selecting a search engine. Although it's easy enough to try various Internet-based browsers and search toolbars, there are a few additional issues to consider.

  • Consider search engine disclosure policies. At the very least, you should be able to tell at a glance which listings are paid ads and which are unbiased search results ranked for real relevance to your search. Ideally, ads are clearly delineated without being distracting. Google gets high marks in this respect for its easily identified text-ad sidebar and occasional paid-placement top bar. DuckDuckGo and Blekko seek to limit the amount of unwanted advertisements that show up in their results.
  • Try search engines that filter search results into subtopics. For ambiguous or broad topics, this can help you zero in on what you want, when the result would otherwise be buried on page 10 or higher of the listed results. DuckDuckGo provides prompts to help clarify ambiguous searches. Bing provides lists of suggested searches on the left side of the results page and tabs for sub-categories across the top of the page.
  • Try several search engines for options on how results are displayed. Many people prefer a simple, uncluttered layout that makes it easy to skim through results. Google, as well as newcomers DuckDuckDuckGo and Blekko, have simple-looking layouts. Yahoo's start page, on the other hand, works like a web portal and some reviewers find the page too cluttered.
  • Consider privacy and security. Users vary in how much information they're willing to make accessible to a server on the Internet, even when privacy policies are reassuring. If it makes you flinch to see something like "Welcome, [your name]" when you search, then choose a search engine that's less personalized and more anonymous. Users might be surprised to learn that their search terms and computer IP address are automatically delivered to whatever website they click on from a results page. Privacy and personalization policies are constantly changing; for links to news about search engines, see our Useful Links page. Most Web browsers offer a private browsing function that will also help protect private information from leaking onto the Internet.
  • Be wary of meta-search engines. Research experts suggest using two or three separate search engines rather than relying on one search tool that combines results from several.

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