Google continues to roll out new features in its Custom Search Engines (CSEs). One of the most interesting ones is the implementation of “Linked CSEs”. What this feature does is allows applications to be built that can dynamically build a CSE. To whet your appetite for this feature, let me provide you with an example of a dynamic CSE you can build this way. You can read Google’s blog posts about this update here and here.

Using the Linked CSE architecture you can write a program that extracts the data from the API of a major social media site. You could then render that into the standard XML format used by CSEs, and the Linked CSE feature would incorporate the information from that XML file into a CSE for you. Sounds relatively neat, right? But the juice for this application is that when you update the XML file (using the program you created to detect new information in the social media site’s feed), Google will also automatically update your CSE.

Another idea would be that a teacher could build a simple CSE with the web sites that are approved sources of information for their class. While this can be done manually through the interface, this could be setup for the teacher so that all they needed to do was update the list of approved resources on their web site, and a simple utility would convert that into the required XML file for the CSE. Google provides a simple demonstration version of such a utility that it calls MakeCSE. You can try out the MakeCSE tool here, and here you can find URL-based Tools for Linked CSE’s.

When the CSE program first launched, it required you to login to your Google Coop account, create a definition, and maintain it in the account over time. In essence, the XML file for your CSE was hosted by Google, based on the information you gave them. Now you can host your own XML file, this creating the ability to create these dynamic applications.

I suspect that there are a lot of interesting Custom Search Engine applications that can be built using this new functionality.

Google also announced that they are providing tools to help people find Custom Search Engines by a variety of means. For example, these can be found by topic of interest, or through a keyword search that will determine relevance by looking at the search engine’s name, description, keywords, and popular queries. In addition, searches can be constrained by attribute. For example, you may want to consider only those CSEs with at least 10 sites in them, or CSE’s searching for volunteers, or only non-profit CSEs.

This new feature should make it easier to find the CSEs of interest for many users. For example, if you were really interested in volunteering to work as an editor for a certain type of non-profit organization, you would now be able to find the available opportunities quickly.

Thanks to Danny Sullivan for prompting me to put up this post.

This post will give you an idea of how to use Google Custom Search Engines to improve the web search tool you offer on your site. It’s really cool, and it’s really simple. Follow the five steps list below, and you will have the same web search you already have on your site, except your site’s rankings in that search engine will be increased.

Using this trick, you can still use Google’s web search functionality to pump cash into your AdSense account, but you site shows up higher in the organic results. Everyone who uses Google web search boxes on their site to drive revenue should do this. Here are the steps:

1. If you don’t have one, create a Google Co-Op account. Login to the account.

2. Click on the link to create a Custom Search Engine page. Then click on the new search engine link.

3. Use the following image to fill out the first part of the form on this page:

Once you are done with this, fill out the next part of the form as follows:

Note that you must have your domain in the “Sites to Search” box, and you must check the “Search the entire web but emphasize these sites.” radio button. This is the set of actions that ensures that your site will be moved up in the search results. Make sure that you check the box indicating that you agree to the terms of service, and then click the “Next” button.

4. Next, go test drive your Custom Search Engine. Check it out and make sure it’s working OK. If all is well, you will be getting the same search results you were getting before, except, your site will rank higher than normal for relevant terms. Click the “Finish” Button when you are done. You will be sent to a page that lists your Custom Search Engines. If this is the first one you have created, you will only see one listed on this page.

5. Click on “Control Panel” and then “Make Money” to get to a page where you enter in your AdSense account info. Enter in the info to make sure you get paid on any ads that get clicked on in your search engine.

6. Last, but not least, click on the “Code” menu item to get the Javascript code for your Custom Search Engine. Take the code and put it in the template for the pages of your site. Make sure to replace the Javascript code for the Google web search box you currently have on the site.

The sit back and relax, You have now increased your site’s brand presence in the search engine on your site, and it only took a few minutes.

Note that Google Custom Search Engines do not allow you to have a radio button allowing users to choose web search or site search. To do that with the Google Custom Search Engine you would have to implement a second search box. Hopefully, radio button functionality is something that Google will offer in the future.

Gary Price put up a post on Wednesday where he speculated that Google’s plan to focus on core search were just stories. Gary cites the move into radio ads, the Custom Search Engine announcement, and the YouTube acquisition as being divergent from this plan.

Lisa Barone at BruceClay.com speculates further on this topic. Lisa’s take is that the plan to increase the focus on core products is still real. Lisa offers the opinion that we should NOT interpret Google’s statements about a core search focus as meaning NO new products.

I think Gary and Lisa both raise some good points. What I would like to add to the discussion is my thoughts on how Custom Search Engines fit into core search.

We recently published an interview with Google’s Shashi Seth, and then did an analysis of the program in our blog.

In our blog analysis, we discuss what we learned in our interview with Shashi, which is that the whole Google Co-Op initiative (which includes Custom Search Engines) is focused on solving problems in core search. The specific issue being addressed by the Custom Search Engine program is that the context of the use is not known. For example, if they search on “cancer” are they a patient looking for treatment information, or a doctor looking for research data.

Custom Search Engines help address this because human editors can create vertically oriented search engines that are targeted at these groups. For example here is a search engine for patients and here is a search engine for doctors. By testing them out, you can see how different the results are.

It’s my belief that Google views the Custom Search Engine program as part of their focus on core search. The reasoning behind the product was to address a shortcoming in core search. In addition, the engineering team that worked on this project is fully integrated with the rest of the core search engineering team. I would expect that more products will come out of this group over time as well.

del.icio.us tags: search engine optimization, seo, online marketing, custom search engine, cse

Has your mother created a Google Custom Search Engine yet?

Yes, I’m being facetious. But I want to make a point. Custom Search Engines are drop-dead easy to create. According to Google’s new Custom Search Blog, “tens of thousands of people have already started contributing”. The volume of posts on the Google Co-op Group, which I monitor and contribute to daily (handle = “greyhound”) is high and growing. The program looks like it’s off to a roaring start. But amid all this success, lies a hidden problem that is baffling many new CSE users. We’ll call it the “Supplemental Results Syndrome”, and if it bites you, it can be fatal to your CSE.

The ease of creating CSEs belies the tremendously powerful framework upon which they sit. Because they’re so easy, many people who might have stayed away from advanced search engine technology are flocking to it. And herewith the problem: when you’re literally building your own search engine, there are going to be some things that are a little bit harder than filling out forms.

Today, I want to describe the problem that smacks sufferers of Supplemental Results Syndrome (SrS) right in the face, and how you can diagnose it. (Over the next few days, we’ll provide some recommendations about how to cure this devastating web site illness). To SrS sufferers, Custom Search Engines are broken. “Why don’t I see my site when I do a search on my custom search engine?”, they cry. “I can see it when I search at google.com, but not in my own search engine!” Why not? The answer is simple and complex. The simple answer is that their site is locked up in Google’s supplemental index and… drum roll… Google Custom Search Engines do not include results from the supplemental index.

Let’s talk more about the supplemental index. Before CSEs, the supplemental index was transparent to most people. Do a search on some unique term that turns up a page on your site, and there — in glorious color for all to behold — is your page nestled in the Search Engine Results Page. But look closer at those results. If the words “Supplemental Result” appears next to your URL, then I’m sorry to say it, but this page is afflicted, and it ain’t gonna make it into anyone’s CSE, no way, no how.

Sadly, many low traffic, niche web sites — run by some of the very people who are so attracted to CSEs in the first place — have much or all of their site in the supplemental index. Why? Reasons vary, but far and away the biggest cause of SrS is lack of quality inbound links. Put simply, Google maintains two indexes: the “main” index, where all the big boys live, and where you definitely want to be, is link party central. If you’re in the main index, it’s because you’ve got lots of inbound links, you’ve probably got some PageRank, and life is good. If you’re in the supplemental index, you’re a world wide web wallflower. (Sticking with the high school dance analogy) not enough people know you (link to you), and you aren’t one of Google’s favorite dance partners (you’re not showing up in a lot of searches, so you’re not getting the level of search engine driven traffic that you want).

We’ll wrap up today’s post by showing you the definitive diagnostic test for SrS. Go to google.com and search on “site:yourdomain.com” (no quotes). Examine the results. If many/most of your pages display “Supplemental Result” next to the URL, you’re an SrS sufferer, and we need to prescribe some Search Engine Optimization medicine to make your site well. Remember, if you’ve got SrS, CSEs are not the cure — they will only frustrate you. The good news is that once you discover you have SrS, perhaps by accident when you built your first baffling CSE, you’ve taken the first step towards recovery (that is, knowing you have a problem!). And when you get your web site all healthy, you can build a CSE that even your mother will be proud of.

Stay tuned for upcoming posts that will take you through the steps needed to cure SrS once and for all.

The new custom search engine (CSE) program announced by Google offers significant possibilities for web site owners. Implementing a CSE allows site owners to develop a new asset for their business, and provides a new revenue stream for their business as well.

Site owners can have a subject matter expert (SME) in their business design rules for their own CSE that provide a superior search experience in their area of expertise. A skilled SME should be able to steadily improve the quality of the search experience over time.

Since the site owner and their SME is knowledgeable in their vertical market area, and the area is by definition narrower that the entire web, the notion of human edited enhancements has a much better chance of working.

Equally important, the revenue sharing model means that the site owner will be highly motivated. The SME will be motivated because they have the opportunity to bring to their users a superior search experience.

Successful implementations should bring the users as well. Users will quickly recognize those CSEs that offer significantly higher quality. As a result, high quality CSEs will become known, and bring additional new users to the site.

You can also count on Google to promote the best CSEs. It’s in Google’s interest to do so. This provides an additional incentive to the site owner.

Many site owners will be tempted to force the results of their CSEs to emphasize their own sites, and exclude all of their competitors. However, this will not provide the best interests of their users, and will not serve the best interests of most businesses in the long term.

Users will gravitate to improved search results. Site owners with a long term vision will recognize this. They may end up sending some traffic indirectly to competitors in the short term, but the long term growth in the credibility of their business will more than make up for it in the long term.

del.icio.us tags: search engine optimization seo online marketing custom search engine cse