For many years, search engine marketing (web optimization) has been a essential element of any trendy advertising technique. However web optimization doesn’t simply imply Google: On the contrary, there are a selection of other engines like google price exploring.
I discovered this primary hand once I was working for a corporation with operations in China, the place Google wasn’t accessible. Whereas my group had been virtually solely targeted on optimizing for Google, it rapidly grew to become clear that we needed to put money into web optimization for platforms like Bing, Baidu, and different widely-used instruments. Furthermore, as generative AI has quickly progressed, a wave of latest AI-powered engines like google has emerged, additional complicating the search engine panorama.
As we speak, 88% of customers use engines like google to seek out solutions to their questions on-line — however Google isn’t the one engine they’re utilizing. On this article, I’ll stroll by means of seven of my favourite Google options for search, sharing every part it is advisable know to remain updated on the instruments your prospects are utilizing day-after-day.
Finest Search Engine Options to Google
DuckDuckGo
One of the crucial well-known Google options, DuckDuckGo is known for its dedication to information privateness. Its privateness coverage begins: “​​We don’t observe you. That’s our Privateness Coverage in a nutshell.” And it lives as much as this fame, providing a cookie-free looking expertise.
Testing It Out
Visually, DuckDuckGo presents a easy, minimalist design, and its person expertise is evident and straightforward to navigate. The search outcomes appear related and constant, and the structure is just like that of Google, with a search bar on the prime and choices to view pictures, movies, and different content material varieties. As a person, looking with DuckDuckGo feels fairly just like Googling — however behind the scenes, it’s far more personal.
Finest for: Nameless looking
Bing
Powered by Microsoft, Bing is likely one of the most widely-used engines like google after Google. It’s functionally similar to Google, and has traditionally been thought of Google’s important competitor. Nevertheless, Microsoft’s acquisition of Open AI (the corporate behind ChatGPT) has enabled Bing to soar forward in AI capabilities. Particularly, its AI search device, Deep Search, has achieved spectacular outcomes, changing into a significant differentiator for the platform.
Testing It Out
Bing’s interface is considerably extra cluttered than that of another engines like google, with an extra content material part in addition to an inventory of associated searches filling the right-hand facet of the web page. Whereas its person expertise was just like that of different engines, I personally discovered its outcomes rather less related, and I discovered its busier navigation bar a bit distracting. That mentioned, I actually loved utilizing the Deep Search device, and I’m excited to see the way it continues to develop!
Finest for: AI integration
Ecosia
Primarily based in Germany, Ecosia is exclusive amongst engines like google in its specific give attention to environmental sustainability. The corporate reviews being carbon damaging, and based on its homepage, it has planted greater than 200 million timber and donated greater than 83 million Euros to organizations devoted to local weather motion.
The platform has much less of a give attention to privateness and nameless looking than a few of its rivals, as evidenced by the distinguished cookies disclaimer on the web site. Its performance can also be barely extra restricted that another engines like google, and it has not but developed any AI-powered integrations.
Testing It Out
The very first thing I seen when testing out Ecosia’s search engine was its colourful, inexperienced branding and adorably little tree icon within the higher proper nook. It’s instantly clear that Ecosia is passionate in regards to the setting, from its visible branding alone! Its search outcomes appeared cheap, although I didn’t really feel that they had been fairly as much as par with these of another engines, and I additionally discovered that the big cookies banner detracted considerably from useability.
Finest for: Saving the planet
Mojeek
Mojeek isn’t as well-known as among the different different engines like google that I’ve included on this listing, but it surely presents most of the identical functionalities. As well as, Mojeek stands out with its “Emotional Net” characteristic: This device allows you to filter your search based mostly on the emotional content material of the outcomes.
As Mojeek defined in a weblog submit asserting the launch of this characteristic, “This performance is extremely helpful for customers that want to attempt to assist filter sure feelings out of their day — unhappy information, for instance.” The weblog submit continues, “For the primary time, individuals are capable of finding what they’re in search of with out being uncovered to feelings that they don’t need.”
Testing It Out
In comparison with different typical engines like google, I discovered Mojeek’s outcomes to be a bit unusual. For instance, one of many search phrases I examined out was “small enterprise advertising.” Whereas different engines like google returned HubSpot’s complete weblog submit, 50 Small Enterprise Advertising Concepts for 2024, of their first few outcomes, Mojeek’s first few outcomes as an alternative included HubSpot’s downloadable information on digital advertising for small enterprise — arguably a much less useful and fewer related consequence. Alternatively, I completely beloved Mojeek’s emotional filtering functionality. With a lot damaging content material on-line, I actually respect the flexibility to have the ability to seek for content material that’s each related and a bit extra optimistic in tone.
Finest for: Emotional filtering
Seekr Information
Whereas most of the major search engines on this listing can be utilized for nearly any form of search, this one’s a bit totally different: Seekr Information is particularly targeted on information articles. Which means it’s extra restricted than among the different choices I’ve shared — but it surely additionally has some actually fascinating options that I believe are price highlighting.
Particularly, Seekr offers each a Seekr Rating and a Political Lean tag for every consequence on its search outcomes web page. The Seekr Rating is an estimate of how dependable the information article is, whereas the Political Lean signifies what (if any) political leaning the article appears to have. Each are powered by AI, they usually allow customers to achieve better visibility into the content material they devour.
Testing It Out
Seekr does ask you to “Settle for All Cookies” while you use the positioning, that means it’s rather less privacy-focused than different engines like google. Nevertheless, I used to be actually impressed by its interface for indicating reliability and political ideology. Seekr manages to convey plenty of details about every search consequence, together with not simply the Seekr and Political Lean scores, but additionally tags for the kind of reporting, the variety of quotes within the article, and different pertinent context, all with a transparent person expertise and a design that doesn’t really feel too cluttered.
Finest for: Information search
Baidu
When you’ve by no means been to China, you may not have heard of Baidu. However Baidu is the dominant search engine within the Chinese language market, with greater than 600 million month-to-month lively customers.
After all, as a Chinese language product whose customers are largely based mostly inside China, the person interface is, unsurprisingly, all in Chinese language — so it is probably not an incredible match for searchers who don’t converse the language. That being mentioned, it’s positively an vital platform to remember for any entrepreneurs trying to goal the Chinese language market.
Testing It Out
Baidu’s person interface is basically just like that of Google and different engines like google: There’s a search bar on the prime, and choices to seek for photographs, movies, maps, and so forth. One further factor is its “sizzling searches” listing on the precise hand facet of the web page, the place you’ll be able to see at present trending matters. So far as its search outcomes, Baidu’s English outcomes are pretty restricted, however in my expertise as a local English speaker who studied Chinese language for a number of years, if you’ll be able to search in Chinese language and browse Chinese language search outcomes, Baidu is fairly efficient.
Finest for: Chinese language search
Wolfram Alpha
Wolfram Alpha is primarily referred to as a calculator web site. It might interpret mathematical or pure language enter for math issues, after which stroll you thru an answer. However this device isn’t only for serving to you along with your homework. It might additionally perform as a wide-ranging search engine in its personal proper.
For instance, you’ll be able to ask it questions like “the way to calculate ROI,” “what time is it in London,” and even, “who created Spiderman,” and it’ll present up-to-date, useful enter, usually with intensive further context and an inventory of associated queries. Furthermore, in contrast to different engines like google, Wolfram Alpha doesn’t usually provide you with an inventory of hyperlinks to look by means of your self. As a substitute, it merely presents a solution to your query immediately on the web page.
Testing It Out
So far as performance, Wolfram Alpha is clearly much more restricted than a standard search engine. That mentioned, I actually respect the way it clearly walks you thru an answer. If I need to know the way to calculate ROI for a particular funding, a protracted listing of article hyperlinks isn’t practically as useful as Wolfram Alpha’s clear, tactical steps and automatic calculator interface. After all, this engine gained’t work for lots of search wants — however for sure queries, it’s a incredible, extremely environment friendly device.
Finest for: Calculations and information
Going Past Google
Clearly, there’s a complete lot extra to the world of search than Google alone. Whereas Google continues to be by far the most important search engine with respect to international market share, the instruments I’ve shared above have rather a lot to supply as properly.
Particularly, Ecosia’s dedication to environmental sustainability and Seekr’s give attention to addressing unreliability and political bias in information make them two of my favourite different engines like google.
As well as, whereas I don’t have as many alternatives to make use of it, I’ve discovered that Wolfram Alpha could be a actual lifesaver for sure, extra mathematically-focused questions.
On the finish of the day, in case you’re focused on optimizing your content material for search, it’s very important to transcend Google and contemplate the wide selection of engines like google that your prospects might depend on. From Bing to DuckDuckGo, Baidu to Mojeek, there are numerous locations as we speak’s web customers can go for solutions and data.
So, to remain related, as we speak’s entrepreneurs should ensure that their content material is optimized not only for Google, however for all of the platforms that their leads and prospects might use for search.
Editor’s notice: This submit was initially revealed in September 2014 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
