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Search Across All Your Sites - One Interface

I've become somewhat of an expert with Google CSE (custom search engine - launched in 2006) and this is one very cool tool. Our clients typically ask for a unified search solution that encompasses their blogsite, website and perhaps other domains such as forums and social networks. Typically, these services are each separate systems designed by separate vendors, so providing a unified search solution is difficult.

Googe CSE's make it possible for anyone to create and manage a fairly comprehensive solution to this problem. Furthermore, you can integrate the search UI and results into your blog, your website, or any other web page you have control over. There are many ways to integrate CSE's - my favorite is to use the Business Edition and take advantage of the XML API. But this is not required if you just want the basic functionality.

For giggles, I created a CSE for Vail Valley, Colorado - check it out. If you have questions, feel free to ask - happy to provide additional guidance and insight on this

Posted by Bill French on 05/11/2008 10:51 PM

Comments (4)

google cse, custom search engine

Post is included in group: Web 2.0

4 Comments on Search Across All Your Sites - One Interface

MAY

2008

Bill,

Good post about a powerful tool. It's something I need to check into more to use.

Thanks for keeping us informed.

Bill - great idea! I've created a google CSE but didn't think about using it to search across several of my own sites. Thanks for the tip!

JUN

2008

This is a super tool. I'm trying to think of more ways to use it. One of my readers, now a client, specifically commented now impressed she was wih the search.

Artur:

Thanks for the comment and feedback. It's great to hear stories where ordinary people (your blogsite visitors) are impressed with technology. The objective is to create unforgettable [online] experiences for your real estate buying (and selling) guests; a difficult challenge indeed.

I think a new trend will emerge - people will slowly adapt their behaviors and use Google to find good places to search. This underscores my observation that second tier search is just as important as getting someone on your web site to begin with.

There are many ways that CSE's can be used to provide information findability solutions, and we're researching new ones every day. Recently, we launched a search engine of 1400 businesses in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Functionally, this engine contains all members of the local area chamber of commerce. This is a new way of creating access to previously difficult-to-find information in one spot and for one geo-location.

It's impractical to build and manage a CSE of 1400 domains, however, the MyST Platform integrates tightly with Google and [therefore] has the ability to automate the development and management of such a large engine with little human effort. Whenever new members join the Ann Arbor chamber, they are automatically added to the search engine.

From a real estate perspective - imagine a dominant realtor that builds a unified search site for the local chamber of commerce. It's a win-win-win situation - the realtor gains a competitive advantage because its brand is on the search home page; the members of the local chamber are thrilled because there's more exposure for their content and in a focused search venue; the chamber of commerce is thrilled because someone made it possible to provide added visibility for their members while providing a valuable service to their membership and the community at-large. Eric Pointer (for example), an ActiveRain member and a member of the Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce, can be found in this search engine. Missy Caulk [however], cannot be found - she's probably not a chamber member.

This is just one of the many useful applications of CSE's; we have dozens more that we're working on.

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