Multimedia Workshop

Apr 27, 2000

ASK THE GURU: Adding a search engine to my website

Q: How do I add a search engine to my website?

Michael, Boston

A: It's funny that you should ask because I've been wondering the very same thing. Adding a search engine usually requires some kind of access to the web server hosting your web site. The ISP that hosts my site, for example, doesn't provide a web search function, so if I want to add a search to my site I'm kind of stuck.

I once had a little site running on a machine in my office at work. This was a Mac web server, and I set up a search engine that Apple had developed and was making available for free. It was called e.g. (I think.) That was fun. But then I changed jobs and the web server didn't come with me...

So my site hasn't had a search function...

Until just recently, when a friend suggested I look at Picosearch. This company provides a search engine which you can use for your site and subscribe to. Their search engine goes out and crwals your site to build the index. And they even offer some limited reporting; I can see what the top 20 queries to the site are. For small sites and limited uses it's free (just my price!) So I've added it to the site (see below) and will try and add it to other pages on the site as time goes by. Give it a try. And if you need a search for your website you know where to look now.

Michael

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