For many years, SEO (search engine optimisation) has been a important element of any fashionable advertising and marketing technique. However search engine optimisation doesn’t simply imply Google: On the contrary, there are a selection of different engines like google price exploring.
I discovered this primary hand after I was working for a corporation with operations in China, the place Google wasn’t accessible. Whereas my workforce had been virtually completely targeted on optimizing for Google, it rapidly grew to become clear that we needed to spend money on search engine optimisation 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.
At present, 88% of shoppers 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 via seven of my favourite Google options for search, sharing all the pieces you could know to remain updated on the instruments your prospects are utilizing every single 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 monitor you. That’s our Privateness Coverage in a nutshell.” And it lives as much as this popularity, providing a cookie-free looking out expertise.
Testing It Out
Visually, DuckDuckGo affords a easy, minimalist design, and its person expertise is evident and straightforward to navigate. The search outcomes appear related and constant, and the format is just like that of Google, with a search bar on the prime and choices to view pictures, movies, and different content material sorts. As a person, looking out with DuckDuckGo feels fairly just like Googling — however behind the scenes, it’s rather more personal.
Finest for: Nameless looking out
Bing
Powered by Microsoft, Bing is among the most widely-used engines like google after Google. It’s functionally similar to Google, and has traditionally been thought of Google’s major 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 serious differentiator for the platform.
Testing It Out
Bing’s interface is considerably extra cluttered than that of another engines like google, with a further content material part in addition to a listing 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 slightly distracting. That stated, 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 studies being carbon unfavorable, and in line with 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 out than a few of its opponents, as evidenced by the distinguished cookies disclaimer on the web site. Its performance can 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 observed 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 atmosphere, 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 various engines like google that I’ve included on this listing, but it surely affords most of the similar 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 put up 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 put up continues, “For the primary time, individuals are capable of finding what they’re on the lookout for with out being uncovered to feelings that they don’t want.”
Testing It Out
In comparison with different typical engines like google, I discovered Mojeek’s outcomes to be slightly unusual. For instance, one of many search phrases I examined out was “small enterprise advertising and marketing.” Whereas different engines like google returned HubSpot’s complete weblog put up, 50 Small Enterprise Advertising and marketing Concepts for 2024, of their first few outcomes, Mojeek’s first few outcomes as a substitute included HubSpot’s downloadable information on digital advertising and marketing for small enterprise — arguably a much less useful and fewer related end result. Then again, I completely liked Mojeek’s emotional filtering functionality. With a lot unfavorable content material on-line, I actually recognize the flexibility to have the ability to seek for content material that’s each related and slightly extra optimistic in tone.
Finest for: Emotional filtering
Seekr Information
Whereas most of the various search engines on this listing can be utilized for nearly any sort of search, this one’s slightly completely 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 attention-grabbing options that I feel are price highlighting.
Particularly, Seekr offers each a Seekr Rating and a Political Lean tag for every end result 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, and so they allow customers to achieve better visibility into the content material they devour.
Testing It Out
Seekr does ask you to “Settle for All Cookies” if you use the location, 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 a number of details about every search end result, 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
In case you’ve by no means been to China, you won’t 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 excellent match for searchers who don’t communicate the language. That being stated, it’s undoubtedly an necessary platform to bear in mind for any entrepreneurs trying to goal the Chinese language market.
Testing It Out
Baidu’s person interface is essentially just like that of Google and different engines like google: There’s a search bar on the prime, and choices to seek for images, movies, maps, and so on. One further component is its “scorching searches” listing on the fitting hand facet of the web page, the place you’ll be able to see at the moment trending subjects. 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 often known as a calculator web site. It could possibly 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 could possibly additionally perform as a wide-ranging search engine in its personal proper.
For instance, you’ll be able to ask it questions like “the best 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 a listing of associated queries. Furthermore, not like different engines like google, Wolfram Alpha doesn’t typically offer you a listing of hyperlinks to look via your self. As an alternative, it merely affords a solution to your query straight on the web page.
Testing It Out
So far as performance, Wolfram Alpha is clearly much more restricted than a standard search engine. That stated, I actually recognize the way it clearly walks you thru an answer. If I wish to know the best way to calculate ROI for a selected funding, an extended listing of article hyperlinks isn’t practically as useful as Wolfram Alpha’s clear, tactical steps and automatic calculator interface. After all, this engine received’t work for lots of search wants — however for sure queries, it’s a incredible, extremely environment friendly device.
Finest for: Calculations and info
Going Past Google
Clearly, there’s a complete lot extra to the world of search than Google alone. Whereas Google remains to be by far the largest search engine with respect to world market share, the instruments I’ve shared above have rather a lot to supply as effectively.
Specifically, 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 various 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 serious about optimizing your content material for search, it’s very important to transcend Google and contemplate the big selection of engines like google that your prospects could depend on. From Bing to DuckDuckGo, Baidu to Mojeek, there are numerous locations immediately’s web customers can go for solutions and knowledge.
So, to remain related, immediately’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 could use for search.
Editor’s be aware: This put up was initially revealed in September 2014 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
