[purplebear]

Been looking to replace a search that no longer works on my site (sites, actually) Not having a whole lotta luck getting very many opinions on any Free searches to place on a web site that are computer dummy friendly, tho.

Normally don't like the idea of placing a google search on any of my sites since it invites visitors to leave the site. Are there any cases you feel it isn't a bad idea? Am considering it at least for one of my sites that altho it does have affiliate links on it most of it is content pages with adsense on them. Would have to learn more about it since am not even sure they allow it to be placed on pages with the adsense.

Looking for opinions mostly on any Free searches but welcome any ideas on the google search, too.

[Herb ԿԬ]

I placed the google search on a good number of my pages, but usually at or near the page bottom. Figured if they got that far without doing anything, might as well give them an option. It does get used, sometimes leading them back to another page on the site.

[Trust]

One thing that sticks out is do they have all your pages indexed? I remember actually trying out MSN search box on one small site when it came out, to search the pages on my site. Problem was, it had only 5 pages of 100+ indexed and those 5 are the only ones that got searched. Not sure how Google/MSN do it nowadays. Plus I use mainly Wordpress now and it comes with free search

My old sites were all html, no PHP so I had to pay for a solution back in the day because I could never find a real good free one. There were some out there but they had lots of ads which I didn't like.

[purplebear]

Thank you very much Herb Have always only read people saying it was a bad idea, nice to see the opposite opinion.

Trust - yeap, I haven't been able to find any (cept Wayder has posted about one in another thread that I haven't looked into yet) that didn't come with the ads either. The one site I'm thinking I might use it on is fairly small. Seems not everybody thinks the sitemaps are a good idea but I do have them for all my sites. (just have to remember to keep updating them lol)

Have the php on pages with the one larger site and really is a pain in the butt. I have to remove the php pages in order to get it to rebuild it each time something's been added.

Yeap, finally got brave and have 2 blogs with wordpress and altho I have a lot to learn with them, really am loving it.

Thanks a lot both of you

[Rexanne]

PurpleBear,

I started using Google search on my site after many visitors complained they needed to be able to search my site and there was no way to do that. It gives my visitors the ability to search my site, find what they're looking for and possibly click a Goog ad along the way. I check my stats in Goog for "search action" daily and am thrilled when I see NO clicks going to Goog ads, which means visitors are finding what they're looking for on MY pages. It's fairly easy to set up although you can't customize it much. I'd love another free alternative but for now, this works.

[teezone]

You can customize a paid version of Google search (which doesn't display google ads), I use it on all my sites, it's great:

Google Custom Search APIs and Tools - Google Code

"Standard edition" shows google ads

"Site Search starts at $100 per year and comes with additional options. You get guaranteed support and greater results customization options via an XML API. Ads are not shown next to search results"

No visitors leave my site using this version.

[Bill]

I'm sending you a PM with an example of how/where I am using the Goog Search on two of my "local" sites. I've got to agree with both Herb and Rexanne on the value of doing it this way. Goog brings me a good bit of $$$ every year and this sample of the search is good for at least a $hundred a month for each of the two sites where I use it on nearly every page.

[teezone]

Just to be clear, I use the paid version on content affiliate sites that are product/commission driven. I have no interest in adsense as commission exceeds pay-per-click revenue.

It depends on your needs.. just wanted to mention there is an ad-free verison of Google search.

[Kevin]

Trust: On the paid version at least, you can index your own pages. I think the free CSE (as opposed to Site Search) relies strictly on Google's search results.

There's actually a few advantages to Google's paid version (if you can't write your own good search application). For example, you can add Promoted pages, which highlight specific landing pages for keyword searches that have value to you. Arguably, you would hope that someone saw that page on the way in if you're properly SEO'd, but there's a lot of long tail out there that you can only control so much.

[purplebear]

Thanks very much Rexanne and Bill for your opinions Very helpful, am glad I asked since I had only read negative thoughts.

Thanks a lot for the pm Bill, helped a lot

[superCool]

do you folks use a dedicated google search page that you link to from all your pages? does anyone have a search box on every page that accepts the query and then passes the user to a search page?

superCool has some WordPress sites that also have non-integrated datafeed pages, so this could be a big help. been looking for a way to combine WP and datafeed searches.

Bill, would you mind sending me those examples?

fankth

[skyguide]

Originally Posted by imhsar

But all these thing are payable.. do you have any idea, doing all these without using money.. coz we have to work in free....

It is free to use google search in your website once you join the adsense program. If you want to use google API then you may need to pay for yearly subscription. Thanks

[LukeCBiz]

This may have been touched upon in other threads, but I have worked with a lot of affiliates who have an awesome ability to retain traffic through a portal home page that uses strictly google for a search option, if that makes any sense. We would still do onsite, but he was able to eventually start using search campaigns as well. Its very good if you have a dedicated user base, almost loyal to an end, because you cannot upset the applecart so to say, when it comes to people continuing to use the search portal.