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December 23, 202015 Search Engine Alternatives to Google
Google is the king of search. At least, that’s the way it’s been for the past 20 years or so.
Competitors were commonplace once upon a time, back when the Internet was still taking shape. But today, around two-thirds of all searches are performed on Google, and the few major competitors remaining have joined forces just to stay afloat. As a result, most search marketers only focus their efforts on getting praise—and ranking boosts—from Google.
It’s a sensible and worthwhile priority, since Google is still currently in control of the world of search. They hold the largest share of searchers—by far—and they tend to set the industry trends that every other search engine follows.
In 2000, just two years after it was founded, Google reached a milestone that would lay the foundation for its dominance over the next 20 years: It became the world’s largest search engine, with an index of more than one billion web pages…
…Every search request provides Google with more data to make its search algorithm smarter. Google has performed so many more searches than any other search engine that it has established a huge advantage over rivals in understanding what consumers are looking for. That lead only continues to widen, since Google has a market share of about 90 percent.
Google directs billions of users to locations across the internet, and websites, hungry for that traffic, create a different set of rules for the company. Websites often provide greater and more frequent access to Google’s so-called web crawlers — computers that automatically scour the internet and scan web pages — allowing the company to offer a more extensive and up-to-date index of what is available on the internet.
It is estimated that Google has some 600 billion web pages indexed. The next closest is Bing with a mere fraction at 100 to 200 Billion. Is it any wonder why Google still dominates.
The rest of the internet never caught up, and Google’s index just kept on getting bigger.
However, the Internet is becoming more open, and despite the tiny amount of attention they seem to be generating, there are new competitors trying to give Google a run for its money.
As a search marketer, it’s probably not worth adjusting your strategy just to fit in with these new search engine alternatives—at least not yet. But it is worthwhile to learn what these competitors are up to, and why they’re putting up the effort. Knowing the landscape of the competition could prepare you for the rise of a new major search rival, or perhaps the absorption of their expertise into Google’s juggernaut algorithm.
Table of Contents
Why Should You Care About Google Alternatives?
Google and search are basically synonymous at this point. And while you should be tailoring your SEO and digital marketing strategy to Google, there’s also something to be said for untethering yourself as much as possible.
Google has numerous issues, including:
- Privacy. This is by far the biggest strike against Google. While they may put on a good face, the truth is that Google does not prioritize the privacy of its users in any shape, form, or fashion. In fact, it’s the absence of privacy that allows them to be so successful. You’d be shocked by how much data Google has on you. And when the general public becomes more aware of this, a reckoning could come.
- Censorship. The bigger Google gets, the more it finds itself in a position to censor certain content. On the surface, there’s nothing wrong with censoring illicit content. However, the fact that Google spends so much time studying censorship and has developed such robust technology around it that scares people from wondering how it could be used in the future.
- Limited capabilities. As sleek and advanced as Google is, it’s really quite limiting for those who want to run technical queries. If you’re trying to run highly technical searches and/or search the deep web, you’ll need an alternative search engine.
There are dozens of other issues and problems, but most of them fall under one of these three categories. And eventually, once the search industry gains some worthy competitors, people will begin to realize that Google isn’t all that it seems. At this point, healthy competition will follow. And it’s a good idea to be prepared for this shift by already having a basic understanding of what’s out there.
15 Search Engine Alternatives You Should Know
Again, Google should certainly be the focus of any SEO and search strategy, but savvy business owners and marketers should at least be aware of what else exists.
As things stand today, these are the most worthy alternative search engines on the web:
1. Bing
Bing is the first and most obvious major competitor of Google, capturing a little over a fourth of all search traffic on the web. Bing is important to watch if for no other reason than their commitment to improving their own structure.
Already, Bing has expanded by using their own search algorithms to fuel Yahoo!’s search interface, and Internet Explorer users (yes, they still exist) use Bing almost exclusively.
Bing offers inbound link data with its LinkFromDomain feature, which is handy for search marketers, and it also has a handful of special searches for specific file types and certain phrase patterns (such as specific words being a specific distance away from each other in an online text).
2. DuckDuckGo
In the modern age, dictated by NSA monitoring, hackers stealing credit card information, and leaks of private photos, privacy and security have become crucially important to the average Internet user. Google keeps your information practically forever, and will willingly disclose it to authorized outside parties, but DuckDuckGo intends to offer an alternative.
DuckDuckGo doesn’t keep any private user search data, which eliminates the possibility of personalized results, but protects users from the possibility of their search history being scrutinized or accessed. As user privacy becomes an even greater concern, DuckDuckGo will likely grow in popularity (or serve as the inspiration for an even greater privacy-minded competitor).
It’s unlikely that Google will adopt any major changes to its stance on privacy, so expect to see at least a handful of new privacy-based search engines pop up in the next several years.
3. Boardreader
Boardreader is a simplistic search engine based around a fairly simple idea: providing an easy way to search through forums and online communities.
This is a highly specialized form of search engine, and it’s valuable because it could influence how Google (or another major competitor) handles these types of queries.
Using a specialized algorithm, Boardreader scours the web for your search queries only when they appear within the body of a forum thread, post, or message. If you’re looking for a conversation about a specific topic, rather than raw information or direct access to a specific topic, Boardreader can be extremely helpful.
4. BrandMentions
What Boardreader is for online forums and message boards, BrandMentions is for social media sites (but especially Twitter).
Google does integrate social media information into its search results, but they tend to be based on the newest relevant posts or the users behind them. BrandMentions, on the other hand, delves deeper into the social world, generating results based on specific times or places, and offering regular alerts or analytics information for the inquisitive minds using it. It’s another branch in the search world that opens the door to more possibilities for social inquiry.
Google may improve its social search functions, but this level of specificity in results will likely remain with specialized outlets like BrandMentions.
5. CC Search
Creative Commons (CC) Search is a targeted search engine that populates results that you can share and use on your own. While CC Search itself is not a search engine, it functions as one by aggregating the results of other services to generate works that operate under a CC license.
It’s a nice shortcut that can lead you to publicly available pictures and other pieces of content, but there’s no absolute guarantee that every piece of content is free to use—so check your links and give proper attribution. Still, CC Search is a nice example of a specialized search engine that gives more specific, relevant results than Google can offer for a specific purpose.
6. WolframAlpha
WolframAlpha started as a mathematical tool for students and professional mathematicians, and has since evolved into an integrated search engine focused on science and math.
Users trying to search for specific math and science facts often rely on WolframAlpha rather than Google because it provides more direct answers in a faster interface. Its search function can even solve equations directly without simply searching for instances of that equation on the web.
Google does have some calculating functionality currently, but WolframAlpha is highly specialized, and geared toward mathematicians. It could mark the beginning of a trend in catering to specific professionals, providing only the information they need rather than trying to give the most relevant results to a generalized audience.
7. Quantcast
Quantcast is useful for search marketers, not just because it’s developing a new trend in search, but because it can provide valuable information about web traffic and demographics.
Currently somewhat limited in scope, Quantcast aims to provide detailed web visitor information about various sites to each search user, giving more transparency to the Internet as a whole. While Google tries to keep its algorithms and data as secretive as possible, Quantcast is all about open insights, and serves as an interesting foil to the search powerhouse.
8. Crunchbase
Crunchbase is another “specialist” type of search engine, specifically scouting the web for people and businesses. If you’re looking for specific information about a company or an individual professional, Crunchbase will currently give you the most concise results.
It gives users more personal results, weeding out any unnecessary review sites, social posts, or news results and focusing strictly on forming connections. Google may one day give greater weight to these types of results, but since they want to be an all-encompassing search solution, this type of search might always be better suited to such a specialized competitor.
9. Yandex
News flash: The internet exists outside of the United States. And while Google is completely normal to most of us Westerners, the reality is that much of the world has a totally different search perspective. And Yandex is one of the leaders in this international movement.
Used by 45 percent of Russian internet users, as well as many in Kazakhstan, Belarus, Ukraine, and Turkey, Yandex is a user-friendly search engine with a nice suite of tools to boot.
10. Swisscows
With Swisscows, you get a search engine that’s billed as a “family-friendly” semantic search engine. They don’t deliver explicit results and take pride in their decision to never collect, track, or store sensitive user data.
One of the neatest features of Swisscows is the “semantic map,” which displays related search terms in a sleek visual graph on the right side of the page. (Don’t like it? You can always toggle it off.)
11. StartPage
Listen…we’re not here to hate on Google. (The bulk of our SEO efforts are geared towards pleasing the search giant.)
But some people want the Google experience, just without all of the privacy concerns. And there’s a search engine alternative for that. It’s called StartPage.
StartPage actually serves results and answers from Google, but without the user having to go through Google. It acts as a sort of proxy, protecting your privacy and eliminating stored cookies and data.
12. OneSearch
Did you know that Verizon Media launched its very own search engine at the start of 2020? The search engine, called OneSearch, is privacy-focused and promises users no cookie tracking, personal profiling or retargeting.
They’re also adamant that they never store personal data, nor do they share personal data with advertisers. All search terms are encrypted, and search results are unbiased and unfiltered.
13. Ekoru
Looking for a way to benefit the climate while pecking away at your keyboard? The Ekoru search engine claims they donate 60 percent of monthly revenue to partner charities that range from reforestation and climate action to animal welfare and conservation.
If you’re looking for a search engine that gives back and aligns with your personal beliefs, this could be an option worth considering. (However, it’s admittedly not the most advanced or user friendly search engine out there.)
14. Twitter
As robust as Google is, it’s not the fastest in terms of reporting real-time news. (They’ve gotten a lot better over the past two or three years, but they’re still not considered “real-time.” If you want up-to-the-second news straight from the ground, Twitter is the place to go.
Twitter has greatly improved its search features over the past few years and brands that understand how to leverage tags and other tweet structures can increase visibility in a major way (and drive traffic back to key web pages).
15. YouTube
Again, while it’s not a traditional search engine, YouTube is still very much a search engine. (And, yes, we know it falls under the Google umbrella.) In fact, Google now processes more than 40,000 searches every single second.
That’s 3.5 billion searches per day, which makes it the second largest search engine on the web.
While you obviously aren’t going to find blog posts, web pages, and academic studies on YouTube, it’s a great option for when you want something visual. YouTube has quickly become the go-to resource for DIY searches and learning/education queries.
Don’t Get Tunnel Vision
Your core strategy needs to focus on the present, and as such, it should remain on pleasing Google for the time being. But as these small competitors begin to develop more advanced algorithms and start to encroach on previously undisputed Google territory, you’ll need to keep watch for the successful new trends.
The world of search is expanding, at an admittedly glacial pace, but if you can keep your focus broad and inclusive of these alternative options, you’ll be prepared for whatever awaits you on the horizon.
Google might be the king right now – and it probably will be for many years to come – but a reckoning will come at some point. Massive, monopolistic companies don’t last forever. And when they topple, it usually clears the way for a totally different marketplace.
By understanding what’s out there, you’ll be better prepared for whatever happens in the world of search over the next decade.
Want more keen insights on the world of SEO, content marketing, link building, and search? Contact us today and we’d be happy to chat!
Over the years he's written for publications like Entrepreneur, Marketing Land, Search Engine Journal, MarketingProfs and other highly respected online publications. Connect with Tim on Linkedin & Twitter.
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