The ultimate search engine

For anyone familiar with the Internet, Google has long since transcended into being a household name. An estimated 235 million searches are performed each day on the Google search engine, which accounts for roughly 72% of searches performed across the web. Even when one uses alternate search engines, it is still commonly referred to as "Googling." Imagine how copy machine companies must have felt when Xerox began dominating the market (i.e. "Xerox that paper" instead of "copy that paper")

Talk about brand power.

Amid the countless number of self-proclaimed "SEO gurus," there are very few people that truly understand the complex, evolving algorithms of search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing. As the abyss of information available on the web continues to expand, we rely heavily on these sites to navigate efficiently.

Multitudes of search engines continue to be developed to help deliver more targeted results (Google alone offers separate engines for blogs, patents, images, etc.) Online training even exists to teach people how to enter key terms more effectively, much like I was taught as a child to use the library's first "digital card catalog."

Instead of listing the "Top 100 Search Engines" or some other shoddy compilation of sites you will only visit once, here are two bookmark-worthy ways I guarantee will make your daily searching through social media and the web more efficient.

1. Google Custom Search
Take control. This is a simple tool that enables you to literally build your own search engine (no, you do not need a PhD in computer engineering... even a kid in elementary school could pull this off). The key element is an ability to narrow or emphasize the reach of your search engine based on preferred blogs, commercial sites, news sources, and so on. First, this means importing a list of your chosen sites into a database. You can then choose whether to search within those sites exclusively or with them simply emphasized in a normal search.

Once the engine criteria is saved, you can embed it on your web site and share it with others. This is incredibly useful for brand monitoring or simply easing the tediousness of clicking through page upon page of search results.

Who has that kind of time?

If you have no idea what type of search engine you want to create, visit this directory of topic-based search engines. For example, if you are only interested in the online content of high traffic "mommy bloggers," there is a search engine that exclusively searches the top 1,500 mommy blogs. Of course, there are plenty other topics from which to choose.



2. Addict-o-matic
Social media searching at a glance. This is a web-based tool which enables you to enter a key term into multiple social media search platforms simultaneously. As far as I have found, this is the most inexpensive (free) and fastest way to search several social media engines at once and compare results.


This site also allows you to add or remove the various platforms based on your preference and change their location on the dashboard. Featured engines include Google blog search, Twitter search, FriendFeed, News, Delicious and Digg, Flickr, Technorati, and many more.

Give each a shot and leave a comment. Cheers!

PR pros and social media woes

Whether you are a social network aficionado or still think Twitter is a new bird species, it can be a daunting challenge to keep up with social media tools and trends. Of course, there are countless resources available online and in print that try to offer insight into the bottomless pit of social media marketing.

Despite the endless charts, case studies and hype that social media sites project, some of the most valuable lessons in using and optimizing online tools come from collaborating with colleagues and friends. One of the best ways to connect online with PR practitioners, students and professors around the world is through PROpenMic.org. Membership is free and enables you to view and share relevant PR and social media counsel from experts and tehup-and-coming alike. Think of it as Facebook for PR people.

Lastly, if you have ever felt frustrated or inundated with the rocket pace of social media, this song is for you:

Chicago social media adventure

This weekend, March 5-8, the PRSSA chapter from Ohio University will be traveling to Chicago to tour six major agencies and attend a networking dinner. Many students participating have only just begun venturing into social media networking on the professional level. You can track our progress by visiting here. If you wish to communicate with the group, please use the Twitter hashtag #ouchi09. We would love to hear any and all advice/comments/encouragement as we explore Chicago together.

The chapter has been split into two smaller groups so that each can visit three agencies. We have scheduled meetings with the following firms:

* Ketchum
* Fleishman-Hillard
* Ogilvy
* Edelman
* Ruder Finn
* Weber Shandwick

If you wish to meet with us at the Hard Rock Cafe on Friday evening, please send me a DM @PaulMatson or @ScrippsPRSSA. In addition, several members of the chapter will be taking footage of their experience which is being compiled into a YouTube video. If you are in the area, we would love to have you featured as well.

Thank you to everyone who has assisted in putting this trip together. In short, this explains my absence from posting the past few weeks. Upon our return, I will be able to resume my normal posting schedule. I will also be guest blogging on PRofessional Development next week with CMU's Rachel Esterline.

Cheers!

You are always welcome to leave a comment or send me an email at pauljmatson (at) gmail (dot) com.