Search engines allow users to query Web content and receive results in the form of websites, images or online data that semantically match with the search query. The search engine’s algorithm evaluates various elements to determine the content rankings it chooses for each search query. These elements include keywords, website structure, page usability and user data, such as past searches, search settings and location. These factors are considered when a search engine selects the Web page that appears first in its results list.

Although every search engine and database is slightly different, many of the same techniques are used across the board. These techniques help searchers refine a search and can help them find the information they need more quickly.

Basic search engine techniques are based on Boolean operators such as AND, OR and NOT. These operators are a good way to limit or expand the terms of a search. The AND operator, for example, searches for information that contains both of the words or phrases you specify; it is a good way to broaden your results. OR is also useful, as it will find information that features either of the keywords; this can be helpful if you are looking for synonyms. You can further narrow your search by using the NOT operator, which will exclude results that contain a particular word or phrase.

In addition to the basic Boolean operators, most search engines support more advanced searching techniques. For instance, if you want to search for information containing specific sequence of words, you can put those words in quotation marks; this will make the engine look for them exactly as they are entered.

There are two main types of search engines: crawler-based and human-powered. Crawler-based search engines use software agents known as crawlers that visit a site, read the information on the actual page and also follow links to other pages on the Internet. The information is then indexed and cataloged in a central depository, available to Web search queries. Human-powered search engines, on the other hand, require humans to submit information, which is then analyzed and catalogued.

The complex algorithms that search engines use to rank Web pages have many different elements that contribute to their overall effectiveness. For a business, maximizing the visibility of a website in these engines requires an understanding of all these processes and how they interact. For example, optimizing a site for Google search is very different from ensuring that it ranks well on other platforms like YouTube or Amazon. In addition, claiming and optimizing the company’s handle on social media sites is very different from doing so for directory listings or review sites.