There is a big difference between a blog search engine and a blog directory. I know most of you reading this have experienced using both but for those new blogging boomers I thought this explanation might be helpful.
A blog search engine’s main focuses on finding blog entries that match specific keywords and blog entries that link to whatever website addresses are entered by the person doing a search. Search engines use spiders and bots to get Web pages and software programs to get listings indexed. However, blog directories are predominately run and maintained by human beings.
“Now wait a minute”, someone is saying, “what in the world is a “bot” and “spider?” Well, I am glad you asked. The Wikepedia definition of a bot is:
Internet bots, also known as web robots, WWW robots or simply bots, are software applications that run automated tasks over the Internet. Typically, bots perform tasks that are both simple and structurally repetitive, at a much higher rate than would be possible for a human editor alone. The largest use of bots is in web spidering in which an automated script fetches, analyses and files information from web servers at many times the speed of a human. Each server can have a file called robots.txt, containing rules for the spidering of that server that the bot is supposed to obey.
In addition to their uses outlined above, bots may also be implemented where a response speed faster than that of humans is required (e.g., gaming bots and auction-site robots) or less commonly in situations where the emulation of human activity is required, for example chat bots.
Special note: If you host your blog yourself many of the hosts will provide a statistical breakdown of traffic to your blog that includes the activity of those spiders and robots traveling around your site.
Now let’s go back to blog directories and blog search engines. It is important to note that blog search engines have huge databases. Whereas, blog directories do not have such a huge database.
Special note: Some of the blog directories like Dmoz.org use human editors to help index the blogs submitted. If you are a boomer blogger with editing skills this is a great opportunity. Usually the sites will have a place for you to make inquiries.
If would probably help if I share some examples of blog search engines and directories. Many of you have probably heard the names. If I said blogcatalog, blogwise or bloggernity do they sound familiar? Well they are all blog directories. Of course I am only scratching the surface. There are lots of them.
If would probably help if I share some examples of blog search engines and directories. Many of you have probably heard the names. If I said blogcatalog, blogwise or bloggernity do they sound familiar? Well they are all blog directories. Of course I am only scratching the surface. There are lots of them.
Examples of blog search engines are Google’s Blogsearch and BlogSearchEngine. But once again there are others worthy of exploration.
Well, I hope that helps it sure helps me to share it with you.
Rosie