What is the difference between a search engine and a directory

We work with our clients to achieve their goals, and often far beyond. Simply give us a call now on and discuss your ideas in complete confidence. Search Engines Vs Directories Figuring out how Google, Yahoo, MSN and other search engines work will give your website the best possible chance of achieving good search ranking success. The short answer is a search engine is a website where users can search for answers, information, and content online.

What a directory is has evolved over time, but these days, a directory is a n organized collection of businesses , organizations, or websites , often with a connecting theme such as geography or industry.

Trying to rank higher for local searches by getting into specific directories is often referred to as Local SEO. While the strategies for improving your visibility in both search engines and directories are similar, both are needed for a sound SEO strategy.

A s mentioned above, people use search engine s like Google or Bing to find internet content. Bing and Google, the two major search engines, may look very similar on the surface but both search engines have very different algorithms.

Algorithms are the formulas search engines use to rank the most relevant results at the top; different algorithms mean different results, even if the query is the same. In order to get your website to rank on the first page of Google, you have to uncover what kind of pages are ranking well. Different keywords can spur different results. A s we continued brainstorming , we found other ways for her to get her podcast and her episodes to rank. Just by doing twenty minutes of research, we were able to understand what Google is looking for and how to create a content strategy that helps her episodes rank well on Google, Bing, and other search engines.

Your takeaway? Why did the user conduct this search? Do they want to learn something? Like Article. Last Updated : 22 Jan, Previous Difference between Python and Swift. Next Difference between Database and Search Engine. Recommended Articles. Article Contributed By :. Most search engines use automated programs sometimes called spiders to look for relevant information based on keywords entered by the user.

A search directory is a catalog of websites organized by category to allow users to easily browse for the information they need. Unlike search engines, which locate and display relevant information based on a formula or algorithm using an automated software program, search directories are organized by real people who discover new sites and relevant information by exploring the Internet themselves and by reviewing submitted sites.

Both search engines and directories can help drive customers to your website. Neither guarantees that your site will be included in their listings. Having trouble with your business email?