Well, the first thing I noticed this morning is a lot of proxy scrapers instead of domains for many well-established Web sites and/or blogs. As a result I noticed that many sites that have been around for the last year or more are not in the index which is interesting because I read on CNN that Cuil’s index is at least three times larger than Googles. Well, it may be larger, but here is something Cuil may want to think about…

Google has not been sitting around just taking in money and playing the Wii all day. They have been working to provide quality results for their users. Do we all agree how they go about it? Not always, but no one can deny that a Web user can typically find what they are looking for. Are there those that cheat the system? Yes! is Google perfect? No. BUT they are the big dog and I would not have come out doing interviews and rivaling Google unless my product could provide quality and relevant results that at least equaled Google’s.

Terms I Played With

I searched for local services and guess what? The results sucked!

• Sarasota Marketing= Nothing
• Sarasota Advertising = a lot of sites that don’t offer advertising services
• Sarasota Marketing Services = a lot of PR sites and only one local result
• vSphinn = Well, Sphinn comes up with a lot of there pages, some from Search Engine Round Table and then one from SEOmoz…I guess it is relevant, but the set up is a bit irritating 
• McCain = The results loaded very slow (could be from all of us testing it out). McCain’s site was first, but #2 was www.k-state.edu/mccain/ about a McCain Auditorium. However, there was a tab for “John McCain” that narrowed the results down. This was kind of nice, but honestly the results are too difficult to read. Maybe I am too use to Google…
• SEO = Well, I was not expecting all the results i received. Cuil has a little gray side box with topics that have a drop down with related terms. I clicked on Search Engine Optimization and Vanessa Fox was one of the terms. I am sure she will love that. HOWEVER, when I looked at Google Employees Vanessa Fox was also listed and technically she is no longer and employee, So, I think it is time to update the index.

I played with many terms, but you get the point…

Domain and Appearance

When clients are asking me about which domain name to choose I always tell them to pick something that is easy to remember and rolls off the tongue. Well, Cuil does, but the spelling is won’t be easy for everyone (older generation).

When I was going through the Web design process with the new SEOAware.com site my Web designer really wanted me to go all dark, because it looked cool and complimented the design, but I always wanted a lighter background because I feel the text is easier to read. Cuil’s results pages are white, but the home page is like a slap in the face too me. Just too dark.

The Almighty Google

I remember when my husband came home one night and said I needed to try this new search engine “Google” and we should buy stock in it too. Well, we didn’t have money, but I tried it and I have never turned away from Google. I like it. I am use to it and I am one of those that doesn’t like change. I have to say that I will not be walking away from Google or my iGoogle until someone creates a product 100 times better and I really don’t believe that will ever happen.

Google runs the world in my opinion and I will tell you what I tell all my clients, if Google tells you to jump through firey hoops with bells on I suggest you do it. Cuil is a nice idea and all….Surch.com was too, but who can compete with Google’s outstanding search engine with the easy to remember name and easy user interface? I don’t know. Maybe someone will. I wish all the luck to Cuil, but there is some major work that needs to be done.

Many people hate Google because they have “rules” and “guidelines” that they feel are unfair and a pain in the butt, Well, I won’t comment on that, I will just say that it is obvious to me that Google is trying to provide quality and relevant results because for awhile we were just getting junk. They have done a good job the last few years cleaning things up and providing results I need and want. So, I applaud Google in their efforts.

Melissa