Industry guru Dave Taylor answers free tech support questions about a wide variety of business and technical topics, including blogging, Google AdSense, MySpace, Sony PSP, Apple iPod, Mp3 players, management, Linux, SEO, Mac OS X, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Microsoft Windows.

How do I build a Google Co-op Custom Search Engine?

I've been reading various bloggers write about the Google Custom Search Engine (though some people call it the Google Co-op search engine, is that the same thing?) and would like to try it. Can you show us step-by-step how to do it? Thanks!


Dave's Answer:

I've also been interested in learning more about this, and you're right that the bloggers seem to be a bit confused whether it's the "custom search engine" or "co-op search engine", but according to Google itself, the official name is the Google Custom Search Engine. (however, notice that the URL is google.com/coop/cse, and the Google logo on that page says "Google Coop Beta" so the confusion is quite understandable!)

Here's how I built a computer troubleshooting search engine using Google's slick new tool. Google promises that it's really easy:

Get Started with Google Coop Custom Search Engine

Click on that and you'll get to specify some basic information about your new search engine, including its name, description and, most importantly, a set of keywords that will help Google accurately match the results with your niche:

Google Coop Custom Search Engine: Basic Info

I'll call mine the "Tech Support Search Engine" and describe it as "An aggregation of the best tech support resources online, without any of the fluff!" Sounds good, yes?

For the all-important keywords, I've added "tech support, help, problem, troubleshooting, mac, pc, windows, mac os x, vista" and can always fine-tune that once we get some experience running searches.

The next section on the configuration page is where you enter the URLs of the sites that should be included:

Google Coop Custom Search Engine: Sites to Search

I'm going to include this site, my friend Leo's Ask Leo, and the tech support knowledgebase sites for Apple and Microsoft.

Now it's time for the big decision: do you exclude all other sites, or do you just have the sites specified bubble up to the top, but actually include regular Google results too, just to ensure that people get the best possible results? I'm going to experiment with "Search only these sites" to see how things work, but I'd recommend you choose "Search the entire web but emphasize these sites" to ensure the best possible experience for your users.

One of the cool things about Google's Co-op Custom Search Engine is that you can actually allow others to collaborate or contribute to the URL list, a smart community-based way to maximize the value of the custom search engine:

Google Coop Custom Search Engine: Collaborate

I'll let others collaborate (perhaps you!) and see how that goes...

That's all that's required. I agree to the terms and services, click "Next" and can either preview or test my new search:

Google Coop Custom Search Engine: Preview

Or just wrap up:

Google Coop Custom Search Engine

I'm eager to go live with the new search engine, so rather than test it, I'll just click "finish". You might do that too, I don't know! :-)

Now the search engine is live and ready to test:

Google Coop Custom Search Engine: My Search Engines

As you can see, I'm also a collaborator for fellow blogger Darren Rowse's ProBlogger Community Search Engine too, but I'll write about that in a different posting.

Who would have thought we'd have a "My Search Engines" page on Google? Very cool.

This article wouldn't be complete if I didn't invite you to try out the Tech Support Search Engine for yourself: Tech Support Search Engine.

What do you think?



Help others find this article at Del.icio.us, Digg, Netscape, Reddit, and Simpy.

Subscribe!

Never miss another useful Q&A article again! Subscribe to AskDaveTaylor with Google Reader.

Comments

If you have a CSE created with Google Coop you can submit for free at http://www.coopdir.com. Coopdir.com is a directory for pages created with Google Coop or that contain a CSE created with G-Coop.

Posted by: CoopDir at December 12, 2006 4:24 AM

In what way are the results better? I tried a search both ways and saw the results were different, but I couldn't tell which one was better.

Posted by: Susie Bright at February 10, 2007 2:09 AM

I have a lot to say, but ...
Starbucks coffee cup I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!









Remember personal info?


Please note that I will never send you any unsolicited commercial email. Ever.

While I'm at it, please note that by submitting a question or comment you're agreeing to my terms of service, which are: you relinquish any subsequent rights of ownership to your material by submitting it on this site.









Search
Find just the answers you seek from among our 1700+ free tech support articles by using our Lijit search engine.


Help!





Subscribe to
Ask Dave Taylor!

Add to Google Reader
Add to My Yahoo!
Subscribe in NewsGator Online

RDF   XML

Free Updates!
Sign up and get free weekly updates and special offers on books, seminars, workshops and more.


Recent Entries
Join the List!
Join my author info mailing list, where you'll learn about my upcoming books, speaking gigs, and more!


Book Links
© 2002 - 2008 by Dave Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

Note: This web site is for the purpose of disseminating information for educational purposes, free of charge, for the benefit of all visitors. We take great care to provide quality information. However, we do not guarantee, and accept no legal liability whatsoever arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained on this web site or on any linked site.

[whiteboard marker tray]