Difference Between Key Word Search and Meta Search
A meta search is actually a type of keyword search. The difference between a meta-type keyword search and a general keyword search, however, lies in how the information listed in the search results is obtained.
Other People Are Reading
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Features
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Meta search engines do not maintain their own database of web pages. They draw on the catalogs compiled by other search engines that actively crawl web pages. The listings are compiled by search engine directories that actively solicit website submissions; these search engine directories maintain their own company database of the material published online.
Function
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Keyword searches match the words contained in your search query to web pages which contain those same words or phrases within its text. You can perform keyword searches using a regular search engine which maintains its own database, such as Google or Bing; or you can use a meta search engine, such as DogPile or SavvySearch.
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Distinctions
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When you perform a keyword search using a meta search engine, it simultaneously transmits your query to multiple individual search engine databases and integrates their results. When you perform a keyword search using a crawler-based or directory type search engine, you get results based on that one search engine company’s database.
Misconceptions
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In HTML code lingo, the term “meta” relates to the meta description tag. A meta description tag is the short blurb describing the content of a webpage which often accompanies a webpage’s listing in search results. Meta description tags are authored by the website’s webmaster. Meta searches are not driven by the words used in meta description tags.
Benefits and Disadvantages
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Meta keyword searches offer a quick way to easily search multiple search engine sources at the same time. However the meta results usually aren’t as detailed as they’re presented when using a regular search engine.
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