Checking your URL Search engines and directories help users find the information they need by two distinct methods.
Search engines crawl the web, indexing web pages by page title, body copy, and other elements.
Directories are created from the submissions of pageauthors, and function by searching through either submitted descriptions or reviews compiled by directory editors. By taking search methods into consideration during the design process, you can create a web page that is more likely to be recognized by the various search engines, thereby increasing the number of hits your site will receive. The following is a summary of information from a site that provides extensive information regarding search engines and how they work, SearchEngineWatch. AOL NetFind is a branded version of the Excite search engine. HotBot is a search engine from Wired that is powered by Inktomi, the same technology that created the UC Berkeley Inktomi catalog.