What are Specialty Search Engines

Specialty Search Engines vs Search Engines

Will Schmidt - November 7, 2024

Most people think Google is the only search engine. However, other search engines have unique purposes. These are called specialty search engines. They focus on specific topics or types of information. Reporters, researchers, and local business owners can find these engines useful. Let's break it down clearly and directly with a dash of humor.

What is a Specialty Search Engine?

Specialty search engines are like your friend's weird hobby collections—focused and niche. Instead of searching everything like Google, these engines narrow in on one topic. For example, if you want only academic papers, use Google Scholar. If you need health information, PubMed is the place to go. Specialty search engines help you find particular details without all the noise of regular search engines.

• DuckGo: This search engine is privacy-focused. It’s like a ninja—searching without leaving a trace.
• Bing (Yes, It’s Still Here!): Bing is like Google’s slightly awkward cousin. But don't underestimate it. Bing has a unique set of users—many use it simply because it's the default on their devices. Bing’s market share is growing, and it’s worth considering if you want to reach a different audience. Also, Bing has niche-specific search options like image and local searches that are sometimes better than Google.
• PubMed: A big favorite for researchers and doctors. It only shows results related to health and medicine. It won’t tell you who won the latest season of The Bachelor, but it will show you the latest in medical research.
• Google Scholar: Similar to PubMed, but broader. Google Scholar is where academics hang out. This is your spot if you need research papers, case law, or academic publications.
• Yandex: If you need to search for something specific in Russia or parts of Eastern Europe, Yandex is the go-to. It’s not just a search engine; it also does email and maps—basically, it’s Google’s Russian cousin.
• Angi’s List and Yelp: Both websites allow business profiles to be found through their internal search engine queues and enable you to receive messages and calls from their websites. 
• Social Media Platforms: Social media now allows you to search their users and business profiles to find the companies that match their search requests. 
  

Social Media Search is on the Rise!

Social Media Search is on the Rise!

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