A search engine is a program that allows you to search through digital information. Learn what a search engine is, how it works, which search engines exist, and what you can do with them.

What is a search engine?

A search engine is a program that allows you to search through large amounts of information. Most commonly, it searches the internet, but a search engine can also be used to search a library or an internal database. Search engines use advanced algorithms to show you the most relevant and reliable results for your search query.

What does a search engine do?

A search engine helps you find information. To do this, it constantly gathers data from websites and stores it in a large index. The search engine’s algorithm then evaluates which pages best match your search query.

Reliable and well-performing websites are ranked higher in the search results. Pages that are less relevant or trustworthy appear lower. This way, you as a user usually see the most valuable information first.

Which search engines can you use?

There are 31 well-known search engines. In addition to Google, there are several other search engines you can use. These alternatives are continuously improving and are slowly becoming stronger competitors to Google. According to data from StatCounter, Google holds a market share of around 86.73% (2024, US). Below is a list of well-known search engines:

  1. Google
  2. Google images
  3. YouTube
  4. Yahoo
  5. Bing
  6. Amazon
  7. Facebook
  8. Google Maps
  9. X
  10. Pinterest
  11. DuckDuckGo
  12. Bing
  13. Ask
  14. Baidu
  15. WolframAlpha
  16. Brave Search
  17. StartPage
  18. Ecosia
  19. Qwant
  20. Search Encrypt
  21. SearcX
  22. Yandex
  23. Gibiru
  24. Disconnect Search
  25. Yippy
  26. Swisscows
  27. Lukol
  28. Metager
  29. Gigablast
  30. Oscobo
  31. Infinity Search

What can you do with a search engine?

You can use a search engine to find information, businesses, products, news, or images. Search engines give you quick access to almost anything you’re looking for — from recipes to manuals, and from videos to company contact details.

As an entrepreneur or business, you can also benefit from search engines. By properly optimizing your website for search engines (SEO: Search Engine Optimization), you can rank higher in the search results. This helps your target audience find you more easily, which can lead to more visitors and higher conversions.