Metasearch

Metasearch: Unified Search Across Multiple Engines & Databases

Compare search engine results, aggregate data from multiple sources for a complete view of your search queries

What is Metasearch?

Metasearch is a type of search tool that enables users to search across multiple search engines and databases at once and compare results. Unlike traditional search engines that crawl and index the web themselves, metasearch engines send search queries to multiple databases and search engines, then aggregate the results into a single list.

Key features of metasearch software include:

• Searching multiple data sources - Metasearch queries various search engines (Google, Bing), library catalogs, publication databases (PubMed, arXiv), ecommerce sites, etc. simultaneously.
• Unified results - Results from different sources are consolidated into one master list, usually with the source clearly labeled.
• Easier comparison - Seeing results from various sources side-by-side allows for easier comparison.
• Less duplication - Metasearch engines use deduplication algorithms to remove multiple instances of the same result.
• Customization - Many metasearch products allow libraries and companies to select which resources to search and customize the search experience.

The main advantage of metasearch is the ability to cast a much wider net with a single query instead of having to run multiple searches. It aims to provide users with the most choice and to facilitate discovery across different data silos. The challenge lies in creating a seamless search experience despite the different user interfaces and relevancy ranking algorithms of the underlying sources.

Examples of popular metasearch engines include Dogpile, Surfwax, IxQuick, and Metacrawler which largely focus on general web search. Domain-specific metasearch products also exist in areas like travel, jobs, academic research, and ecommerce.

Metasearch Features

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