Transcript Customized Google Search Engines

CUSTOMIZED GOOGLE
SEARCH ENGINES
Working With Websites 5
Jan 2012
Customized Search Engines
• Current template-supplied search engine searches the
State Extension site
• Nothing wrong with that: lots of information there
• A custom search engine will typically search just your site
• You can have it search more than one site
• Several counties sites can share one search engine
• You can have it search your site, then the web
• It will return your site matches first, then the web
Getting started
• Need to have a Google account
• Email and password
• Need to have your site published online so Google can
index it
• Google>Account Settings (dropdown menu next to your
login name at upper right) >Custom Search>Create a
Custom Search Engine
OR
• http://www.google.com/cse/
Setting It Up
• http://www.google.com/cse/
• Click the giant button at the upper right
• Name, description
• Your URL
• Set of URLs an option (multiple sites can share an engine)
• Standard Edition (for now – we’ll switch to no ads later)
• Click “Next”
Setting It Up pt. 2
• Choose default style
• Test it by typing in
search terms
• Don’t be too concerned if it
doesn’t work right away
• Click “Next”
• You’ll get the code, but
don’t copy it yet
• Click “Change the
Basics”
Setting It Up pt. 3
• Add keywords
• Not like a webpage, where overkill is a good thing
• Just a few defining keywords that best describe your site
• Your second level page topics are a good starting point
• Use quotes for phrases
• Enable entire web search, if desired
Setting It Up pt. 4
• On Control Panel at
left, choose “Business
settings”
• On next page, at
bottom, choose “Do not
show ads….”
• Save changes
Get the code!
• Choose Get Code from Control panel
• Copy-and-paste the code Google returns to you
Where the Code Goes
• Non-template: paste it wherever you want the code to go
• CSU Template:
– In Dreamweaver: open “_ssi_topnav.html”
<div id="search"> and
</div> <!-- end search div -->
– Place code between
• DON’T DELETE THE <div> OR </div> tags!
Tweaking the code
• We’re replacing Google’s CSS with our own
• Replace last line:
<link rel="stylesheet"
href="http://www.google.com/cse/style/look/d
efault.css" type="text/css" />
• With this line:
<link rel="stylesheet"
href="http://www.ext.colostate.edu/css/googl
e_default.css" type="text/css" />
Publishing
• Expand the File pane
• Select _ssi_topnav.html
• Hit Upload button
More Resources
• Video tutorial of the entire process:
• http://www.ext.colostate.edu/vid_tutorials/#goog
• Choose “Creating a Custom Google Search Box (7:23)”