You can find an excellent summary of how search engines function and the differences between those search engines at www.searchenginewatch.com.

Too often attorneys feel that once they have submitted their sites to the key search engines, their Web site worries are over. The reality is quite the contrary. Search engines are not the "end all and be all" in attracting visitors to your site. Yes, of course you should submit your site to search engines, and you should do the most that you can to maximize your effectiveness with those search engines. However, just do not stop there. Here is why.

Last year, the NEC Research Institute announced the results of its study on search engines, wherein they concluded that search engines do not index sites equally and may not index new pages for months. Moreover, of the 11 search engines researched, not one indexes more than 16 percent of the estimated Web pages available to the public; most cover far less. For more details of this study, visit www.wwwmetrics.com.

So, what does this mean to you, in terms of both people finding your URL and the effectiveness of the searches that you conduct? Does this mean that you should forget about search engines? Absolutely not. What it does mean is that search engines and their results are not as comprehensive and current as you may think. While you should not depend upon search engines as your sole, or even principal source of visitors, you should make the most of them by keeping in mind the following points.

First, because there are an estimated 800 million Web sites accessible to the general public, it is impossible to guarantee that your site will be the first site listed in the search results (other than, possibly, a search using your name).

Secondly, you may have heard about "tags" or "META tags." These are words included in the code used to create URLs. The most important META tags are (1) title, (2) keywords, and (3) description.

Title. The title tag specifies the words that appear in the title bar of your Internet browser (e.g., Netscape or Internet Explorer) and is an important factor for many search engines in determining the rank of a site in the search results. Be sure to have your Web site designer include keywords in the title of your site. For instance, the title of your site could be "Law Office of John Jones – practicing family law and bankruptcy law."

Keywords. Keywords are words or phrases that people are likely to use when searching for someone who does what you do, and they describe your practice and your services. If there are "buzz" words or acronyms commonly used within your practice areas, include those. If your name frequently is misspelled, also include the misspelled name as a keyword

Description. The description tag is a phrase, or sentence or two, describing your firm and the nature of its practice. When you see a one- or two-sentence description of a site below the URL in search engine results, that sentence comprises the description tag.

How do search engines determine the results of a search and where they list a particular URL in the search results? Each search engine uses its own rules and techniques. Rules that are likely to place your site higher in the search results on one search engine may have the exact opposite effect on another search engine. Frankly, you can drive yourself crazy trying to follow the rules so that you place the highest on every search engine. It simply is not possible, so do your best with the META tags … and move on. But do include those tags. The NEC Research Institute study found that roughly only one-third of home pages include META tags.

If you want to find out where you rank in the various search engines when using certain keywords, go to www.did-it.com. Input your URL and the keywords that you wish to test, and you will receive a report via email listing the various search engines and your ranking within each one for that particular search.

You may need to submit your site to a search engine more than once. Search engines vary considerably in the time it takes before your site appears (if it appears at all). But if you have waited several weeks and still cannot find your site in a particular search engine, then submit it again. Be careful not to flood the search engine with submittals, or the search engine may ignore your site entirely.

One question that arises constantly is how to get a Web site listed in Yahoo!. The Yahoo! directory continues to garner the greatest number of hits among search engines and directories, therefore, it is well worth your while to follow up until -- hopefully -- you do get into Yahoo!. One suggestion is to submit your site in one of Yahoo!'s regional categories. Even if you do not consider your practice limited to a specific geographic area, the important goal is to have Yahoo! include your site. Submit to more than one category if you like, but be sure to submit in a regional category as well.

Search engines are only the beginning, as the NEC Research Institute study reminds us. Other important online promotional techniques include a "signature block" at the end of your email messages, arranging for other sites to link to your site, and online discussion groups.

Be sure to promote your site "offline," too. Your URL is as important as your telephone number. Include your Web address on your business card, your letterhead, your fax cover sheet, in your Yellow Pages ad, and in all print and other forms of advertising. List your Web address in your firm brochure, in any client/informational brochures that you hand out or make available in your reception area, in your client newsletter, and in press releases and other firm announcements. Remember to mention your Web address in your outgoing office voice mail message. Promote your Web site at every opportunity.

Search engines are but one arrow in your Web site promotional quiver. Use them, but use them realistically.

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