AOL Search - AOL Search
MSN uses the Inktomi database for most of it's results. Meta tags are supported. Inktomi will only index text documents only (HTML, .txt). The database refresh is every 60 days. The average submission time is around about 48 hours to 14 days.
Altavista - AltaVista
Altavista has approximately 500 million pages indexed in it's database. Altavista indexes meta tags and makes use of them like text on the page. Full database refreshes happen about every 3 months. The average submission time for Altavista is around about 4-6 weeks for Free submission and 1-2 weeks for paid submissions. Altavista originated around about 1995 with the first searchable, full-text database on the web search. Scientists from Digital Equipment Corporation's Research lab in Palo Alto, CA, devised a way to store every word of every page on teh inter internet in a fast, searchable index, which lead to what Altavista is today.
Ask Jeeves - Ask Jeeves
Ask jeeves is a new concept for searching. Ask jeeves uses question based search queries to distribute search results. An interesting way of doing things that are more human friendly (not everyone can think like a search engine). The website results are taken from Direct Hit's database if there is no relevant information attached or linked to a question.
Direct Hit - Direct Hit
Direct Hit provides search results for Ask Jeeves. The new teoma engine will most likely be joining with Ask Jeeves to provide more results. Direct Hit will actually see how long a user is on a page to add to the ranking within their index.
Excite - Excite
Excite has approximately 250 million indexed pages. Excite uses meta tags for indexing, and the description tag is the most important here. The database is refreshed approximately every 45 days. The average submission time for Excite is about 4-6 weeks. The express submission takes about 2 weeks. Excite was started by stanford graduates that had $2000 a 50 pound bag of rice and a rented garage. By 1996, Excite had moved into a 19,000 square-foot space and was valued at more than 200 million dollars.
FAST Search - FAST Search
Fast has around about 600 million web pages in it's database. Meta tags are generally not used, however, description is important for displaying the summary of search results. The database is refreshed every 2 weeks. Average submission time is around 4-6 weeeks.
Google - Google
Google, one of my personal favourites, indexes approximately 1.34 billion web sites. Probably one of the largest most comprehensive databases on the internet. I love this engine as it is all based on relevancy of content, which means you usually find what you want straight away in this engine. The google engine supports extra types of media that aren't HTML pages. These include, PDF files (Adobe Acrobat files), dynamic pages (CGI, pages that are delivered by the webserver) and just recently, .swf files (Flash presentations). The database refresh is about every 60 days. The average submission time for your website is between 48 hours and 2 weeks. Google relies a lot on Link Popularity. If you have your site listed in either Yahoo or ODP, then it would be a good idea to have the links to the categories that your site is listed under. This will greatly increase your listings within Google.
HotBot - HotBot
HotBot has approximately 110 million pages in it's database. The meta tags are important at this search engine and are calculated into the relvency score. You should create your title and description to sound like something someone would actually want to click on. The database refreshes every 60 days. Average submission time is between 48 hours and 2 weeks. The express submission is powered by Inktomi.
Infoseek - Infoseek
This engine ceased to exist in March 2001 and is now known as the Go network. The search results are now being provided by GoTo. So, if you want to be listed here, you need to go to GoTo.
IWon - IWon
IWon uses the Inktomi database for most of it's results. Meta tags are supported. Inktomi will only index text documents only (HTML, .txt). The database refresh is every 60 days. The average submission time is around about 48 hours to 14 days.
LookSmart - LookSmart
Looksmart has about 1 million pages in it's directory with 70,000 categories. Looksmart provides results for many engines, including MSN, Altavista, Excite, iWon, Time Warner, Sony, Qwest and Netscape Netcenter. The aveerage submission time is 2-4 days using the express submission service.
Lycos - Lycos
Lycos has about 50 million pages in its database. The title is the most important meta tag in Lycos. Description is a good idea to have also, because cross referencing from directories will usually display the description of your site in the Lycos listings. The database refreshes about every 60 days. The average submission time for Lycos is between 48 hours and 2 weeks.
MSN Search - MSN Search
MSN uses the Inktomi database for most of it's results. Meta tags are supported. Inktomi will only index text documents only (HTML, .txt). The database refresh is every 60 days. The average submission time is around about 48 hours to 14 days.
Netscape Search - Netscape Search
The Netscape search is powered by Looksmart. So to get into here, would mean going through Looksmart. Google also provides results for Netscape search. Netscape also uses ODP to provide results. Pretty much it uses everything except itself to provide results.
Northern Light - Northern Light
Northern Light, has approximately 211 million pages in it's index. This engine does not support meta tags as an indexing tool. The database refresh time is about 30 days. Northern Light started in around 1996.
Open Directory - Open Directory
The open directory project has approximately 1.5 million pages in 200,000 categories. The ODP provides results for more than 20 search engines. There is a constant database refresh. Some search engines that it provides results for include AOL, Netscape Open Directory, Netscape What's Related, Lycos, HotBot, Dogpile, and Thunderstone. The average submission time is between 2-4 weeks.
Yahoo - Yahoo
The yahoo index has millions of pages indexed. Database refresh is constant. Average submission time is 7 days or less when using business express service. Yahoo is by far the most visited site on the internet. It is most advantageous to have your site listed here.
Will be updating this list of links with more search engines in future. Just decided to cover the main major search engines and directories for the moment.
So stay tuned for more international engines.