Custom Search Doesn't Index Everything!

[panicbutton]

I was surprised to find that the Adsense custom search thing that's a part of Google Adsense doesn't actually index all the content on my site!

The site is about 10 years old with several thousand flat .shtml files on it (no weird auto generated files or anything like that). I've been using the Adsense search thing for several years.

Given that *lots* of people (like me) use custom search as the primary (if not only) way for punters to search the site, doesn't this mean that it's not really a very good choice as one's primary search method:-P

Kind of crap really, isn't it?

Then again, if punters can't find the "hidden" content on my site I suppose they are more likely to click on an adsense ad on the search results page, so at leat I get some money out of it. Funny old world, eh? Maybe Google should not bother indexing ANY files then punters would have to click on the ads 100% of the time!

[ThatsBoBo]

Yep. Custom Search only displays pages from your site that are actually indexed by Google.

[netmeg]

Well... have you looked at why those pages aren't indexed? Google can't return what it doesn't know about.

[panicbutton]

Google "knows" about the page, no prob there.

I guess the Big G thinks it's not worth the effort:-(

I wonder how much content is not found by punters simply because Google don't index it. Surely an opportunity for some enterprising company to provide a search solution that does actually *comprehensively* index your site.

I think in my case I'd rather swap the pennies that custom search pays for a free comprehensive search that doesn't pay anything. Just a thought.

It is interesting how webmasters are increasingly resembling the frog in the pot of slowly heating water.

[netmeg]

I dunno; I use custom search pretty extensively and it's never been a problem.

[jimbeetle]

an opportunity for some enterprising company to provide a search solution that does actually *comprehensively* index your site.

There are plenty of solutions that have been around for years -- some even predating Google.