Search is an important part of creation of info products. When you write on a topic you would like to gather maximum information before you start writing. Collected information also comes handy whenever you are in doubt or want to make a reference.You can search for the information both offline and online. Offline you can search the local libraries, magazines, newspapers and bookstores.
Online search is an easier and quicker way to search. I find it a better method to find and locate offline help material.
We all are familiar with online search. It could be smooth honeydew smooth or could result in frustration and headaches. We need to use search methods more effectively and efficiently for our business than we do for our normal daily queries. So we need to know every possible resource and every possible tricks that can be used for enhanced searching.
Search Engines: Online search activity is done mainly through search engines. Google, Yahoo and MSN are leading search engines. As a matter of habit we tend to restrict ourselves to one search engine. But it is important to know that search engines are not absolute. Neither they are similar. There differences in algorithms and the way they index the web results in slightly different search results. So if one search engine is not serving your query to the extent you want, you may wish to try other one.
Web Directories: Web directories classify and list the site according to the subject they cater. There are general subject directories and directories on specific subjects. For example I am listing few general subject directories you can check out.
Librarians’ Index – http://lii.org
Infomine- http://infomine.ucr.edu
Academic Info – http://academicinfo.us
About.com – http://about.com
Google Directory - http://directory.google.com
Yahoo Directory! - http://dir.yahoo.com
Wikipedia: Wikipedia ( http://wikipedia.org) is a community built online free encyclopedia where you can find information on almost any topic.
Metasearch Engines: when you submit a keyword to meta-search engine, it transmits your search simultaneously to several individual search engines and their databases of web pages. So you can query your search to all serch engines simultaneously. But the results may not be deep dug. So if you can, use search engines directly. A few common meta search engines are
Dogpile – http://dogpile.com
Surfwax – http://surfwax.com
Copernic – http://copernic.com
Info Products from Other Authors : If you come across an ebook/audio book/video which possesses the information you are looking for and the author is credible enough, you can go for it. You would get most of the information you require without much search.
You also get to know your potential competitor. But if you do not want to buy, there is plenty of information available that is free and is waiting to be dug out.
Public Domain Books : All this stuff is free and most of them without copyrights. You can use the information and bring your own products out.Project Gutenberg is a great place to start.
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