How would one make a pay-per-click search engine?

bllott

I am interested in making a pay-per-click search engine.

Any ideas, suggestions? Any ideas on how to begin?

Any comments on how pay-per-click search engines work?

Links to sample scripts are appreciated if available.

🙂

Rayman3_tk

Do you actually mean a search engine where you'll have to pay for every query you make? I don't think that would be a very good idea, if I think what I think you're thinking... 😉 I really can't think of anyone willing to pay for a search engine when there are tons of free engines...

bllott

Thanks, I am thinking along these lines:

People register their sites and have user accounts
They bid on words
Regular visitors search for the words, click
Registered sites are charged per each click according to their bid.

How would I make something like that?

Rayman3_tk

Well, first of all, you'll need the required technology, php in this case, combined with mysql off course. You would have to make a login system, construct a decent search engine etc. etc. But think of this: do you really think people would be interested to pay for your search engine? From what I understand from your post, users will be served with results coming the person that pays most. That would make a louzy engine. Suppose I searched for potatoe and I'd be served with some sort of insurance site in stead of the National Potatoe club. Would I, as a regular user, want that? No! 🙂 So you'll need some sort of staff, people that check whether your paying clients pay for words that actually reflects the content of their site. And hiring staff costs money...

What's more, considering that there are over a 1000 search engines on the web, why would I wanna use yours, if I'd get better results using google?

Btw, search engines like google use spiderbots to search the web and cache all sorts of info: headers, titles, even entire webpages. This costs a lot of server space, thus a lot of money. Also keep in mind that a good search engine needs to have a 100% uptime and needs to be lightning fast. $$$.

Well, If you still want to do this, I'll wish you all the best. Let me know when you're finished 😉

bllott

Rayman3.tk I agree with all your points, making a massive search engine is not a one man project.

I am thinking more along the lines of something highly niche oriented focusing only on a certain subject. This way most of the problems you mentioned would not be as severe.

I am basically looking to start out small at first. Right now I am learning PHP and MySQL.

Suggestions are appreciated.

greg252

You have a LONG road ahead of you. I own a local search engine. Started on it 3 years ago and it's just starting to do well. (Well in my view is 30,000 pages per month- about 5 percent of the market).

Quite honestly, it's not the building of the site that's the problem. You seem to have a good idea of how you want it to work- much like Overture (used to be Goto). Problem is selling the service.

Best of luck to you.

bllott

I am currently working on creating a database structure appropriate for something like this. I am thinking of ways to use paypal or a similar service to make this work.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.