Outsource Search
If you’re using a hosted blog platform you might feel like you don’t have much control over built-in features. As I’ve shown repeatedly on Quite Useful, JavaScript hacking is the secret to serious blog extensions. For example, you can make Tumblr support comments with Disqus.
But what about search? Even though most sites have search built in, they don’t always provide a great deal of customisation. You might run a few blogs and want to search them in one go, or have better control over the search results design.
Rollyo
Rollyo is a personalised search engine, and allows sites to be combined into a “searchroll”. Searchrolls can be widgetized and placed on blogs (this requires registration).
Use when: you want an easy way to combine multiple sites into one set of search results.
Google
Google Site Search provides a way of integrating Google with your site. It can search multiple sites, and now has indexing on demand which means new sites will work too.
It’s ads-free, which actually means you have to pay for it. Pricing is based on the number of pages you want to search.
Google also provide Custom Search Engines. These are ad-supported (non-profits can remove ads), and offer control over branding.
Use when: you want an easy way to search your sites in a way customers are familiar with, and have some control over branding. Make sure you set up the right service (Custom Search Engine is for general sites like blogs, Site Search is aimed at businesses).
Lijit
Lijit combines your blog and social networks together. There are widgets with clear installation instructions for major hosted blog platforms (including a Tumblr mention). They also include stats as well, which are welcome and useful for hosted blogs.
Their widget (sorry, Wijit) tool makes it easy to customise the appearance of your search widget, and the inclusion of social networks and stats make it a great improvement over sites like Tumblr’s built-in search.
To see a real-world example of it, check out Guy Kawasaki’s blog.
Use when: you’d like an easy to use social-network friendly search widget that includes quality stats.
