Pimp Your Google Homepage!

The popularity of Custom Search Engines (CSEs) appears to be on the rise. We have looked at about 500 so far and what strikes us is the amazing diversity shown in what is being created. We soon discovered that it would be nice to have an easy way of keeping track of what we had seen and where we had been. Google then introduced the 'Add to Google' functionality in the form of a little gadget button shown on each root CSE page hosted at Google. Soon after followed a gadget in the form of a Custom Search Engine Console that lets you access your own CSE creations from your personalised Google Homepage. So now, you have the ability to 'Bookmark' your favourite CSEs on your Google Homepage and access your own CSE creations.

Clearly, we hope that the CSE Links website will become a popular place for CSE creators to show off their wares. We are resisting the temptation to add the hundreds of CSEs that we have found so far ourselves, preferring CSE creators to become a part of this community instead, as we believe that once you have the CSE bug then you will not stop at a single CSE. We can foresee that as the number of CSEs listed here increases then the 'Search' function on CSE links would become a very useful way for people to find new and interesting CSEs. It would also encourage CSE creators to write a far more comprehensive description of their CSEs as a means of more people finding them via the CSE Links directory route. How long would it be before someone asked 'How can we search CSE Likns from our Google Homepage?'. The reality is that it has already been asked and we have already created a Google gadget that you can now add to your collection of gadgets on your Google Homepage. You can access the Gadget by clicking the 'Add to Google' button next to the CSE Links logo. Try it! You can also add individual CSEs to your Google Homepage by clicking the 'Add to Google' button shown within individual CSE listings shown on the CSE Links website. Do not forget that you can rate each CSE and leave comments for the creator too by accessing the detailed listings using the 'Ratings/Comments' links.

So, it looks like it is all coming together really nicely for everyone but if you go just one step further and create a tabbed layout within your Google Homepage you really can pimp your Google Homepage! To give you an idea of what a simple set up looks like combining all the current 'Add to Google' opportunities together, take a look at the image below. The more CSEs we get listed, the more useful our gadget becomes and the more your Google Homepage gets pimped!

Paul and John @ http://www.cselinks.com/

If you are interested in publicising your CSE you may want to be an early bird submitter at our CSE links directory at www.cselinks.com - your submission will include as long a description of your CSE as you wish together with relevant keyword lists, both of which you will be entitled to edit and keep up to date if you register as an Editor. You can also add new CSEs as you build them. All Editors will also have permission to rate and comment on other CSEs thereby constantly improving the overall quality of our visitors' experience. The site will officially go live on Thursday.