.Lijit is a search tool that offers a lot more features than the run of the mill default blog searches. I have just installed the Lijit Widget (Wijit) in my sidebar. Automatic installation is available for Blogger and Typepad via the widget setup and there is a brand new Lijit Wordpress plugin that gives you the option of using Lijit as a stand alone search or incorporating it into the default Wordpress search widget.
Features
- Optional addition of some or all of your bookmarking, social networking and photo sites to Lijit will allow search of not only your blog posts but of sites you have bookmarked, your blogroll sites and your social networking contact’s posts and their contacts and bookmarks. Most of the popular sites are included although my favorite bookmarking site, diigo, is as usual not included. There is also a feature to add feeds and site url’s so adding my diigo bookmarks feed solved this problem for me.
The search result window shows tabs for results from your blog, your network, your content (on any site), and the web. You set your widget’s default search to show one of these tabs as the front page of the results. I have set mine up to show search results from my blog first. I recommend this as you will keep searchers on your own site longer if the search term brings up satisfactory results in your blog (in terms of what the user wishes).
- Choose to have your search results show up only on the Lijit site or in your blog window via a pop up screen.
- Statistics available on your Lijit page will give you information about:
- the number of times you have been searched,
- the results that have been clicked,
- information sources that have provided the most clicked results,
- blogs that have linked to you,
- searches that have brought people to your blog .
You can choose to make your statistics publicly viewable.
Widgets can be created to display some recent reader stats on your blog via a list or map:
- An optional “Surprise me!” button produces a list of random content from your blogs and added services – and the results did surprise me as MyBlogLog blogs, that I was not even aware of, showed up there. (MBL automatically adds blogs that you have visited a certain number of times) I may remove MyBlogLog from my options so that results are more relevant to my blog topics.
- A feature named ‘Re-search’ displays extra information for those reaching your blog via a Google search. Here are the results which showed up after I had done a Google Search for “blogging sueblimely images”.For this example, I had to use my blog name in the search terms so that I guaranteed that one of my posts came up in a google search! Options allow you to either display these results below your widget or across the top of your blog.
Below Lijit Wijit
Top Placement – this image was created by a Lijit preview feature
- The widget can be configured to show ‘Popular Searches’ and ‘content’ icons’ I chose not to include these features on mine, being mindful of above the fold sidebar space and page load time, but this is what they would have looked like had I installed them:
- Along with search results comes an option to add a search of the blog you are searching to your browser search engines.
- Lijit uses Google search but also has its own search infrastructure. Om Malik reports that there are plans to add an opt-in ad network to search results and to allow publishers to sell their own keyword inventory in as well as giving them the opportunity to “use Lijit to back-fill the advertising spots”
Advantages of using Lijit Search on your blog:
- Lijit search stats are very useful and are displayed in a simple to understand way.
- The browser search engines feature is useful for yourself to add for a quick search of your own blog as well for others to add to encourage others to revisit your content..
- Searching of your blogroll and social networking contact sites. This could be seen as a resource for your readers as well as a way of recognizing your blogging contacts – another form of link love.
- When results
- Search of your bookmarking sites is another resource for your readers to tap into. I consider my online bookmarking sites a research tool for you, adding links that I think you would find useful relating to topics I cover here, rather than using them for personal purposes. I already display my diigo bookmarks so for me the Lijit search is an extension of this principle. As you will know, if you read this blog often, I tend to ignore SEO recommendations for more incoming links than outgoing as I wish to provide useful information, whether written by myself or others, and to give recognition to the good blog content of my contacts. .
- Keeping the search result window on your blog, rather than purely on the Lijit site, will retain your readers on your site for longer.
Setup was simple and, if you change your preferences, you do not have to alter the widget code as new or changed features are automatically added. The widget itself did not seem to impact my page load time although the search results are a little slow to show up. Disadvantages – yet another widget added to your sidebar and for me another tool to divert me away from my tasks at hand today – my (semi) regular news post and a tutorial on Yahoo Buzz – which now allows anyone to add content a la Digg but with some different and useful features.
Popularity: 16% [?]
Thanks Sue,
Just saw you titter and now must explore lijit more looks amazing.
thanks for the keyword plugin.
I now have you in mu reader
Suzie
Suzie Cheels last blog post..Law of Attraction Fundamentals
That looks interesting, I might give that one a go, too, thanks
Jaynes last blog post..Pretty Possum Mafia Moll
That does look interesting
Heheh, it’s got a cool name – Lijit:)
Otooos last blog post..Site Flipping: How Much Can You Really Make?
Thanks for the fantastic review of Lijit. We appreciate you taking the time to check out our service, install the widget, and write a tutorial.
If you (or your readers) have any feedback or questions about the widget’s performance, please send it my way. I’m tara at lijit dot com.
wow seems interesting…where did that name come from. I like it
seems like a cool little widget. I like the map of the world feature of it
Thanks for the keyword plugin! that looks interesting and I do like it. Thank you so much for sharing.
That’s the first time I’ve heard of this plugin or maybe I’ve not been looking carefully. I’ve never really thought to replace the default one but worth a shot…
Juneaus last blog post..Juneau Salmon Fishing Season
these little widgets are looking amazing.. they could be a great fit on my blogs.
Sarahs last blog post..Basement Flooring: Form and Patterns
Thank you very much Sue for this post. It’s very informative for me, I will Try….
I am now thinking of making my stats less public. Since I try to rank for some keywords, I do not like the idea of people knowing them. Of course, general visitor numbers is fine to share, but not more.
I also have been happy with WPs search function, however, lijit’s graphical feature do look cool I must agree.
Wow, that is a neat…but I don’t know if I need yet another sidebar widget… I have taken so many off…but maybe I will check it out!
Chelles last blog post..After He’s Been Caught: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
Great tool, thx for the article. I will try it on my blog
Wow,
this looks like a very nice plugin. Soon I will decide if i will use it on my blog.thanks
Another interesting piece of software Sue. How do you find time to research all of them.
I have been inviting using it, but think their widgets are a bit big and kind of a blur for the eyes.
RennyBAs last blog post..Bodø in Norway just north of the Arctic Circle
i like the map feature of this. the map widget looks aesthetically pleasing, and it provides information on the visitor’s source (direct or search). that’s great information to have at one’s disposal.
koujis last blog post..haiku poem: streets
I think custom Google Search is still the way to go. Everyone is familiar with the interface and it offers a change through adsense to earn a little money through searches.
lisas last blog post..Coffee Indulgence Gift Basket
yeah! i agree with lisa. if you hav to choose anything else except default search, custom google search is still the best & profitable option.
aniroy1986s last blog post..free Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 subscription for 6 months for Indians
Google search is effective and likely more accurate than the built in blog searches. Lijit adds something extra a different which gives it appeal.
@Rennie – I did not add all the widgets available because of having enough already.
@Colin – it could be OCD – mixed with a need for perfectionism or is it that I need to find something to write about that all the other bloggers about blogging have not written about maybe?
An excellent review, as usual, Sue. I read some about lijit, but never got to try it myself. I think there are far too many widgets and sometimes they slow down the page loading times – especially when the data they aggregate is on servers that crash. I deleted a bunch already.
I have seen it on other blogs and never really explored it further. Thanks for a great review. I’m going to have a second look at it.
Yan
Yan Shall Blogs last blog post..Readers Appreciation No.1
WOW great tool. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I’ve seen it on several different sites but never followed up to find out more about it.
Johns last blog post..Baltimore Real Estate
I tired it out a while back and it seemed pretty good. And they have a big budget, so it seems like a worth while service. I stopped using it to cut back on clutter though.
i already had this widget and it adds a nice touch
Jason Onlines last blog post..Playtech Releases H1 Results For 2008
You really get my attention! Thank you so much for the great tool that you shared. I will surely use that.
This tutorial seems to have hit the bulls eye and thanks for this update.
http://quicktutes.com/
Your post makes one think! Great article. Thanks for allowing me to comment!
I am a newbie to blogging…’tsk’. Your blog is so informative. It will take me ages to wade through all this information. Thankyou for your very informative posts!
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I am Using Lijit on my blog since last 4 month, its a very good tool that gives you clear picture of keyword and key phrases readers use to find your content. it is very useful for those Blog editor who takes search result details very seriously.
Blogger’s Labs last blog post..Are you Slow Poisoning Your Blog?
Nice post. This post is different from what I read on most blog. And it have so many valuable things to learn. Thank you for your sharing.
bluehost vs hostgators last blog post..Green Web Host
I’m still trying to figure out what the colors mean in Explore. I _think_ the blue lines are the sites I link out to, the orange lines are the sites that link in to me, and the green lines are for two-way links, but I could be totally off on this!
L. D. Mitchells last blog post..How to Build a Private Library for Less Than $1 a Day: Part II
It’s great that Lijit has Statistics feature, i like this.
does it have the ability to put ads (adsense) etc. into the search results?
cdl tests last blog post..CDL Test
Great little article.
And for me this makes perfect sense though. In both cases you are selling yourself!
rickys last blog post..FireFTP, free full feature FTP client
a plugin which is very useful. thank you to review this plugin and I can better understand the use of this plugin
thanks for review this plugin. maybe i will try sooner..:)
rohadis last blog post..Belajar Menaikkan Kembali Trafik Tukang Nggame
it’a a useful plugin. nice to read here.
Its great review and tutorial. Thanks for sharing.
Great post! I’ll subscribe right now wth my feedreader software!
This a great little tool for those that are looking for a nice blog search engine.
Love Graphics´s last blog ..New Love Graphic
This is a pretty cool tool to have on a blog, I may try it out on my personal blog =D
Till then,
Jean
I just couldnt leave your website before saying that I really enjoyed the quality information you offer to your visitors… Will be back often to check up on new stuff you post!
I am glad I ran across Lijit. I will be installing this on my blog for search.
Powermat Wireless Charging´s last blog ..Powermat Wireless Charging updated Wed Oct 7 2009 8:55 pm CDT
Great plug in review. Cool graphics on the plug in too. I am most impressed with your blog:)
Thanks for information about Lijit Wijit plugin. I’ll check it out.