Ever since people began blogging, they have been crying that they cannot find their blog. Sometimes, they have a network problem, or a deleted blog. Other times, and as a relatively recent development, it's because of the way that they use their browser.
Look at the top of your browser window. Besides the toolbar (where you have your buttons to go forward / backward, go home, reload, etc), and the bookmarks / favorites, you probably have one or two boxes where you type stuff. Depending upon your browser, the boxes may or may not be labeled. And depending upon which box you use to find your blog - or other blogs or web sites - you may or may not find what you are looking for.
When browsers were first developed, every browser had one, and only one, such type in box, called the "address" or "URL" entry box. That's where you type the address (URL) of the blog or web site which you wish to access.
Some time after the development of browsers came the search engines. Search engines are dynamic catalogues, of all web sites, indexed by content. If you wanted a list of all web sites about a given subject, you'd go to the web site of the search engine of your choice, for instance the Google search engine, and type what you wanted to find.
Since many people would use search engines to find web sites, some browsers were later changed, and a search type in box was added. Look at your browser - you may see two type in boxes. One is for addresses, and the other is for searches. The Firefox browser offers multiple search engines that you can use, directly from the browser window.
See the two type in boxes? Yours, if your browser has them, may be in different locations, and may be labeled differently.
Having the search engines directly accessible, from the browser, is a convenience - and it's a challenge. If you type the URL of your blog into the browser address box, and your blog is online, you'll get your blog displayed by the browser. If you type the URL of your blog into the search box, you may or may not get your blog displayed by the browser. If you confuse the address and the search type in boxes, you'll get different results.
If you type the URL of your target web site into the search box, you'll get a list of web sites, also known as a Search Engine Result Page (aka SERP). If your target web site is indexed by the search engine - and has reputation, your target web site, such as your blog, may be in the list.
This blog is indexed by Google. Your blog may be, or it may not be, indexed.
If your blog is not indexed by the search engine that's used by the search box, you'll get a list of other web sites, without your blog. And then, you will be exclaiming
If you have a new blog, and you haven't spent a lot of time getting your new blog indexed, you - and your readers - need to use the address box, when accessing your blog. If you try to use the search box to access your blog, you may be wasting your time.
>> Top
Look at the top of your browser window. Besides the toolbar (where you have your buttons to go forward / backward, go home, reload, etc), and the bookmarks / favorites, you probably have one or two boxes where you type stuff. Depending upon your browser, the boxes may or may not be labeled. And depending upon which box you use to find your blog - or other blogs or web sites - you may or may not find what you are looking for.
When browsers were first developed, every browser had one, and only one, such type in box, called the "address" or "URL" entry box. That's where you type the address (URL) of the blog or web site which you wish to access.
Some time after the development of browsers came the search engines. Search engines are dynamic catalogues, of all web sites, indexed by content. If you wanted a list of all web sites about a given subject, you'd go to the web site of the search engine of your choice, for instance the Google search engine, and type what you wanted to find.
Since many people would use search engines to find web sites, some browsers were later changed, and a search type in box was added. Look at your browser - you may see two type in boxes. One is for addresses, and the other is for searches. The Firefox browser offers multiple search engines that you can use, directly from the browser window.
See the two type in boxes? Yours, if your browser has them, may be in different locations, and may be labeled differently.
Having the search engines directly accessible, from the browser, is a convenience - and it's a challenge. If you type the URL of your blog into the browser address box, and your blog is online, you'll get your blog displayed by the browser. If you type the URL of your blog into the search box, you may or may not get your blog displayed by the browser. If you confuse the address and the search type in boxes, you'll get different results.
If you type the URL of your target web site into the search box, you'll get a list of web sites, also known as a Search Engine Result Page (aka SERP). If your target web site is indexed by the search engine - and has reputation, your target web site, such as your blog, may be in the list.
This blog is indexed by Google. Your blog may be, or it may not be, indexed.
If your blog is not indexed by the search engine that's used by the search box, you'll get a list of other web sites, without your blog. And then, you will be exclaiming
Help! I Can't Find My Blog!
If you have a new blog, and you haven't spent a lot of time getting your new blog indexed, you - and your readers - need to use the address box, when accessing your blog. If you try to use the search box to access your blog, you may be wasting your time.
>> Top
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