The query string is an optional portion of a URL. When a URL address contains a question mark ("?"), the query string is essentially everything after the question mark. When submitting a URL for review, the SearchSays engine automatically removes the query string. While there are many legitimate uses for query strings, they can also be manipulated by SE spammers.

Example of a query string:

   Full URL: http://www.searchsays.com/ss/results.php?ss=search+engines
   Query String: ss=search+engines

Reviews are contributed by the SearchSays community and appear as the "description" in the search results. In general we find that successful reviews tend to:

   Be specific
   Provide unique insight
   Speak plainly/truthfully
   Show the writer's personality

The search phrase, or "keyword", is what you would type into a search engine in order to find related websites. At SearchSays, you can choose a search phrase to which to add your favorite sites or pages. You need only choose one search phrase per review entry, and the search engine will match your listing with a variety of related visitor searches. Most search phrases are at least two or three words in length.

Examples of search phrases:

   bored at work
   britney spears
   digital camera reviews
   how to change a light bulb
   funny blogs

Pronounced "see spam" or "search engine spam." SE Spam is becoming a greater problem with the evolution of the Internet. The term generally describes websites created with little or no value, but are designed specifically to fool searching engines into ranking them high in search results.

This is what appears in the address bar of your browser. SearchSays excludes all query strings from submitted URLs (stuff that comes after a question "?" mark) in order to prevent SE spammers from manipulating your search results.

Examples of URLs:

   http://www.searchsays.com
   http://www.searchsays.com/help/dictionary.php