How can you educate stakeholders on the value of search engine diversity?

2 Show the drawbacks of search engine dominance

Another step to educate stakeholders on the value of search engine diversity is to show them the drawbacks of relying on one or a few dominant search engines. For example, you can point out how dominant search engines can influence user behavior, preferences, and opinions, by ranking, displaying, or omitting certain results, ads, or content. You can also warn them about the risks of losing access, functionality, or quality, if the dominant search engine changes its policies, algorithms, or features, or if it faces technical issues, legal challenges, or competition. Furthermore, you can alert them about the threats of data breaches, leaks, or misuse, if the dominant search engine collects, stores, or sells user data, or if it cooperates or conflicts with other parties, such as governments, corporations, or hackers.

3 Provide examples of search engine diversity

A third step to educate stakeholders on the value of search engine diversity is to provide them with examples of different search engines that they can use or explore. For example, you can introduce them to alternative search engines that focus on specific niches, such as academic, scientific, or medical search engines, that may offer more accurate, relevant, or comprehensive results for their queries. You can also recommend them to try out alternative search engines that have different values, such as ethical, social, or environmental search engines, that may donate to causes, support communities, or reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, you can suggest them to experiment with alternative search engines that have different features, such as visual, semantic, or conversational search engines, that may use images, concepts, or natural language to enhance their search experience.

4 Encourage feedback and dialogue

A fourth step to educate stakeholders on the value of search engine diversity is to encourage feedback and dialogue from them. For example, you can ask them to share their opinions, preferences, and experiences with different search engines, and to compare and contrast them with the dominant search engine. You can also invite them to ask questions, raise concerns, or suggest improvements for different search engines, and to communicate them with the search engine providers or developers. Moreover, you can foster a culture of curiosity, openness, and learning among them, and to motivate them to keep up with the latest trends, developments, and innovations in the search engine industry.

5 Provide support and resources

A fifth step to educate stakeholders on the value of search engine diversity is to provide them with support and resources to help them use and benefit from different search engines. For example, you can offer them training, guidance, or tips on how to use different search engines effectively and efficiently, such as by using advanced operators, modifiers, or syntax. You can also provide them with tools, plugins, or extensions that can help them switch, compare, or combine different search engines, or to customize their search settings, preferences, or features. Furthermore, you can direct them to sources, websites, or platforms that can help them learn more about different search engines, such as reviews, ratings, or rankings, or that can help them discover new or emerging search engines, such as directories, blogs, or forums.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?