SEO Glossary: DuckDuckGo

 

Is DuckDuckGo a popular search engine?

DuckDuckGo is a popular alternative to Google & Co. for privacy-conscious users who do not want to receive personalized search results and want to surf anonymously. Behind the idea for DuckDuckGo is the founder Gabriel Weinberg, who launched the hybrid search engine in Pennsylvania in 2008.

 

Since its launch, the search engine has grown in popularity and is now used millions of times worldwide. It is one of the fifth largest search engines on the Internet worldwide. In Germany, DuckDuckGo is the fourth most used search engine behind Google, Bing and Yahoo.

 

The advantages and disadvantages of the DuckDuckGo search engine

Compared to other search engines, DuckDuckGo scores with its excellent data protection guidelines. DuckDuckGo has these advantages:

 

• No tracking, no stored user data: With "DuckDuckGo private search", the search engine does not track any data. It also does not record any user data and only saves the information required for the search queries. For example, the IP address is only used for local search queries. Unlike its competitors, however, DuckDuckGo does not identify users.
• No advertising: Compared to other search engines, you won't find any personalized advertising on the platform.
• Diverse sources: DuckDuckGo not only relies on its own index for search results, but also draws on additional sources from other search engines such as Yahoo and Bing.
• Simple installation: DuckDuckGo can be installed on any web browser, such as Firefox, Safari and Chrome. Users can also use the search engine as a browser app on Android and iOS.
• Clear search results: DuckDuckGo shows you all search results after a few seconds on just one page, so you can scroll from top to bottom.

 

In addition to all the advantages, there are also disadvantages of DuckDuckGo that you should be aware of:

 

• No personalized results: As the company does not store any user data during online searches, the search results are not tailored to you and your individual needs.
• No features: DuckDuckGo is limited to the search engine and does not offer any additional functions, such as those offered by competitor Google with Google Music.
• Microsoft tracker: In 2022, it became known that the search engine DuckDuckGo had concluded a deal with Microsoft that did not block certain tracking scripts. However, the company later corrected this vulnerability and stated that it would no longer allow tracking scripts. Nevertheless, there is an advertising partnership with Microsoft that allows the company to place personalized advertising for search queries.

 

How secure is the DuckDuckGo search engine?

DuckDuckGo is known as a secure search engine that respects the privacy of its users. It does not store the IP address, cookies or user data when determining search results.

 

The search engine also offers other special functions, such as "Tracking Protection". This means that DuckDuckGo establishes an encrypted connection and blocks third-party cookies.

 

What special functions does DuckDuckGo offer?

DuckDuckGo is a mashup search engine that collects search results from other popular search engines in addition to its own crawlers. Accordingly, DuckDuckGo offers its users a range of functions that other search engines do not have.

 

• !Bang function: With the help of the !Bang function, users can search a website directly without having to go to the DuckDuckGo page first.
• Filtering search results: With DuckDuckGo, users can filter the search results according to a purpose. For example, it is possible to display only commercial websites. Conversely, the search queries can be adapted to informative sites that do not pursue sales intentions.
• Code generators: Among DuckDuckGo's extra functions, users can use code generators for secure passwords, current financial trends and more.
• Rating system: DuckDuckGo not only displays information in the search function, but also ratings. These indicate how well or poorly a site performs in terms of data protection and security.

 

DuckDuckGo compared to other search engines

The advantages and disadvantages of the search engine show how it differs from other popular search engines.

 

Unlike Google, DuckDuckGo manages without user data

In this country, Google is still the standard search engine on the web for most people. However, Google also uses the algorithm to store user data and can therefore display more personalized search results.

 

The well-known search engine stores sensitive information such as your IP address and your location when you search the web. If you want to get personalized search results, you should rather use Google. If privacy is important to you and personalized search results are not so important to you, you can switch to DuckDuckGo without hesitation.

 

 

Unlike Bing, DuckDuckGo focuses on secure surfing

The equally popular search engine Bing also stores personal data during your online activities. This means you get search results that match your interests, but also advertising. Unlike Bing, DuckDuckGo does not offer additional features such as an image search, but in return guarantees you more security when surfing.

 

DuckDuckGo for search engine optimization: Tips for using the search engine

When it comes to search engine optimization, DuckDuckGo differs significantly from the competition. Unlike Google, the focus is less on personalized content. Instead, DuckDuckGo concentrates on topic relevance. If you want to achieve good rankings with this search engine, you should follow the tips below:

 

On-page and off-page optimization

With DuckDuckGo, pay more attention to on-page optimization. Pay attention to good and meaningful meta titles, meta descriptions and headings. You should use backlinks for off-page optimization.

 

Consider technical factors

A fast loading time contributes to a good ranking. You should therefore optimize images and texts so that they reduce the loading time. Also pay attention to responsive design so that users can also access all content on mobile devices.

 

Note the LocalSEO

DuckDuckGo's local search works slightly differently to other search engines. As the company respects privacy and only roughly estimates the user's location, it does not display exact results.

 

If you still want your company to be found via the search engine, you should include hyperlocal keywords as search terms on your website.

 

Include other search engines

Optimize your websites not only with regard to DuckDuckGo, but also take the competition into account. Remember that the search engine gets its results from other databases such as Yahoo and Bing. So try to optimize your website for all three search engines.