A metasearch engine sends user queries to multiple other search engines and aggregates the results into a single list. It does not have its own database but relies on the data of others. Examples include Dogpile and Startpage. The evolution of metasearch engines reflects efforts to provide more comprehensive search results and enhance user privacy.
Metasearch engines can offer users a broader perspective by combining results from different sources and may provide privacy benefits by not tracking search history. In daily life, they serve as alternative tools for information retrieval. For businesses, being aware of metasearch engines is important, although direct optimization is rare. Ensuring strong SEO across major search engines indirectly improves visibility on metasearch platforms. Trust in metasearch engines depends on the reliability of the underlying sources and their commitment to user privacy.
(See also Specialized Search Engine.)