Alternatives

Should You Be Spreading out Your SEO? A Look at Google Site Search Alternatives (The Big Ones and the Niche)

When most people think of SEO, they think Google. And to be honest, that’s fair.

Google gets the lion’s share of all search traffic, bringing in 63% of all search traffic. What’s more, looking at the data shows that Google’s market has shown steady growth for well over a decade.

But Google isn’t the only search engine in town. In fact, there are tons of other, smaller search engines that you could utilize to bring in more traffic.

Curious to learn more?

Here’s what you need to know about SEO and Google site search alternatives.

Bing

People like to make fun of Bing as being the redheaded stepchild of the search engine world, but Microsoft’s search site does rather well for itself.

In fact, the site’s image and video functionality may be better than Google’s.

If you’re looking for a search engine with a solid market share and most of the accessibility of Google, Bing is your go-to.

Bing allows search engine marketing through its Bing Ads initiative, as well as traditional SEO strategies. Users can control their budget and performance without having to pay a minimum fee.

Yahoo!

For those looking for even less competition, Yahoo! is a great option.

Though its web searching tools aren’t as powerful as its brethren, Yahoo! still attracts quite a few visitors thanks to its popular mail client.

Yahoo! uses many of the same SEO strategies, including keyword choice, placing importance on alt tags, and metadata.

DuckDuckGo

DuckDuckGo champions itself as the search engine of the people. Its main selling point is that it promises never to collect, store, and sell user data to advertisers.

As a result, it, like Google, has shown steady growth over the last several years.

And as the battle for customer data rages on, expect DuckDuckGo to pick up even more visitors.

Baidu

For those targeting an international market, Baidu is a must.

This massive search engine in China’s equivalent to Google, bringing in 8 billion unique search results each month.

And it’s not just for an international market anymore, either. As of a few years ago, Baidu is now available in English, as well.

Though it hasn’t caught on yet in North America, its market value in China alone makes it an easy recommendation.

Ask

If you were around in the late 1990s, chances are you remember toying around with the Internet’s favorite butler, Jeeves, at AskJeeves.

While Jeeves is seemingly gone for good, in his place is a rebranded version of the search engine titled Ask.

It’s smaller, so niche markets should jump on the opportunity to market on Ask.

AOL Search

Like Yahoo! AOL’s search popularity comes primarily from its mail client.

Yet there’s one feature AOL has that its competitors don’t: A partnership with other search engines.

Users who use AOL Search’s ad function can also choose to distribute their ads through Bing, Yahoo, and more.

Check Out These Google Site Search Alternatives

If you’re looking to improve your SEO strategy, consider foregoing Google and choosing one of these Google site search alternatives.

Though they may not have the name recognition, each engine listed has a wide enough audience that they’re worth checking out.

Whichever search engine you choose, make sure your site is ready. Check out our guide on SEO-friendly web designs for more info.

Is Dental Insurance Worth It? Here Are 8 Alternatives You Need to Consider

Dental insurance costs anywhere from $15 to $50 a month. But the coverage isn’t comprehensive, and benefits max out at less than $2,000. Meanwhile, a single porcelain dental crown can cost $3,000.

The math doesn’t add up.

Is dental insurance worth it when it doesn’t even cover the cost of fixing one tooth? If your employer isn’t footing the bill, it might not be.

Here are eight alternatives to paying a monthly stipend for dental insurance.

1. Discount Dental Plans

Unlike dental insurance, discount dental plans provide coverage for one yearly fee of around $100. It’s like the Costco of oral health. Joining this club gets you access to quality dentists operating at a discounted rate.

You’ll be able to get routine services, like x-rays and cleanings, at a reduced cost. Even minor procedures, like root canals, and specialties like orthodontics are less expensive.

Discount dental plans may also offer a break on cosmetic dentistry. Teeth whitening, veneers, chipped tooth repair, and dental implants are considered non-essentials and aren’t covered by insurance.

There’s also a contingency for emergencies.

2. Negotiate

Find out if your dentist can give you a better rate than advertised. It doesn’t hurt to ask for a discount.

Many practices can shave off 10%. You might benefit from paying upfront or paying with cash. Some dentists offer payment plans for regular customers.

Explain your situation. It’s in the practice’s best interest to keep patients. If your dentist isn’t willing to work with you, shop around and find someone who is.

3. Nonprofit Dentists

See if there are any nonprofit dental clinics in your area. Committed to providing oral health care to those that need it most, these pop-up clinics host events offering free care to anyone who shows up. A team of volunteers staffs events and can see thousands of patients.

There are also free dental clinics for children of families below the poverty line. Kids who qualify for free and reduced lunch also qualify for free cleanings, fillings, and surgeries as needed.

4. Go Back to School

Did you know you can get basic dental work done at a dental school, sometimes for free? Every dentist was once a student honing his skill, and dental students need mouths to practice on.

For a fraction of the standard cost of care, you can have your teeth cleaned, sealed, and x-rayed at a school. Professionals advise students every step of the way. While it might take longer than it would at a dentist’s office, quality is ensured.

If you only need a regular cleaning, you might be able to get it done for free through a dental hygienist program. Ahead of licensing exams each year, schools offer free cleaning and x-rays to patients who meet exam criteria.

5. Leave the Country

Sometimes it’s cheaper, and more exotic, to take a dental vacation. Many countries offer top-notch dental care for much less than the US.

While it’s not worth traveling to get your teeth cleaned, if you need extensive reconstructive work done, you can save a lot of money. Full mouth reconstruction can cost $40,000 in the States, sometimes more.

Mexico and Costa Rica are close by and easy to get to. South Korea is adept at medical tourism and has similar standards to America. Hungary, Spain, Thailand, and the Philippines are also popular destinations for procedures.

This is not a decision to take lightly and requires thorough vetting on your part. Gather patient accounts and recommendations. Investigate infection-control practices and safety protocol. If something feels off, don’t go through with it.

6. Pay Out of Pocket

It’s possible that simply paying out of pocket for routine services will be cheaper than your dental insurance cost. If you’re in good health and have strong teeth, you might be able to get away with budgeting for dental visits.

The average teeth cleaning is less than $130. Fillings are around $100 per tooth. X-rays can be as little as $20 up to $250 for a full set.

7. Go Halfsies

You can cut your dental bill in half by going half as often. A yearly cleaning is sufficient for most people in good health. Bi-annual cleanings are a scientifically unsupported custom.

If you are at risk for periodontal disease, you should follow the advice of your dentist. In patients with several risk factors, more frequent cleanings have a direct correlation to tooth retention.

8. Pay with Prevention

The best way to save money on dental care is to need less of it. Take care of your teeth with healthy choices and good oral hygiene.

Protect your tooth enamel by minimizing acidic foods and carbonated drinks. Once enamel wears off, it cannot be replaced. Wait to brush your teeth for 30 minutes after drinking coffee or eating citrus.

Reduce tooth decay by avoiding sugary drinks and brushing your teeth after dessert. Sugar feeds the natural bacteria in the mouth which causes teeth-damaging acids.

Keep your alcohol use in check to prevent dry mouth. Alcohol temporarily reduces your saliva. Saliva helps rinse the mouth and keep food from sticking to your teeth and is a main factor in preventing cavities and infections.

Brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day. Don’t skip brushing before bed. The longer plaque sits on your teeth, the better chance it has to calcify, which can only be removed by a hygienist.

If the taste of toothpaste is keeping you from brushing regularly, find one you actually like. This dental company puts an emphasis on high quality, good tasting toothpaste.

Floss daily. It’s the only way to get the space between your teeth clean. Floss sticks make it excuse-proof.

Don’t forget to replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months. Frayed bristles can erode gums and damage tooth enamel.

Is Dental Insurance Worth It to You?

Have you been making your monthly payments while wondering, “Is dental insurance worth it?” As with many medical questions, the answer depends on the person. If you’re only seeing your dentist twice a year for healthy teeth, you could probably make do with an alternative.

Has questioning your dental insurance cost got you wondering about other insurance plans? Browse our articles for blogs on supplement packages, life insurance, and even coverage for freelancers.

4 Cigarette Alternatives to Help You Kick The Habit

Catch the vapors!

No, this isn’t the next line of a remake verse of a rap song. If you’re looking for cigarette alternatives, you should literally, catch the vapors.

A broken-hearted woman once said, “To get over an old boyfriend, you need to get a new one.” It’s the same with quitting smoking.

To quit smoking, replace the habit with something new. But make sure the alternative is a safer, healthier habit.

Face it. Smoking is an addictive routine. Noone quits overnight. But making gradual changes can help you quit. Here are four great cigarette alternatives that can help you kick the habit.

Vape

Smoking electronic cigarettes (vaping) lowers your chance of developing cancer. In a study, researchers found lower levels of a chemical linked to cancer in the saliva of people who vape.

People who vape are less moody, as they don’t starve themselves of the nicotine their bodies are used to. Also, the cost of a Smok Stick Prince Kit is cheaper than a carton of cigs.

Vaping offers enough nicotine to smokers trying to quit, making it one of the safer cigarettes alternatives.

Join a Gym

Exercise makes you happy. It increases dopamine levels in the brain that causes people to feel happier than they do when they smoke.

So, join a gym and start working out.

You can purchase a gym membership for less than $30 per month. That’s one dollar per minute if you walk on the treadmill for thirty minutes a day.

A pack of cigarettes can cost almost $7 dollars. If you smoke a pack a day, you’re spending almost $210 a month to damage your health.

Walking on the treadmill is a cheaper alternative. Plus, with the extra money you’re saving on a gym membership, you can treat yourself to some new workout clothes.

Changing Your Diet is the best of Cigarette Alternatives

Cigarette smokers have poor diets. Aside from not having a regular exercise routine, their diets consist of fast foods or snacks.

When you eat healthily, it shows. The body looks better. And when people look good, they feel good.

Positive emotions about the body create pleasure–greater pleasure than the feel of nicotine.

Add eating a balanced diet to the list of cigarette alternatives.

Fight for a Good Cause

Selfless deeds keep people from being selfish. Bad habits are selfish habits. They keep you focused on your own needs, which are unhealthy most of the time. Smoking is one of those habits.

Join a local charity.

Charities enlist the help of people within their communities to aid those in need. They’re activities range from raising money for sick children to teaching adult literacy.

Spending more time helping others changes peoples perspective on life. Their meditation changes. People feel a sense of joy

When our pleasure principals change, so do our habits–our bad habits.

What Next?

Stop destroying your health hanging unto the deadly habit of smoking. Yes, quitting smoking is a lot easier said than done, but you owe it to your health to find safe cigarette alternatives–alternatives that lead to quitting.

Check out our blog for more ways to kick the habit.