A GUIDE TO SEARCHING FOR INFORMATION ON THE
INTERNET FOR BUSINESSES
by Carl Clayton, Director, SINTO

When people set up in business they know that they need certain skills. They need basic financial skills - they need some marketing skills, but how many people think about developing their information skills?

OK. So you have got a computer with Internet access. But can you find the information that will help your business?

For most of us the answer seems to be NO. We can find information all right - lots and lots of information - but most of it is not what we want. Far too often we end up disappointed, frustrated and suffering from information overload.

But it doesn't have to be like this. There are two basic steps that can help you to get the most out of the Internet.

Step 1 - Learn how to use search engines effectively
There is an enormous difference between using a search engine and using it effectively. A small investment in time can produce a major improvement in your searching skills.

I strongly recommend Phil Bradley's website www.philb.com. Phil is an internet consultant, trainer, web designer and author and his site contains free information on using search engines. His site is aimed at librarians and other information professionals but I think that everyone can benefit from his practical approach. His article 'Search tools for the Advanced Searcher' is just what you need to stop being a 'surfer' and start being a 'finder'.

Another useful site is The Spider's Apprentice. A Helpful Guide to Search Engines www.monash.com/spidap.html. This site discusses various searching strategies and illustrates them with practical examples. There are also in-depth reviews of major search engines comparing their pros and cons.

Step 2. Discover Portals
A Portal or gateway is a website that has been set up to provide a guide to useful sources of information. In other words someone has gone surfing on the Net, checked out the sites in a particular subject and evaluated them. They have done all the hard work leaving you with a selected list of useful sites.

A good example of a portal for business is Karen Blakeman's Business Information on the Internet www.rba.co.uk/sources/index.htm. This has a browsable list of sections such as Support for SMEs; Stock Market Data and Direct Marketing. Each of these headings gives you a list of sites that have been selected for their usefulness.

For an introduction to business portals see the article by Sheila Webber at www.freepint.co.uk/issues/021100.htm#feature. A lecturer in business at Strathclyde University at the time of writing this article, Sheila is a recognised expert on business information.

To trace other portals on business or on other subject areas you should go to the Resource Discovery Network www.rdn.ac.uk. Click on Business to find an extensive index to Internet information. If you scroll down to the section on 'Resource Guides', you will find a list of business portals.

Finally I want to mention a very useful training package available on the web. Internet Business manager at www.sosig.ac.uk/vts/business-manager/index.htm is a free "teach yourself" tutorial on Internet information skills for business managers. Taking about an hour of study time this is an ideal way to develop your information skills and become a more effective Internet searcher.

The Sheffield Information Organisation - SINTO - is a consortium of library and information services in South Yorkshire. Its aim is to promote the effective access to and use of information and knowledge in all organisations and businesses.

 

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If you want to know how SINTO can help you contact us at:
Carl Clayton, SINTO
c/o The Learning Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Collegiate Crescent, Sheffield S10 2BP
E-mail: sinto@shu.ac.uk
Tel: 0114 225 5739/40  Fax: 0114 225 2476

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