Google Search at Duke

Google Custom Search is Duke's official search engine.

Custom Search provides:

  • Fast, high-quality search results
  • Advanced features, including searching for videos and audio content as well as PDF, .doc and .ppt files
  • Ability to create advanced custom searches that include results from domains outside of duke.edu
  • Easy and powerful search administration
  • Easy integration into websites

OIT, which supports and manages Duke's central web infrastructure and services, configures and maintains the Google Custom Search along with the Office of News & Communications, which operates and maintains the Duke home page. 

What is Duke’s configuration of Google Custom Search?

Duke's search collection includes all the web pages in these domains:

  • duke.edu
  • goduke.com
  • dukehealth.org
  • dukece.com
  • dukealumni.com
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How do I update my website to use Google Custom Search?

To update your site, you must be the website/web page administrator with access to make changes to the HTML source. If you do not have access, you should contact the site administrator to make this change. For technical assistance for making the change, please contact the OIT Service Desk.

Administrators can use their Duke NetID to log in here to find out more about:

Migrating from the GSA

Using Duke.edu results

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How can I put a search box on my site?

A Google Custom Search box on your site can help visitors find content. The search can be restricted to a specific website or collection of sites by using frontend names, and you can give the option of searching all the Duke websites.

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How can I get pages into the Google index?

The Google crawler records changed, new, and removed pages automatically when it visits Duke websites. How often a page is crawled depend on how important Google's algorithm believes the page is. For instance, pages that Google considers important and often changed are crawled frequently, while others are crawled less frequently (up to two weeks between visits).

Google Custom Search automatically indexes all pages in the valid Duke domains. There is no need to submit your pages to be indexed as long as your site is within the duke.edu domain.

Make sure your site is linked from somewhere in the domains listed above and you have submitted your site to Google. If no pages in the list of valid Duke domains link to your site, your pages will not be indexed. If you suspect that your site is being excluded, please contact the OIT Service Desk.
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Data security restrictions

Google Custom Search cannot crawl restricted or password-protected content. The search service is available only for public data as defined by Duke's Information Security Office. 

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