I keep hearing that the money is in running the search ads. I signed up at one search engine, thinking that there would be an explaination of what to do at the site. It is over my head. I see "manage listings"
"search bids" and other terms I am unfamiliar with. What does one do after joining a search site?

Thanks in advance.

you have to go to:

Affiliates

copy portal code to editor, like frontpage... some engines provide you your portal...

then edit portal and put it online...

afer that just have to buiy traffic... and don?t ask people to search for you