1. A database searching apparatus comprising: a search engine web server operative to provide search results including search listings according to rank; a database searchable by the search engine web server and including a plurality of search listings, at least some search listings being associated with advertisers, the search listing associated with an advertiser including a search term specified by the advertiser, and a desired rank specified by the advertiser for a search listing and a maximum cost per click (maximum CPC) and a cost per click (CPC) associated with the desired rank for the search term and the advertiser, an account management server in data communication with the database to automatically adjust the CPC for a search listing in response to advertiser inputs, wherein, when the advertiser enters a new search listing or changes the maximum CPC of a search listing, the account management server is operative to: adjust the CPC of the advertiser's search listing to maintain the desired rank, adjust the CPC of the advertiser's search listing to move the search listing to the highest rank possible without exceeding the maximum CPC of the advertiser's search listing, adjust the CPC of the advertiser's search listing to maintain the CPC of the advertiser's search listing less than or equal to the maximum CPC of the advertiser's search listing, and avoid setting the CPC of the advertiser's search listing so that desired rank and CPCs of other advertisers are not maintained.
1. A database searching apparatus comprising: a search engine web server operative to provide search results including search listings according to rank; a database searchable by the search engine web server and including a plurality of search listings, at least some search listings being associated with advertisers, the search listing associated with an advertiser including a search term specified by the advertiser, and a desired rank specified by the advertiser for a search listing and a maximum cost per click (maximum CPC) and a cost per click (CPC) associated with the desired rank for the search term and the advertiser, an account management server in data communication with the database to automatically adjust the CPC for a search listing in response to advertiser inputs, wherein, when the advertiser enters a new search listing or changes the maximum CPC of a search listing, the account management server is operative to: adjust the CPC of the advertiser's search listing to maintain the desired rank, adjust the CPC of the advertiser's search listing to move the search listing to the highest rank possible without exceeding the maximum CPC of the advertiser's search listing, adjust the CPC of the advertiser's search listing to maintain the CPC of the advertiser's search listing less than or equal to the maximum CPC of the advertiser's search listing, and avoid setting the CPC of the advertiser's search listing so that desired rank and CPCs of other advertisers are not maintained. 2. The database searching apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the database further stores a timestamp associated with the desired rank, the timestamp indicating a time the search listing was entered or changed.