4 Useful Tips to use Google effectively
We use Google everyday, but how many of us use it effectively? As you know Google has many search features but nobody uses all the features fully. Usually a typical Google user would just type words in the search box and scan the results. But this is not the most effective way to find something.
I would like to cover some of the most important search rules in this post. They are simple rules but when used correctly, will get you the gems in the search results.
1. Searching by phrase
By default when you search Google it will show you the results that have the keywords that you searched for, as long as those words are mentioned in the page url, page title or page content it will show up in the Google results. For example searching Cool CSS Tools would display results that have these three keywords. Results might look like this:
However when you put your keyword between ” and “, the results will show only the pages that have all three words together (eg: “Cool CSS Tools“)
2. Search by filetype (i.e pdf, doc, exe..etc)
This is a great way to find resources, especially if you are looking for specific file types. For example typing Introduction to Investment:pdf in Google and hitting search will return (some) results in PDF format. Why some only? Because it is possible that there might be no pdf files for the search-term that you have just entered.
3. Finding Word Definitions
When you are searching for some definition you can just type deine:SEARCHTERM and google will display the definition of that word. For example typing define:www and hitting search will show lots of definitions from various sites for the word WWW, see screenshot below.
Extra Tip: -word +word
When you use minus_and_keyword like this -cool css tools, Google will only show the results (pages) that do not have words cool on it. All the pages that have cool word in it will be dropped. That means Google will only display CSS Tools related pages that do not contain Cool word on them.
As for the plus sign before the word, it will find pages that have that particular word. Eg: +Cool CSS Tools, this will show pages that have Cool keyword on them.
Your favorite feature
These tips should be enough to use Google effectively. If you have your own favorite feature that you use often, share with us in comments.
All Google SE Features www.google.com/help/features.html
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By Arstan on Jul 13, 2007
Hi there!
Great post, I like Google’s cache service. This helps you to find information from the website that has been down or is inaccessible.
How to search?
go to google.com enter cache:http://www.jusupov.com this will be show you the cached version for my blog. You can go ahead and search for your blog just like that.
By CreditSearcher on Jul 23, 2007
Google is a useful tool in any way. I can find any necessary info there. Learning your tips I will do it more effectively. Thanks.
By ers35 on Jul 26, 2007
Other tools I frequently use when searching are the site: and inurl: operators. site: allows you to search for content found only on a specific site and inurl for a word found in the url. allinurl can be used if you want to search with more than one term.
By eglencen on Sep 6, 2007
Hi there
your site is very useful
Learning your tips is great..
thank you so much
By neerali on Sep 18, 2007
Your information is very useful.
There are many more tips on search like you can also use “and” and “or” combination to find.
By neerali on Sep 18, 2007
Your information is very useful.
There are many more tips on search like you can also use “and†and “or†combination to find.
By The Monetizer on Oct 15, 2007
Thanks for sharing these tips. Google is such an untapped resource, despite being used so heavily for its searches. There’s all sorts of tips and tools people are missing out on with Google!
By Business Credit Card Site on Oct 24, 2007
this post is very helpful. Thanks for sharing some resources.
By Economic and Culture Observer (Lenno Cornish) on Dec 10, 2007
Yeaaaahhh. Great-great thing. I will link it from my blog:) In fact many of us know it - but when somebody describes i correctly and with the real sense - it gives the usable help:)
By hectril on Dec 20, 2007
Great insights on how to use GOOGLE Search Engine. Now it would be easy for me to search for keywords and be able to make use of my Adwords.
Thanks for the informative post
By Chuching on Dec 22, 2007
Nice post! Now, i might be able to search more relevant topics
By nitinpai on Feb 17, 2008
Hi Ades,
If you like such tricks then you would not miss out my popular article:
http://techtracer.com/2008/01/06/10-most-amazing-google-search-tricks/
By Marketing Man on Apr 11, 2008
Hi Ades
Great Blog. Most surfers do exactly what you said above, they just put in a keyword or keyword phrase and click search.
When I go out to meetings to see new people I always spend 5 mintes teaching people how to search.
Many people buy a new toy and read from the front to the back to make sure they know everything there is to know about it. Yet with the toy (Google) that they use everyday they dont.
I would say my favourites are “keyword phrase” and -keyword. The minus just gets rid of the rubbish results.
Have an exseollent day.
By website content on Apr 11, 2008
Great tips, really helpful… But out of interest, won’t using + have the same effect as including the added word into the quotation marks?
By Ades on Apr 12, 2008
wc, +sign can be used for one word only, in contrast quotation marks can be used for phrases.