It’s a common approach to search in Google by just typing in the keywords and hit the search button. Most are not realizing that more accurate results can be generated by tweaking a little bit on our search strings. Here are four search strings to help you concentrate on what you are trying to find. Here are four tips to search Google like an expert.
Tips to search Google like an expert with these techniques
Search within a particular website with [site:]
Command
- site:domain.com “keyword.”
- keyword site:domain.com
By doing this, Google restricts the search on a specific website; giving you a more concentrated result. It comes in handy when you are searching on a mainstream news site. Example (1)- You are looking for some free icons and quite sure Digg.com have plenty of this; you do a site:digg.com “free icons” Example (2) – You want to learn designing web 2.0 style, there is no point searching the entire Google where results were so mixed (you just wish to Photoshop tutorials). Concentrate on one good Photoshop tutorial site. good-tutorial.com for instance; you do a site:good-tutorials.com “web 2.0″. Results were more accurate.
Understand a definition with [define:]
Command
- define:keyword
Here’s a quick search string to understand particular keyword or even a phrase you do not understand. What is Web 2.0? We know what it is but sometimes it quite hard to put it in words Let Google describe it for you with define:Web 2.0
Find similar websites with [related:]
Command
- related:keyword
This is simple. If you are looking for free fonts and have no idea where to get them, try using related:free fonts. Google will show you all sites that have similar content to “free font.” This function is precisely the same as “Similar pages” found under the right corner of a search result.
Customized search within title and content with [intitle:]
Command
- intitle:title-keyword content-keyword
[intitle:] let you control the title and content you want to search. Example – If you are looking for a free font with the name Magneto, restrict your search down to intitle:”free font” magneto. It will give you all results with pages that mention “free font” in the title and “magneto” in content.
These few should give you a good jump start to more accurate content. Also, read Google Search Tips for more accurate results
