Did You Know that You May Not be Using Google Search to Its Full Potential?
1. Use the Tabs
Usually, you’ll see Web, Image, News, and More. If you need images, use the Image tab. If you are looking for a location, use the Map tab.
2. Use Quotes
If you search for Penang Web Design, the engine will search for content that contains those three words in any order. However, if you search “Penang Web Design”, it will search for that phrase exactly as you typed it.
3. Use a Hyphen to Exclude Words
Sometimes you may find yourself searching for a word with an ambiguous meaning. When you Google search for Mustang, you may get results for both the car made by Ford or the horse. If you want to cut one out, use the hyphen to tell the engine to ignore content with one of the other. See the example below:
Mustang -cars
This tells the search engine to search for mustangs but to remove any results that have the word “car” in it.
4. Use a Colon to Search Specific Sites
There may be an instance where you need to Google search for articles or content on a certain website:
David Beckham site:wikipedia.org
This will search for all content about famous soccer player David Beckham, but only on Wikipedia.
5. Find a Page that Links to Another Page
The search query below will return all pages that link to the Inspiren website.
link:inspiren.my
6. Use the Asterisk Wildcard
When you use an asterisk in a search term on Google search, it will leave a placeholder that may be automatically filled by the search engine later. Let’s look at the syntax:
“Come * right now * me”
More often than not, you’ll find they are lyrics to The Beatles song “Come Together” and that’s what the search will tell you.
7. Find Sites that are Similar to Other Sites
You would use this trick. Below is the syntax:
related:amazon.com
If you search that above, you won’t find a link to Amazon. Instead, you’ll find links to online stores like Amazon.
8. Use Google Search to do Math
Here is an example of the syntax:
8 * 5 + 5
And it’ll return 45.
9. Search for Multiple Words at Once
This can help narrow down your search to help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Here is the syntax:
“best ways to prepare for a job interview” OR “how to prepare for a job interview”
By searching that, you will search both phrases.
10. Search a Range of Numbers
You can use two dots and a number to let Google search know you’re looking for a specific range of numbers. Like the syntax below:
What teams have won the Stanley Cup ..2004
41..43
In the first instance, the search will toss back the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2004. The two dots with only one number will tell the search that you don’t need anything before or after 2004.
In the second, Google will search for the numbers 41, 42, and 43. It is obscure, but wildly useful if you happen to need to search for numbers like this.
11. Keep It Simple
If you need a KFC place nearby, use this to search:
KFC places nearby
Google search will grab your location and deliver a variety of results about pizza places that are near you.
12. Gradually Add Search Terms
As Google itself suggests, the best method is to start with something simple then gradually get more complicated. See the example below:
First try: job interviews
Second try: prepare for job interviews
Third try: how to prepare for a job interview
The reason you don’t go straight from the first try to the third try is that you may miss what you’re looking for by skipping the second step.
13. Use Words that Websites Would Use
Unfortunately, websites don’t say things the way people do; instead, they try to use language that sounds professional. Let’s look at some examples:
“I have a flat tire” could be replaced by “repair a flat tire”.
“My head hurts” could be replaced by “headache relief”.
14. Use Important Words Only
When you search for too many words, it may limit your results. Let’s see an example:
Don’t use: Where can I find a Chinese restaurant that delivers.
Instead try: Chinese restaurants nearby.
15. Google Search has Shortcuts
Here are a few examples of some commands you can enter into Google.
Weather *zip code* – This will show you the weather in the given zip code. You can also use town and city names instead of area codes, but it may not be as accurate if there are multiple area codes in the city.
Define: *word* – This will display the definition of a word.
Time *place* – This will display the time in whatever place you type in.
16. Spelling Doesn’t Necessarily Matter
If you search “Mlysa SEO cmpy” Google will automatically assume you mean to search for “Malaysia SEO company” Google gives you the option to search for the misspelled term instead.
17. Use Descriptive Words
When used in conjunction with the word “life”, it alters the meaning to tips and tricks people can use to improve their lives. If you have trouble finding what you’re searching for, keep in mind that people may search or define what you need in a different way than you do.
You may search “How to install drivers in Ubuntu” when you really mean “Troubleshoot driver problems Ubuntu”.
If you search for something and you can’t find an answer, try asking the same question using different words and see if that helps the results.
18. Find a Specific File
The syntax is quite simple:
*Search term here* filetype:pdf
In the above example, you simply replace the search term with whatever you’re searching for.
19. Money and Unit Conversions
You can put numbers in front to convert a certain number:
“10 miles to km” – this will show you how many kilometers are in 10 miles.
“USD to British Pound Sterling” – this will convert a US dollar to British pounds.
20. Track Your Packages
You can enter any UPS, USPS, or Fedex tracking number directly into the Google search bar, and it’ll show you the tracking information about your package.
No examples are really needed for this one. Just type your tracking number in and see where your package is.
