21 Google Search Tips to Find Exactly What You Want

11 months ago 99
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Here are 21 Google hunt tips that volition assistance you:

  • Search the web without typing a query
  • Refine your searches to get the close answers faster
  • Discover chill things you ne'er knew Google could do

At the end, we’ll besides amusement you however you tin get your tract to look connected Google’s hunt results.

(Spoiler alert—it involves thing called hunt motor optimization oregon SEO.)

But first, the tips.

1. Familiarize Yourself with the Basics

To bash a Google search, motorboat your browser, navigate to the hunt engine, and benignant what you’re looking for into the hunt bar.

Alternatively, if Google is your browser’s default hunt engine, benignant your query into your browser’s code bar.

You tin type:

  • Words, similar “electrolysis”
  • Phrases, similar “electrolysis process”
  • Questions, similar “what is electrolysis”

You don’t request to benignant successful afloat sentences.

Side by broadside  examination  of hunt  suggestions connected  Google homepage and successful  web browser

Then, deed “Enter” oregon “return” connected your keyboard to tally the search.

Don’t interest astir your spelling oregon grammar. Google is bully astatine autocorrecting misspelled queries.

Google SERP for 'electrolysiss' with 'Showing results for electrolysis. Search alternatively  for electrolysis' highlighted

After you tally your search, Google volition show applicable results. Use the tabs astatine the apical to spot lone definite types of results.

For example, click “Images” to presumption lone representation results. Or “News” to presumption results from quality sites.

Side-by-side examination  of Google SERP for “electrolysis” with representation  results connected  the near  and quality    results connected  the right

Google whitethorn besides show topics astatine the apical of the hunt results. Click them to adhd to your query and constrictive your search:

Search related taxable   tabs nether  hunt  barroom  connected  Google highlighted

For example, clicking the “women’s” taxable that Google displays connected the hunt motor results leafage for “cute shoes” volition update the hunt query to “women’s cute shoes.”

Updated Google hunt  query and results leafage   aft  selecting a suggested topic

2. Filter Your Results

Filter the results to spot lone those published wrong a definite play oregon that lucifer your query connection for word.

To bash this, click the “Tools” enactment astatine the apical of the Google hunt results. “Any time” and “All results” drop-down menus volition appear.

Click “Any time” to filter for results published wrong the past hour, 24 hours, week, month, oregon year. Or wrong a day scope of your choice.

Google hunt  results for 'olympic news' with Tools fastener  clicked and clip  play  dropdown expanded and highlighted

Click “All results” to take whether to spot each results. Or lone verbatim ones that intimately (or exactly) lucifer your hunt query.

For example, if you’re searching for a idiosyncratic named “Rob Downey,” turning connected the “Verbatim” filter ensures you get results for radical named Rob Downey.

And not Robert Downey Jr., the actor.

Side-by-side examination  of the Google SERP for 'Rob Downey' with and without the 'Verbatim' filter applied

3. Search Within Websites

Add “site:[domain]” to your hunt query to presumption results from a circumstantial site.

' operator

This Google hunt extremity besides works for viewing results from circumstantial tract subdirectories, similar “[domain]/blog.”

' relation   with a subdirectory added to URL

A reverse representation search uses an representation to look for information. It’s adjuvant for learning astir thing you person a representation of but don’t cognize the sanction of.

Run a reverse representation hunt successful Google by clicking the camera icon astatine the close of the hunt bar.

Google hunt  barroom  with the camera icon highlighted

Upload your representation to Google. Or paste an representation nexus into the provided field. And click “Search.”

Google volition analyse your representation and suggest applicable results.

Google Image hunt  results for Rubik's cube photo

5. Search with Your Voice

If you can’t benignant your query, bash a dependable search—where you talk your query.

Select the microphone icon astatine the close of the hunt bar:

Google hunt  barroom  with the mic icon highlighted

Let Google entree your microphone if prompted. Then, accidental your query retired loud.

Google volition transcribe your code and hunt for what you said. If the transcription is inaccurate, close it and rerun the search.

6. Get a Direct Answer

Google has partnered with different sites to supply answers to definite types of queries straight connected the results page. As a result, you don’t person to click a hunt effect to get an answer.

Which is utile erstwhile you conscionable privation a straightforward answer.

Google SERP for 'voo price' with banal  illustration  highlighted

Try these Google hunt hacks for triggering nonstop answers:

To Get a Direct Answer for:

Use This Query:

Weather successful a definite place

“Weather successful [country oregon city]”

Time successful a definite place

“Time successful [country oregon city]”

Stock prices

“[Stock ticker symbol] price”

Definitions

“Define [word]” oregon “[word] meaning”

7. Find Exact Match Results

Enclose your hunt query successful treble quotation marks to presumption results that incorporate your query precisely arsenic it appears.

This Google hunt extremity is adjuvant for looking up the sources of quotes.

Let’s accidental you privation to cheque which blog station provided this advice: “You should ne'er wage for dofollow backlinks.”

Doing a Google hunt for that enactment without quotation marks whitethorn get you results with immoderate words missing oregon successful a antithetic order:

Google SERP for 'you should ne'er  wage  for dofollow backlinks' with close-match results highlighted

But rerun the hunt with quotation marks, and you’ll get the sentence’s root close away.

Google SERP for "you should ne

8. Exclude Certain Results

Add a minus motion earlier definite words to exclude results with these words from the hunt results.

Here’s an example:

Searching for “caterpillar” usually gets you accusation connected the Caterpillar operation instrumentality manufacturer.

Google SERP for 'caterpillar' with hunt  results dominated by the operation  brand

To get accusation connected the insect, instead, hunt for “caterpillar -construction.”

Google SERP for 'caterpillar -construction' showing hunt  results astir  the insect and non-construction products

Another Google hunt extremity is adding the minus motion earlier the “site:” operator. To exclude a definite website from the results.

For instance, to find mentions of your marque connected immoderate tract but yours, hunt for “[your marque name] -site:[your domain].”

semrush.com” showing results excluding pages from semrush.com

9. Find Files

Get lone results with a definite record format by adding “filetype:[file format]” to your hunt query. Supported formats include:

  • pdf: For PDF files
  • doc: For Microsoft Word documents
  • xls: For Microsoft Excel spreadsheets
  • ppt: For Microsoft PowerPoint slides

If you’re looking for a PDF document, for instance, hunt “[document name] filetype:pdf.”

pdf” with PDF results highlighted

An precocious hunt gets you leafage results that conscionable requirements like:

  • Containing each of definite words
  • Containing nary of definite words
  • Being successful a definite language
  • Originating from a definite country
  • Having definite usage rights

To tally an precocious search, bash a regular Google hunt first. Then, prime “Tools” > “Advanced Search” connected the hunt results page.

Google SERP for 'customer restitution  study' with Tools fastener  and Advanced Search enactment    highlighted

Fill retired the precocious hunt fields arsenic relevant. And deed the “Advanced Search” fastener to tally the search.

Google Advanced Search settings leafage   with illustration   settings and 'Advanced Search' fastener  highlighted

11. Turn On Dark Mode

Google offers a acheronian mode diagnostic for doing searches successful a dark-colored interface.

Google SERP for 'what is schema markup successful  seo' successful  acheronian  mode

Turning connected acheronian mode whitethorn trim oculus strain. It whitethorn besides alteration bluish airy exposure, which makes falling dormant harder.

Google automatically enables acheronian mode if this is your device’s colour setting. Learn however to alteration your device’s colour settings here:

Alternatively, if your device’s colour mounting is airy mode, here’s however to alteration acheronian mode for a one-off Google search:

From your desktop device, spell to the Google homepage. Select “Settings” astatine the bottommost close > “Dark theme: Off.”

 Off' highlighted

If you’re utilizing a mobile device, the “Dark theme: Off” enactment volition look straight astatine the bottommost of the Google homepage.

 Off' highlighted

12. Manage Explicit Results

Adjust Google’s SafeSearch settings to power whether you spot hunt results containing intersexual enactment and graphic violence. And the grade of it.

Click the cogwheel icon astatine the apical close of the hunt results. Then click connected “SafeSearch.”

Search settings sidebar of Google SERP with SafeSearch mounting  highlighted

You’ll spot 3 settings:

  • Filter: Exclude explicit results entirely
  • Blur: Blur explicit images but not explicit substance oregon links
  • Off: Don’t censor immoderate results

Click your preferred option. Google volition prevention your prime and use it to each aboriginal searches.

13. Do Math

Google tin assistance with mathematics calculations.

If your calculation involves elemental addition, subtraction, multiplication, oregon division, benignant it into Google’s hunt barroom and tally the search.

The hunt results leafage volition amusement the answer.

Google SERP for '3+4' showing calculator with results

To execute much analyzable calculations involving trigonometric functions, logarithms, and more, hunt for “calculator.”

Google volition springiness you a technological calculator.

Google SERP for 'calculator' showing calculator

14. Convert Units of Measurement

Convert units of measurement by searching “[number] [source portion of measurement] successful [desired portion of measurement].”

For instance:

  • “6’2 successful cm”
  • “100 kg successful pounds”
  • “25 deg c successful kelvin”
Google SERP for '25 deg c successful  kelvin'

15. Convert Currencies

Google “[number] [source currency] to [desired currency]” to person currencies utilizing the real-time speech rate.

Google SERP for '1000 usd to yen'

You’ll besides spot a illustration of the speech rate’s movements implicit time. Hover your cursor implicit the illustration to larn the speech complaint connected antithetic days.

16. Start a Timer oregon a Stopwatch

Search for “timer [duration]” to person Google commencement counting down from that duration automatically.

Google SERP for 'timer 1 hour'

Click “Stop” if you request to intermission the timer. And “Reset” to reset it.

Alternatively, hunt for “stopwatch” to get a stopwatch. Activate it by clicking “Start.”

Google SERP for 'stopwatch'

17. Activate a Bubble Level

Google offers a built-in level tool—also known arsenic a bubble oregon tone level—on mobile devices. It provides a unsmooth usher of however horizontal oregon vertical a aboveground is.

This Google hunt extremity is adjuvant erstwhile you request to spot whether that caller support you’ve installed is straight. But don’t person a level.

Use it by searching for “bubble level” oregon “spirit level” connected your mobile device. Then, tapping “Touch to activate.”

Google SERP for 'bubble level' connected  mobile showing Google's bubble level   instrumentality   with 'Touch to activate' highlighted

If prompted, assistance Google entree to your device’s question and predisposition sensors if prompted to. And you’re each set.

18. Set Up Search Alerts

Get notifications whenever determination are caller results for a Google hunt query.

For example, you tin acceptable up an alert for each clip idiosyncratic publishes a station that includes your sanction oregon your brand. Or topics applicable to you, similar “vegan recipes.”

Go to Google Alerts. And benignant the query you privation to show into the “Create an alert about…” field.

You’ll spot illustration results for your alert.

Google Alerts leafage   showing illustration   results for 'semrush'

Click “Show options” to configure settings similar however often you privation to person notifications. And the results’ connection and quality.

Then, click “Create Alert” to decorativeness the setup. Google volition commencement alerting you of caller results astatine your preferred frequency.

Google Alerts instauration  leafage   for 'semrush' with 'Create Alert' fastener  highlighted

19. Track Packages

Google tin supply shipping updates for packages delivered by UPS, FedEx, and different supported shipping providers.

Search for “[shipping provider] bundle tracking.” Provide your package’s tracking number. And click “Track via [shipping provider].”

Google SERP for 'ups bundle  tracking' with illustration   tracking fig   entered

Google volition show your package’s shipping status.

20. Play Games

Play definite games straight from Google’s hunt results page.

This is little of a Google hunt extremity and much of a amusive mode to usage Google.

To play games, hunt “minesweeper,” “snake,” “pac man,” “solitaire,” oregon “tic tac toe” to load the applicable game:

Google SERP for 'minesweeper'

Alternatively, you tin play a substance escapade wherever you’ll get a script successful substance format. And your response—also successful substance format—affects what happens next.

Try it by searching for “text adventure.” Then right-clicking the hunt results leafage and selecting “Inspect.”

Google SERP for 'text adventure' with right-click paper   showing and 'Inspect' enactment    highlighted

Your browser’s developer tools volition appear. Navigate to the “Console” tab.

Under the ample “Warning!” heading successful the console’s messages, you’ll spot a question: “Would you similar to play a game?”

And 2 effect options: “Yes” oregon “No.”

Browser developer tools model   with Console tab selected and highlighted showing 'Would you similar  to play   a game'

Scroll to the bottommost of the console log, benignant your response, and past deed “Enter” oregon “return” connected your keyboard to commencement playing.

21. Discover Easter Eggs

Check retired peculiar messages oregon features connected the Google hunt results for definite queries.

Here are immoderate examples:

Search for fonts similar “Calibri,” “Comic Sans MS,” and “Courier font,” and Google volition show results successful the respective font.

Google SERP for 'Courier font'

Ask Google “the reply to life, the universe, and everything” and it volition reply “42”—which is simply a supercomputer’s reply to the aforesaid question successful “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” a subject fabrication publication by Douglas Adams.

Google SERP for 'the reply  to beingness  the beingness   and everything'

Meanwhile, Google the “BTS” Korean lad set and you’ll spot a purple bosom adjacent the apical near of the hunt results page.

Select the heart, and purple balloons volition look connected the screen. Click them to popular them. The balloons containing microphones uncover messages from BTS’s set members erstwhile popped.

Google SERP easter ovum  showing purple balloons and messages from BTS marque  members erstwhile   popped

Finally, effort searching “is Google down.” In different words, is Google’s hunt work unavailable?

The hunt motor volition archer you it isn’t.

Google SERP for 'is google down'

Make Google Search Work for You

Applying this database of Google hunt tricks volition get you much applicable answers to your questions—and quicker, to boot. Some of these tips besides marque Googling much fun.

But isolated from learning however to hunt connected Google efficaciously for others’ pages, however would you similar your pages to look successful Google’s hunt results?

Appear higher for applicable hunt queries by utilizing SEO.

SEO is the process of helping hunt engines observe and recognize your tract truthful they tin show your site’s pages for applicable queries.

Optimize your tract good to summation its chances of ranking higher connected the hunt results pages. And receiving tons of organic traffic.

Read these guides to get a foundational cognition of SEO:

Then, put successful SEO tools that assistance you find invaluable keywords, way your rankings, amended your site’s method performance, and truthful overmuch more.

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