Darshak Rana
Google is not a company anymore. It’s more than a brand — it’s a noun, verb, and adjective.
Did you know that there are two trillion+ Google searches every year?
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Google is the world's think tank with trillions of indexed pages.
But to extract the desired information in optimum time is a skill many of us have.
Though you know that Google is the best way to find information online, you get frustrated when you don’t find what you need in the first few pages of results.
So, from advanced search operators to using Google for research, these tips will help you get the most out of your next Google session.
These tricks will also half your surfing time and double the Google output.
So without further ado, let’s get started!
1. Use Quotation Marks (“ “) in Your Google Search
If you want to find an exact phrase, enclose it in quotation marks.
For example, if you search for “How to use Google efficiently,” you’ll only see results that include those same words in that same order.
This is a great way to narrow down your results and find exactly what you’re looking for.
2. Use the Minus Sign (-) to Exclude Words From Your Google Search
If you want to exclude a word from your search, precede it with a minus sign.
For example, if you search for “How to use Google efficiently”- tips, you’ll see results that include the phrase “How to use Google efficiently,” but not the word “tips.”
This can be a great way to filter out unwanted results.
3. Use the Asterisk (*) as a Wildcard
If you want to find results that include all of the words in a phrase, use the asterisk symbol (*).
For example, if you search for “How to use * efficiently,” you’ll see results that include phrases like “How to use Google efficiently, How to use your time more efficiently, etc.”
This operator is a great way to find results that include a specific phrase but may also have other words.
4. Use Site: To Find Results From a Specific Website
If you want to see results from a particular website, you can use the site: operator.
For example, a search for “site:wikipedia.org obama” will bring up all Wikipedia pages that mention Obama.
You can also use this operator to determine whether Google has indexed a website.
Search for “site:example.com” (replace example.com with the website you want to check).
If there are no results, it means that Google hasn’t indexed that website.
5. Use the OR Operator to Find Results From Multiple Websites
Suppose you’re researching a topic and seek data from numerous websites. That’s when the OR operator comes in handy. It will find results from multiple websites.
For example, a search for “obama OR trump” will bring up results about both Obama and Trump.
This can also be helpful if you’re comparing two different things or if you’re not sure which word to use in your search.
6. Use the Intitle: Operator to Find Results From a Specific Website’s Title
If you want to find results from a specific website but don’t know the exact URL, you can use the intitle: operator.
For example, a search for “intitle:wikipedia obama” will bring up all Wikipedia pages that mention Obama in the title.
This can be helpful if you’re looking for information on a specific topic and only know the website's name.
7. Use the Allinurl: Operator to Find Results From a Specific Website’s URL
If you want to find results from a specific website and know the URL, you can use the allinurl: operator.
For example, searching for “allinurl:wikipedia.org/wiki obama” will bring up the Wikipedia page about Obama.
This can be helpful if you’re looking for information on a specific topic and you only know the URL of the website.
8. Use Filetype: To Find a Specific Type of File on Google
If you’re looking for a specific file type, you can use the filetype: operator.
For example, a search for “filetype: ppt obama” will bring up all PowerPoint presentations about Obama.
This can be helpful if you’re looking for information on a specific topic and know the file type that you’re looking for.
9. Use the Related: Operator to Find Similar Websites on Google
Finding similar websites has never been easy by using the related: operator.
For example, a search for “related:wikipedia.org” will bring up a list of Wikipedia’s sister websites.
This can be helpful if you’re looking for information on a specific topic and want to explore other websites related to it.
10. Use the Definition: Operator to Find Meanings of Words
If you want to see the definition of a word, you can use the definition: operator.
For example, a search for “definition: insomnia” will bring up the definition of insomnia from Dictionary.com.
This can be helpful if you’re not sure what a word means and you want to find a definition for it.
11. Use the Cache: Operator to View a Website’s Cached Version
If the website you’re looking for is down or doesn’t exist, you can use the cache: operator to view its cached version.
For example, a search for “cache:example.com” (replace example.com with the website you want to check) will bring up the cached version of that website.
This can be helpful if the website you’re looking for is down or doesn’t exist.
12. Use the Plus Sign (+) to Include Certain Websites in Your Results
If there are certain websites that you want to include in your results, you can use the plus sign (+).
For example, a search for “obama+wikipedia” will bring up results about Obama that come from Wikipedia.
This can be helpful if you’re looking for information on a specific topic and only want results from certain websites.
13. Use (~) Tilde Operator to Find Approximate Words
If you’re not sure of the spelling of a word, you can use the tilde operator (~) to find approximate matches.
For example, a search for “~Obama” will bring up results for Obama, Obamma, and Oabma.
This can be helpful if you’re not sure of the spelling of a word and want to find the closest results.
14. Get Customer Support Information About Any Company Without Using Their Website
It gets tedious to find the customer support number when anything breaks down.
That’s where Google search can make your troubles vanish.
Just type in “company name: customer support” to directly get a toll-free number.
This can reduce the hassle of going through the entire company’s website and waste 5–10 minutes.
15. Use Google to Find Out What Time It Is in Another Country
Google can be used to find out what time it is in another country.
Simply type “time: country” into the Google search bar and press Enter.
You will then be shown the current time in that country.
16. Use Google to Convert Units of Measurement
Google is the simplest way to convert units of measurement.
To use it, type “convert: units of measurement” into the Google search bar and press Enter.
You will then be shown a conversion calculator.
17. Use Google to Find Out the Weather Forecast
Knowing the weather forecast for any location is easier with this hack.
Type “weather: location” into the Google search bar and press Enter.
You will then be shown a 7-day forecast for the location you entered.
18. Use Google to Find Flight Prices
Google is by the best to find cheap flight prices.
Just type “flights: origin destination” into the Google search bar and press Enter.
You will then be shown a list of flights from your origin to your destination and prices.
19. Find the Sunrise/Sunset Time
Google can be used to find out when the sun will rise or set.
To use it, simply type “sunrise: city” or “sunset: city” into the Google search bar and press Enter.
You will then be shown the current sunrise or sunset time in that city.
20. Track Packages Faster Using Google
Last but not least, utilize Google to track your mail. The Google search bar allows you to insert any UPS, USPS, or FedEx tracking number.
You may search for your packages without having to visit particular sites.
This one requires no examples at all. Your tracking number is all you need to know.
So there you have it!
99% of people don’t know about these Google tricks and tips, but now that you do, you can start using them to your advantage.
Whether you want to improve your search results or just make browsing the web a little more fun, these hacks will help you get the most out of Google.
Did I miss anything?
Do you have a favorite method that we didn’t mention?
Let me know in the comments below.
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