Google Advanced Search Tips

Search engines offer the function of advanced search to deliver the most relevant
results. Most surfers frequenting search engines overlook these options. If used as
suggested, one can cut down results from thousands of irrelevant pages to select
useful links. In this case study we are going to cover some points of searching
using Google.

• Basic Tips on Google Search

• Advanced Search procedure using operators in Google

• Google Main Features

• Advanced Search Features in Google

• Google Labs

• About Froogle

Basic Google Search Tips:

Most net surfers are not aware of all these basic search functions.

Ref: Basics of Google Search, Advanced Search Made Easy

The following tips are useful:

• Default Search:
Google search is set to Web Search by default. If you want to change your
criteria you can choose from a variety of options, which are described later
on this page.

• Default Procedure:
The default procedure for search displays pages with all typed keywords.

• Use of “and”:
By default all typed keywords are searched for so there is no need to type
"and" between terms.

• Common Words:
Common words like "how" & "where" are automatically excluded. Single
 digits are also excluded. This is necessary because it helps speed up the
search. Common words can be included by using the "+" sign after a space.
This should come after your main keyword.

• Keyword Selection:
Choose your keywords wisely. Use your logic to locate very specific
keywords. For more information, refer to our detailed article on Keyword
Research.

• Use More Keywords:

Include more terms to narrow your search

• Use of Minus:
The minus sign "-" can be used after the keywords to exclude a specific
keyword. This keyword is placed after the minus sign. This comes in handy
when a word with different meanings could make the search engine come
up with irrelevant results.

• Use of Tilde:
The tilde "~" can be used before the keyword to search for its synonyms as
well to make the search more comprehensive. It can be used more than once
with more than one keyword.

• Use of Quotation Marks:

You can also use quotation marks for keywords that you want in a sequence
or a phrase. This way the search engine picks up pages only that contain the
words as enclosed in the quotation marks.

• Capitalization:
Google search is not case sensitive. All characters, except the "OR"
operator, are understood as lower case only. So you need not worry about
capitalization.

• Stemming Technology:
Ensures that your results are not plural or singular sensitive. This means
that you will be served plurals for singular searches and vice-versa. These
versions will be highlighted in the piece of text accompanying the displayed
links. Google frequently adjusts the stemming algo so results may fluctuate
depending on their latest adjustments.

• Directory Search:
You can use the directory search if you are not sure about the appropriate
keywords.
Advanced Search Procedure using Operators in Google Ref: Google Search
Operators, Advanced Search

Operators are special keywords, which Google recognizes and uses for specific
searches. Specific operators can be used for searching in Google to increase
relevance in displayed results. One can choose a combination of some or all of
these operators to narrow down results. Usually only a special web-tool can
extract such results. To make search user-friendlier, Google offers this facility
directly from the search bar

Special Operators for Google Search:

• link: To find out how many links point towards you, simply use the link:
operator in the main Google search box. Example: The results show all the
links that link back to the typed URL.

• related: To find pages similar in content to the specified URL. Example:

• The OR Operator (OR) is used to find at least one from any of the
keywords. Example:

• The Plus Operator (+) To find web pages that contain the term to be
searched. The following example would return links to pages that contain
the term www.RedAlkemi.com

Note that this operator has been used twice in the above example. This is
the default syntax for searching for pages that link to a website.

• The Minus Operator (-) To exclude certain words from your search, the
minus operator can be used. Example:
 The results will show links to web promotion companies with pages that
don't contain the word "flash"

• filetype: If you are searching for a particular file type that contains the
information that you want, then this operator can be used. Example:

Similarly, when you wish your results to exclude certain file types, you can
use the filetype: operator in combination with the minus (-) operator.

• allintitle: This is used when the keyword that you are looking for is located
in the title of the page. Only websites that have pages titled with your
chosen keyword are displayed. Our other article on Title Tag Optimization
covers different aspects of working with your web page's Title Tag
Example:

• allintext: Those pages are picked which have your keywords only in the
text content. Read about Optimizing your site's content in our in-depth
article on Search Engine Copywriting. Example:

Similarly you can use allinurl: (to search for keywords only in URLs) and
allinanchor: (to search for keywords only from links or anchor text on the
page.) For more information, you can refer to our article on Anchor Text
Optimization.

• inurl: This is used when the keyword that you are looking for is located in
the title of the page. Only websites that have pages titled with your chosen
keyword are displayed. Our other article on Title Tag Optimization covers
different aspects of working with your web page's Title Tag Example:

Here all URLs, which contain the word RedAlkemi with the word seo in
page content, will be shown in the results.

• intitle: This operator is used for searching specific words from within
titles of pages. Any word that follows after the first keyword will be picked
 up from within the page content of these pages. Example:

• cache: when Googlebot indexes a site, it takes snapshots of all indexed

pages. This operator helps in viewing cached pages. Example:

To further view content of a cached page, you can type the keyword that
you are looking for within the cached page. Example:

• info: This query will extract information that Google has about the link
mentioned after this operator. Example:

• define: This operator can be used to get definitions of specified phrases. All
words typed after this operator is treated as a single phrase. Example:

• stocks: All queries entered after this operator will be treated as stock ticker
symbols and pick up content from stock related pages. Please note that only
stock ticker symbols and not company names can be used after this
operator. Example:

The above syntax will extract all stock related info about Microsoft and
Intel.

• site: To search from within a site only. Example:

Results will show links to pages only from within www.RedAlkemi.com

that contain the keyword seo. Similarly, to exclude results from a specific
site or domain, you can use the site: operator coupled with the minus
operator. Example:
 • mac?q To search for anything related to Mac, you can type
http://www.google.com/ followed by mac?q followed by the keyword of
your choice directly in your browser's address field.
Example: http://www.google.com/mac?q=seo

• linux?q Anything related to Linux can be found using

http://www.google.com/ followed by linux?q and the keyword after that
from the address bar of your browser.
Example: http://www.google.com/linux?q=seo

Similarly,

http://www.google.com/bsd?q=seo for enquiries related to Unix only.

http://www.google.com/microsoft?q=seo for Microsoft related search only.

http://www.google.com/unclesam?q=seo for U.S. Govt related search only.

All the above options can help you narrow down your search to very relevant
content located on a few links.

Google Main Search Features Ref: Google Search

Images: Click to go straight to images search page. Type in the topic/subject of

the images you want. The results are displayed in thumbnails collected from
across the web. You can click on the thumbnails for the image of your choice and
it is downloaded to the browser window at the bottom half of your page. Set
preferences before you proceed as the safe search filter is set to moderate by
default.

Groups: This is a service, which was used when email was not very common. To
communicate people would post their comments to specific websites that offered
this service. Usenet was one such site.
Google bought Usenet with all their archives that run into millions of pages.
These and millions that have and are being added make up what is called Google
Groups. Users can log in and access the topic of their choice and read expert
views and exchange notes here. This is a massive forum, which covers all topics
under the sun.

News: Google news offers you the latest updates. You can search 4500 news
resources to satisfy your curiosity.

Google Directory: This is a complete resource of listings for all web resources.
The directory has 16 main categories divided into sub categories.

Advanced Search Features Ref:

http://www.google.com/help/features.html#sitesearch

Google offers many advanced tools and features, which help you in your search.
The following are worth mention:

• Calculator: Can be used to evaluate mathematical expressions.

• Phonebook: Us street address and phone number information.

• Search by Number: A new service to get you info for package tracking,
US. Patents, and other online databases.

• Street Maps: Find US. Street maps.

• Travel Information: New service for checking status of airline flights

weather information etc.

• Web Page Translation: Useful tool for getting web pages written in other
languages translated to English.

Google Labs Check out the great tools under construction at

http://labs.google.com/ Google Deskbar This tool offers the flexibility of search
without opening any browser.

Search by Location Lets you search within a geographical area.

Google Sets Another great tool to extend your search. It provides you suggestions
by building an incomplete set with your suggested keywords. Linked synonyms
and related category keywords are listed in the results.

Google Viewer This is like a search results media player. A player interface is
provided at the top with search results scrolling at a custom set pace (toggle from
the usable interface)
You can actually view the pages in the player window. Great Tool. Probably the
best way to view search results.

Keyboard Shortcuts This can be used to conveniently navigate within results on

the page using very simple keyboard shortcuts. Very useful and very easy to learn
as shortcuts employ the usage of single keys.

The following tools have graduated from Google Labs and been added to the long
list of great regular services being offered by Google:

Google Glossary You can find out the meaning of the keyword along with pages
where it is present in one simple search.

Google News Alerts The greatest tool available to get latest updates on topics you
choose. You can choose keywords and create customized alerts. Breaking news on
these topics will automatically reach your desktop via email as soon as a page
containing that keyword is indexed.

About Froogle If there is anything you are looking to buy, Froogle is an

extensive directory that caters to your queries. One can find products in the
following categories: Apparel & Accessories, Arts and entertainment, Auto &
Vehicles, Baby, Books, Music & Video, Business & industry, Computers,
Electronics, Flowers, Food & Gourmet, Health & Personal Care, Home &
Garden, Office, Sports & Outdoors, Toys & Games. This list is further divided
into various sub categories. Froogle is a very useful tool for shopping. The listing
is enormous and all major players are listed.

There are a number of other tools and services available on Google, which offer
complete search solutions for everybody's web needs. For complete information,
visit www.google.com

Article Last Updated: 19th February 2004 Email this page

Related Reading:

• http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en

• http://www.google.com/help/refinesearch.html

• http://www.google.com/help/features.html#link

• http://www.google.com/help/index.html

Disclaimer: We are in no way affiliated to or endorsed by Google. This article

lists various aspects of Google search as applicable this day i.e. 19th of February
2004. As Google may change search procedures without notice, we do not lay any
claim to the accuracy of this information hereafter. Please check the latest
procedures on the Google site
 © Copyright 2006, RedAlkemi

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