It is fairly simple to look up information on the internet, one simply needs to use Google. A quick Google search can show results, however, one may end up spending a lot of time searching through obscure links. In the last three decades, Google has emerged as one of the most sought after tools to seek information.
Over the years, Google has improved its search and has also introduced a slew of features to enhance user experience. However, not many may know there are some smart ways to use Google Search that can save time and boost efficiency.
Here are a few methods to enhance the precision and clarity of your Google searches.
Locate PDF and documents
Looking for a PDF or a document online can be time consuming. With Google Search, you can search them directly, saving both time and effort. For example, if you are looking for the Microsoft Annual Report 2024. The easiest way to do so would be typing the following in the search bar – ‘Microsoft annual report 2024 filetype:pdf.’ Here the :PDF command instructs Google to display only results with the file type PDF. This can be useful for researchers, analysts, and students in locating the necessary documents.
Exclude unwanted terms with a minus sign
If you are looking for something and you want to exclude certain kinds of results, Google Search offers a way to do so. For example, if you’re looking for a marketing strategy excluding social media, you could type: ‘Marketing strategy -social media,’ and Google will display pages related to marketing strategies while omitting any results that include social media. This technique is helpful when you aim to refine your focus and prevent content duplication or unwanted topics in your search results.
Looking up content from specific website
This is particularly helpful when you seek results solely from a specific domain, like indianexpress.com, and aim to steer clear of irrelevant or low-quality sources. For instance, to locate technology news on The Indian Express website, you should type: ‘Tech site:Indianexpress(.)com.’ This command instructs Google to display results exclusively from that domain, excluding all others. It is perfect for concentrating your research and guaranteeing that you receive information straight from trusted sites.
Search by price or number ranges
When you are looking to shop phones within a specific price bracket, but the search result page shows you products without a range, use this trick to narrow your search within a set price range. Type: phones Rs 10,000..Rs 15,000. With this search google will only display phones on sale within your desired price range.
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Expand your searches with synonyms
You could expand your search results by including synonyms and related terms for a given keyword. By placing a tilde(~) directly before a word, such as by typing: healthy ~recipes Google will not only look for pages containing the word “recipes,” but also for those featuring synonyms and related phrases like “meals,” “dishes,” or “cooking” without you having to specify each one individually. This trick is especially useful when you want to broaden your research to include a variety of relevant results.
Google is currently the most popular search engine, serving various purposes from purchasing tickets to seeking information. The search engine reportedly receives 5.9 million searches each minutes, and many users struggle to sort through all the information. With these easy tips, you can organise your Google search experience.
