In today’s world, we all are Google-a-holic!
Whatever comes to our mind, if we are curious enough, we GOOGLE it.
But the question is – are we Googling properly?
To be honest – just typing keywords on the Search Engine box will yield pretty much workable results in Google and most of the other search engines for most of the people out there. They (search engines) are that much smart these days.
But not all the people need same kind of results or output.
People has different kind of expectations and different type of queries ranging from very simple to complex one. For instance, a regular query of Google on Google will show you the typical result we are habituated with.
Though, there are some special parameters that we can use to modify the Search Engine Result page and exactly get the exact information we are looking for. It saves your time from scrolling hundreds of pages to get the right and specific information.
In today’s article I am going to cover them all.
1. Find Anything Near You
Search Format: Your Desired Place, Thing, Stuff + Near Me
For Example – if you are looking for an City Bank ATM Booth around where you are standing right now; Google can detect your location and show you the nearest booth to you using the Google Maps on SERPs. If you are looking for a restaurant, book store or anything you can think of -just search it on Google with the format I mentioned above.
Here is a live example to it:
2. Make Google Your Calculator
Search Format: Type Calc on Google (It will open the Virtual Google Calculator for you) or Use the Numbers on Search Box Directly.
The Google’s Search Box calculator is too fast than you can think.
Its just you type the numbers and the signs you want to do it with – the result are instant. Like a real Casio Calculator you were using on your School.
For Example:
3. Search Anything In Voice
It’s not new. But not a lot of people are using this feature on Computer or on their Mobile Phone. Its pretty easy like Siri. Just press that Microphone Icon (right beside that big Search Box) and say anything you want to search on Google. It will show you the result based on your saying (voice keyword).
4. Get Instant Weather Updates
Search Format: weather
If your location service is one (of your Computer or Mobile Phone) – Google will instantly give you the weather updates based on your location.
5. Make Google Your Instant Pocket Dictionary
Search Format: Define + Keyword
Just type define and then the word (has no meaning to you yet) and let Google define it in detail for you. Usually Google takes the definition from Oxford Dictionary and all other related words, synonyms and antonyms. Google will also give you some sentences based on that keyword so that you can understand the meaning properly.
Here is an example:
6. Use Google As Unit Converter & Local Currency Converter
Search Format: For Currency, Number + Currency A to Currency B (Currency A is your present currency and Currency B is what you want to convert it to). For Units, Number + Unit A to Unit B.
Let me give you examples for those two so that you can understand it properly.
Currency Example:
Unit Example:
7. Let Google Find Anything From A Website
You can find anything from a specific website using Google. Let’s say you want to read only the Fever related articles from WebMD but not from the entire internet (other websites).
To instruct Google to find out this specific information you just need to follow this search format.
Search Format: site:exampledomainz.com “keyword”. (no space between site, colon sign and site name here)
By following this format I should search on Google like this –
site:webmd.com “fever”
Here is the result (see only fever related articles are filtered for you in Google):
8. Finding Related Sites You Already Love (or Hate?)
If you love a kind of websites and want to explore more of that kind of websites or niche; you can use Google to find all of them for you. Or if your client wants to see what are their present competitors; you can easily find them in just a single query. Here you go:
Search Format: related:examplesite.com
Here is the result:
No matter what industry you are looking for. You just need a website and let Google find similar websites for you.
9. Exclude Things You Don’t Want On Your Google Search
Imagine, you are a car enthusiast. You are researching about Engine Oils. Now you know Engine Oils has different grades for different types of engines and cars. So, I want to see all the articles about Engine Oils. but I want to omit articles that are specifically for German Cars. I want Engine Oil Recommendations just for Japanese cars this time. How can you do that?
Here is what we can do.
We will search Engines Oils on Google…but exclude the German Engine Oil brands like LIQUI MOLY. So here is the search format to follow:
Search Format: engine oils -german or engine oils -liquimoly (both works, just use minus sign with the word you want to omit)
10. Quote It To Get The Exact Results from Google
Search Format: “boat clubs in Miami”
Google will take this quotation mark seriously and exactly show you the results that contains the words you quoted.
Google will show you the results when your quoted words are found in the SERPs description or Title or in URL only.