10 Ways To Save Time Searching Google
Do you know about Google Search Operators? These are characters or words that narrow down your search query to get much more specific results. For example a favourite of mine – NOT. Example looking for events NOT concerts. You could also do the opposite to save yourself a second search by using AND. Here you could put Galaxy 6 AND 7 if you wanted to find out more about both models.
HUGE SECRET – You can use these in your LinkedIn Advanced Searches too. For example let’s say you wanted to find high level executive secretaries. Normally they work for the head honcho. The problem is that people describe their titles differently which means you’d have to do a heck of a lot of searches. Instead try this: Include in job titles that include EA OR PA OR Executive Assistant OR Executive Secretary. Next select keywords that include CEO OR Chief Operating Officer OR MD OR Managing Director. This means in one search result in Linkedin will give you one search result with all these title variations instead of having to do many searches.
Now moving on; Google Search Operators aren’t limited to just the words AND, OR, NOT. Here is a quick list of other Google search operators that you might find handy.
One important note before you try these operators Don’t put spaces between the symbol or word and your search term. A search for site:debbiespeaks.com will work, but site: debbiespeaks.com won’t.
- Search social media - Put @ in front of a word to search social media. For example: @Instagram.
- Find a price - Put $ in front of a number. For example: car $5000.
- Search hashtags - Put # in front of a word. For example: #Auckland
- Exclude words from your search - Put - in front of a word you want to leave out. For example, Stew Recipe -Mushrooms
- Find for an exact match - Put a word or phrase inside quotes. For example, "Rome Oldest Building".
- Search for wildcards or unknown words - Put a * in your word or phrase where you want to leave a placeholder. For example, "Smallest * in the world". (Note - this also works in Excel and databases)
- Search within a range of numbers - Put .. between two numbers. For example, iPhone $50..$100.
- Limit your search to a specific domain or location. This is one I use all the time when I want search results only from NZ websites. For a domain put "site:" in front of the domain. For example, site:facebook.com. To limit it to one country use site:.nz or site:.gov. Also to get details about a site - put "info:" in front of the site address.
- Search for related sites - put "related:" in front of a web address you already know. For example, related:ebay.com.
- See the older version of a site - put "cache:" in front of the site address.
P.S. For a list of the search operators look here. https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/2466433?hl=en
Debbie Mayo-Smith aka Ms Effective is one of New Zealand’s most sought after motivational speakers and trainers. Debbie gives speeches, seminars and trains on technology and personal productivity.