Google searches offer endless possibilities that will make you get the best results. The Google platform handles billions of searches per day, but how many of those searches actually help people find what they are looking for?
However, any user may use a variety of tools and methods to help filter down the millions of search results into something more manageable. As a result, this time we’ll give you some pointers on how to get the most out of your Google searches.
The most useful shortcuts to do your searches on Google
Searching the web can be a real headache, considering that each one can return billions of results. Fortunately, Google offers a host of shortcuts and other tricks to find what you want quickly and efficiently, on any platform. You just have to know the correct commands, so let’s go over them one by one:
- Exact match
- You can search for an exact word or phrase using quotation marks to get results that include the words you want to find.
- Excluding words, If you want to search by excluding a specific word, simply place a hyphen or a minus symbol in front of the word in question to remove it from the results.
- The so-called Wildcards
Use the * symbol if you are looking for a specific result, but cannot remember one or more keywords. This is especially useful if you are trying to find the title of a movie, book, or song. It can also be used to search for relative word forms (phone will include searches for smartphones, phones, cell phones, etc.).
Combined searches Use the “Or” command to combine two terms in one search. For example, if you want to perform a search on an app for mobile phones or computers, you would have to type “smartphones OR computers” in the search engine.
Search for synonyms Types a tilde (tilde of the letter Ñ) before a keyword to get results that include all possible synonyms for the word in question.
Number Range on Google
Place a colon between two numeric values to search within a range of numbers. You can also combine this with currency symbols to establish a price range.
Search by file type Do you want to get files or documents in a specific format? Well, Google also offers you the possibility to do it. Just use the file: command to limit the results to an exact file type.
Search a specific website Did you know that you can skip the search section of any website just by using Google? Use the “site:” command to limit your search results to only UrbanTecno material if you’re searching for an accurate result on, say, this website. You can also get more information about a website by prefixing the URL with info:
Other tools and instant answers
Google Search is a smart cookie, so much so that it sometimes answers your questions without having to click on a website link. Instant responses are probably the most common boxes you’ll see, as they basically pull text from websites to answer frequent queries. Some are simple one-box answers, others will display a drop-down list of common questions with their respective answers.
However, what should really interest those who search on Google, are the interactive boxes that can be used with specific terms. These tools can often be useful enough that you don’t need to open a different app, as Google will do the work for you. And then we show you some of the most practical:
Calculator: Search for “calculator” or write an equation and it will be available.
Define Words: Type the “define” command followed by a word or phrase for a dictionary definition.
Conversions: Use the structure [unit 1] to [unit 2] to display a conversion calculator. This applies to coins, time, distance, speed, weight, temperature, and much more.
Timer or stopwatch: Write a timer or stopwatch, as the case may be.
Maps, transport, and flights: With the query structure [location 1] to [location 2] Google Maps will show you the transport options and if the locations are in different countries, you will also see the flight information from Google.
Voice Search and Google Assistant
Why not chat with Google Assistant? You can search Google with your voice on any device with internet access and a microphone. Simply choose the Search by Voice icon from the main Google search bar.
In addition, for the best voice search experience, it is best to use a device that supports Google Assistant, so you only have to use the “Ok Google” command for the Assistant to do the searches for you.
Google Search is one of the most useful tools on the entire web, both on mobile devices and computers. It will certainly continue to grow over time with new tips and features to help advanced users find the exact results of the information they are looking for.