You can easily improve your Google search results with a few tips and tricks.
Sometimes, I like to search in a new incognito window, as this gives you the perspective of a user without any search history. This is the best way to test your keywords to see what articles rank on the first page before you write an article on a similar topic.
Google Advanced Search
The easiest way is to navigate to the Google home page and then click on “Settings” (bottom right corner) and then “Advanced Search”
This will give you an interactive online form to help you find more precise search results.
Google Search Refinements
Alternatively, you can search with keywords and some of the following refinements:
A plus sign (+) between two search terms results in pages where both terms appear.
Use a minus sign (-) to remove any results you don’t want to appear. The results will show anything with the first term but not the second with the minus symbol.
Filetype: search by filetype using the 3-letter file abbreviation, e.g. PDF, PPT, XLS. I find this a handy technique to find specific PDF reports or ebooks.
Double quotations can be used to include a specific phrase or words in a set order.
Site: allows you to search for the keywords on a specific website. You can use this with social media, as well, for example, Instagram.com.
Related: find other related sites to ones you already know
Cache: to find the previous version of a website
An asterisk (*) is also known as a wildcard that allows you to match a variety of words.
What are some of the handy tips you use for quicker and more accurate Google Searches?
Thank you to Google for hosting the free training session.
