Just Google It has become part of our daily lives but chances are you are not using the Google machine to its full potential. Here are 10 Google search tips to help you get the most out of your search.
1. Find content within a site (that may or may not have a search function)
- Add the keywords that you want to search for within a particular site
- topic:last part of the url (abc.co.uk)
2. Find information in a certain file format
- Add filetype: format
- use xls for an excel spreadsheet, pdf, gif, png, etc.
3. Find specific keywords in the link, copy and headline
If you are searching for a term
- in the copy of the article, use intext:word
- in the headline, use intitle:word
- in the link, use inurl:word
4. Exclude or include keywords around a certain topic
Exclude certain keywords by using – and include by using +
- The search results will show articles with Jacob Zuma and laugh that exclude the word corruption and Nkandla (Google really is good)
- Use the search tool to refind your search
5.Find archived newspaper articles
Search for archived newspaper articles
- site:google.com/newspapers topic
- Add a specific date and get all the stories from that day/month/year
6. Find images you can legally use on your website
For image search, click on the search tool and select the usage terms you would like (free images that you can use)
- Play around with the size, colour, type, date and more
7. Find an image using an image
Add a url or upload an image and google will show you
- where that photo has been used
- similar photos
8. Find the exact words in order
- To find words in succession use “” (bunny ears). Google will only find articles which matches the order of keywords and NOT individual keywords
9. Google on the go. Say hello to Google voice
Click on the microphone in the search bar and ask your question
- search results will be displayed
TIP: If you don’t want to use Siri (iPhone) or can’t (Android), say “Ok Google” to activate the search engine and then ask your question.
10. If you type Google into Google you can break the internet*
*Author’s note: that last tip is not true.
Special thanks to Mich Atagana for coming to teach us about Google. You can follow her @MichAtagana.
