In a matter of a couple of short years, the Google.com search
engine has become the world's favorite way to find what they're
looking for online.
Now, most of you who are reading this are saying "Duh", but
let me ask you this: Do you REALLY know how to use Google and
get the most out of this incredible search technology?
Hopefully, these tips will help you find EXACTLY what you want
the next time you head on over to "Google Land" and start
searching.
To start, unlike most search engines, Google does not care if
your search term is in UPPER or lower case. In fact, it can
even be MiXeD case and the search results will be identical
no matter how you type in your term.
The Google GOLDEN Rule: BE SPECIFIC!
When using the Google search engine, you must be specific in
what you ask and HOW you ask it to get the results you desire.
How do you be specific?
Let's say you are interested in finding out more about the
field of Direct Response Marketing. To search for that exact
phrase you put "quotes" around the phrase like this: "direct
response marketing". This forces Google to cough up search
results with those exact words in that specific order, only.
If you didn't use quotes and just typed in direct response
marketing, you would get results that included the words:
direct, response and marketing mixed in with the MORE SPECIFIC
results of the precise phrase "direct response marketing".
(BTW.......for those of you who are used to searching by
putting the word "and" between all your search words, with
Google, it's not necessary. Google automatically "thinks"
like that by default.)
You can use the "or" feature on Google. For example:
"direct response marketing" or "direct response advertising"
and you will get combined results for both exact phrases.
The word "or" can be replaced with the "pipe" ( | ) symbol
(the symbol above the "\" forward slash on your keyboard) to
achieve the same results.
Now, let's say you want to search for articles written about the
subject of Direct Response Marketing. You can use the Google
"require" feature and have a specific word included in the
search just by adding a "+" sign in front of the keyword you
want included.. For example you would type:
"direct response marketing" +articles and the results would
give you articles about Direct Response Marketing.
You can also "exclude" a certain word from your searches by
using the "-" (minus sign) like: "direct response marketing"
-fees which would give results about Direct Response
Marketing excluding "fees".
Whenever you can, try to combine these three symbols (quotes,
plus and minus signs) into a single search to give you even
more targeted results.
Now, go practice on Google using these simple tips and meet us
back here next time for Part Two when we offer tips about some
of the more "advanced" and "juicy" features you can implement
to get the most out of your searches on the world's most
frequently used search engine: Google.com
Andrew Wroblewski and Steve Robichaud have been helping
people and businesses learn how to effectively use the
power of the internet since Moby Dick was a minnow.
To contact them and/or to learn more visit or write:
http://www2.direct-response-marketing.net
email: mailto:admin@direct-response-marketing.net
Source: Steve Robichaud and Andrew Wroblewski
License: Creative Commons - No Derivatives