{"id":11967,"date":"2024-12-27T16:45:19","date_gmt":"2024-12-27T16:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/"},"modified":"2024-12-27T16:45:19","modified_gmt":"2024-12-27T16:45:19","slug":"21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/","title":{"rendered":"21 Google Search Tips to Find Exactly What You Want"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Here are 21 Google search tips that will help you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Refine your searches to get the right answers faster<\/li>\n<li>Search the web without typing a query<\/li>\n<li>Discover cool things you never knew Google could do<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>At the end, we\u2019ll also show you how you can get <strong>your<\/strong> site to appear in more Google\u2019s search results.<\/p>\n<p>(Spoiler alert\u2014it involves something called search engine optimization, or SEO.)<\/p>\n<p>But first, the tips.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#1_Familiarize_Yourself_with_the_Basics\" >1. Familiarize Yourself with the Basics<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#2_Filter_Your_Results\" >2. Filter Your Results<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#3_Search_Within_Websites\" >3. Search Within Websites<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#4_Perform_a_Reverse_Image_Search\" >4. Perform a Reverse Image Search<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#5_Search_with_Your_Voice\" >5. Search with Your Voice<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#6_Get_a_Direct_Answer\" >6. Get a Direct Answer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#7_Find_Exact_Match_Results\" >7. Find Exact Match Results<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#8_Exclude_Certain_Results\" >8. Exclude Certain Results<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#9_Find_Files\" >9. Find Files<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#10_Run_an_Advanced_Search\" >10. Run an Advanced Search<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#11_Turn_On_Dark_Mode\" >11. Turn On Dark Mode<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#12_Manage_Explicit_Results\" >12. Manage Explicit Results<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#13_Do_Math\" >13. Do Math<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#14_Convert_Units_of_Measurement\" >14. Convert Units of Measurement<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#15_Convert_Currencies\" >15. Convert Currencies<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#16_Start_a_Timer_or_a_Stopwatch\" >16. Start a Timer or a Stopwatch<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#17_Activate_a_Bubble_Level\" >17. Activate a Bubble Level<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#18_Set_Up_Search_Alerts\" >18. Set Up Search Alerts<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#19_Track_Packages\" >19. Track Packages<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#20_Play_Games\" >20. Play Games<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#21_Discover_Easter_Eggs\" >21. Discover Easter Eggs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/27\/21-google-search-tips-to-find-exactly-what-you-want-2\/#Make_Google_Search_Work_for_You\" >Make Google Search Work for You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Familiarize_Yourself_with_the_Basics\"><\/span>1. Familiarize Yourself with the Basics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To do a Google search, launch your browser, navigate to the search engine, and type what you\u2019re looking for into the search bar.<\/p>\n<p>Alternatively, if Google is your browser\u2019s default search engine, type your query into your browser\u2019s address bar.<\/p>\n<p>You can type:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Words<\/strong> (like \u201celectrolysis\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Phrases<\/strong> (like \u201celectrolysis process\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Questions<\/strong> (like \u201cwhat is electrolysis\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You don\u2019t need to type in full sentences.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"homepage-vs-browser-search\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.55285714285714\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/homepage-vs-browser-search.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Then, hit \u201c<strong>Enter<\/strong>\u201d or \u201c<strong>return<\/strong>\u201d on your keyboard to run the search.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Don\u2019t worry about your spelling or grammar.<\/strong> Google is good at autocorrecting misspelled queries.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"misspelled-search\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.62285714285714\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/misspelled-search.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>After you run your search, Google will display relevant results. Use the tabs at the top to see only certain types of results.<\/p>\n<p>For example, click \u201c<strong>Images<\/strong>\u201d to view only image results, or \u201c<strong>News<\/strong>\u201d to view results from news sites:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"images-vs-news-results\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.47428571428571\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/images-vs-news-results.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Google may also display topics at the top of the search results. Click them to add to your query and narrow your search:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"related-topics\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.23714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/related-topics.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>For example, clicking the \u201cwomen\u2019s\u201d topic that Google displays on the <a title=\"What Are SERPs &amp; Why Are They Important for SEO?\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/serps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">search engine results page<\/a> for \u201ccute shoes\u201d will update the search query to \u201cwomen\u2019s cute shoes\u201d:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"updated-search-query\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.57571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/updated-search-query.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Filter_Your_Results\"><\/span>2. Filter Your Results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Filter the results to see only those published within a certain period or that match your query word for word.<\/p>\n<p>To do this, click the \u201c<strong>Tools<\/strong>\u201d option at the top of the Google search results. \u201c<strong>Any time<\/strong>\u201d and \u201c<strong>All results<\/strong>\u201d drop-down menus will appear.<\/p>\n<p>Click \u201c<strong>Any time<\/strong>\u201d to filter for results published within the last hour, 24 hours, week, month, or year. Or within a date range of your choice.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"filter-by-time\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.69142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/filter-by-time.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Click \u201cAll results\u201d to choose whether to see all results or only verbatim ones that closely (or exactly) match your search query.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you\u2019re searching for a person named \u201cRob Downey,\u201d turning on the \u201c<strong>Verbatim<\/strong>\u201d filter ensures you get results for people named Rob Downey.<\/p>\n<p>And not Robert Downey Jr., the actor.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"verbatim-results-comparison\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.49285714285714\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/verbatim-results-comparison.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Search_Within_Websites\"><\/span>3. Search Within Websites<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Add \u201csite:[domain]\u201d to your search query to view results from a specific site.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"google-serp-tools-site-backlinko\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1.2842857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-serp-tools-site-backlinko.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>This Google search tip also works for viewing results from specific site <a title=\"Subdomain vs. Subdirectory: What They Are &amp; Which Is Better for SEO\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/blog\/subdomain-vs-subdirectory\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">subdirectories<\/a>, like \u201c[domain]\/blog\u201d:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"google-serp-tools-site-backlinko-blog\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1.3257142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-serp-tools-site-backlinko-blog.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong> Use other <a title=\"Google search operators\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/blog\/google-search-operators\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google search operators<\/a> to further refine your search and find exactly what you\u2019re looking for.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Perform_a_Reverse_Image_Search\"><\/span>4. Perform a Reverse Image Search<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A <a title=\"How to Do a Reverse Image Search: A Step-by-Step Guide\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/reverse-image-search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">reverse image search<\/a> uses an image to look for information. It\u2019s helpful for learning about something you have a picture of but don\u2019t know the name of.<\/p>\n<p>Run a reverse image search in Google by clicking the camera icon at the right of the search bar.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"search-image\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.45\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/search-image.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Upload your image to Google, or paste an image link into the provided field. Then click \u201c<strong>Search<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Google will analyze your image and suggest relevant results.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"image search results\" alt=\"image search results\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.91714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2018\/03\/image-search-results-1.png\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Search_with_Your_Voice\"><\/span>5. Search with Your Voice<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you can\u2019t type your query, do a voice search\u2014where you speak your query.<\/p>\n<p>Select the microphone icon at the right of the search bar:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"voice-search\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.45\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/voice-search.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Let Google access your microphone if prompted. Then, say your query out loud.<\/p>\n<p>Google will transcribe your speech and search for what you said. If the transcription is inaccurate, correct it and rerun the search.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Get_a_Direct_Answer\"><\/span>6. Get a Direct Answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google has partnered with other sites to provide answers to certain types of queries directly on the results page. As a result, you don\u2019t have to click a search result to get an answer.<\/p>\n<p>This is useful when you just want a straightforward answer. Like a stock price:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"stock-price-search\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.92714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/stock-price-search.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Try these Google search hacks for triggering direct answers:<\/p>\n<div class=\"table-responsive\">\n<table class=\"table table-primary table-striped table-hover\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th scope=\"col\">To Get a Direct Answer for:<\/th>\n<th scope=\"col\">Use This Query:<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"To Get a Direct Answer for:\">Weather in a certain place<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Use This Query:\">\u201cWeather in [country or city]\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"To Get a Direct Answer for:\">Time in a certain place<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Use This Query:\">\u201cTime in [country or city]\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"To Get a Direct Answer for:\">Stock prices<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Use This Query:\">\u201c[Stock ticker symbol] price\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\" data-before=\"To Get a Direct Answer for:\">Definitions<\/td>\n<td data-before=\"Use This Query:\">\u201cDefine [word]\u201d or \u201c[word] meaning\u201d<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-note.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Direct answers are different from <a title=\"Featured Snippets: What Are They and How to Get Them\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/featured-snippets\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">featured snippets<\/a> and <a title=\"AI Overviews: What They Are and How to Optimize for Them\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/ai-overviews\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AI Overviews<\/a>. Like direct answers, featured snippets and AI Overviews offer answers directly on the search results page. But featured snippets contain information extracted from sites, while AI Overviews contain AI-generated information.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-note.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Find_Exact_Match_Results\"><\/span>7. Find Exact Match Results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Enclose your search query in double quotation marks to view results that contain your query <strong>exactly as it appears<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>This Google search tip is helpful for looking up the sources of quotes.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you want to check which blog post provided this advice: \u201cYou should never pay for dofollow backlinks.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Doing a Google search for that line without quotation marks may get you results with some words missing or in a different order:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"close-match-results\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.83714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/close-match-results.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>But rerun the search with quotation marks, and you\u2019ll get the sentence\u2019s source right away:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"exact-match-results\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.68857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/exact-match-results.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Exclude_Certain_Results\"><\/span>8. Exclude Certain Results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Add a minus sign before certain words to exclude results with these words from the search results.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s an example:<\/p>\n<p>Searching for \u201ccaterpillar\u201d usually gets you information on the Caterpillar construction equipment manufacturer.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"construction-results\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.83714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/construction-results.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>To get information on the insect, instead, search for \u201ccaterpillar -construction\u201d:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"excluded-results\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.80571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/excluded-results.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Another Google search tip is adding the minus sign before the \u201csite:\u201d operator to exclude a certain website from the results.<\/p>\n<p>For example, to find mentions of your brand on any site except yours, search for \u201c[your brand name] -site:[your domain].\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"google-serp-backlinko-site-backlinko\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1.1485714285714\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-serp-backlinko-site-backlinko.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Find_Files\"><\/span>9. Find Files<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Get only results with a certain file format by adding \u201cfiletype:[file format]\u201d to your search query. Supported formats include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>pdf:<\/strong> For PDF files<\/li>\n<li><strong>doc:<\/strong> For Microsoft Word documents<\/li>\n<li><strong>xls:<\/strong> For Microsoft Excel spreadsheets<\/li>\n<li><strong>ppt:<\/strong> For Microsoft PowerPoint slides<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you\u2019re looking for a PDF document for example, search \u201c[document name] filetype:pdf.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"pdf-search\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.92714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/pdf-search.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Run_an_Advanced_Search\"><\/span>10. Run an Advanced Search<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>An advanced search gets you results that meet requirements like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Containing all of a certain selection of words<\/li>\n<li>Containing none of certain selection of words<\/li>\n<li>Being in a certain language<\/li>\n<li>Originating from a certain country<\/li>\n<li>Having certain usage rights<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To run an advanced search, do a regular Google search first. Then, select \u201c<strong>Tools<\/strong>\u201d &gt; \u201c<strong>Advanced Search<\/strong>\u201d on the search results page.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"advanced-search\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.28857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/advanced-search.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Fill out the advanced search fields as required, then hit the \u201c<strong>Advanced Search<\/strong>\u201d button to run the search.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"advanced-search-settings\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.67428571428571\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/advanced-search-settings.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"11_Turn_On_Dark_Mode\"><\/span>11. Turn On Dark Mode<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google offers a dark mode feature for doing searches in a dark-colored interface.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"dark-mode-serp\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.90714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dark-mode-serp.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Turning on dark mode may reduce eye strain. It may also decrease blue light exposure, which can make it easier to sleep after spending a lot of time in front of a screen.<\/p>\n<p>Google automatically enables dark mode if this is your device\u2019s default setting. Learn how to change your device\u2019s color settings here:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Change colors in Windows - Microsoft Support\" href=\"https:\/\/support.microsoft.com\/en-us\/windows\/change-colors-in-windows-d26ef4d6-819a-581c-1581-493cfcc005fe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enable dark mode for a Windows computer<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Use a light or dark appearance on your Mac - Apple Support\" href=\"https:\/\/support.apple.com\/en-us\/guide\/mac-help\/mchl52e1c2d2\/mac\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enable dark mode for a Mac computer<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Change to dark or color mode on your Android device\" href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/android\/answer\/9730472\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enable dark mode for an Android device<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Use Dark Mode on your iPhone and iPad - Apple Support\" href=\"https:\/\/support.apple.com\/en-us\/108350\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enable dark mode for an iPhone or iPad<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Alternatively, if your device\u2019s color setting is light mode, here\u2019s how to enable dark mode for a one-off Google search:<\/p>\n<p>From your desktop device, go to the Google homepage. Select \u201c<strong>Settings<\/strong>\u201d at the bottom right and then \u201c<strong>Dark theme: Off<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"turn-off-dark-mode\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.85714285714286\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/turn-off-dark-mode.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>If you\u2019re using a mobile device, the \u201c<strong>Dark theme: Off<\/strong>\u201d option will appear directly at the bottom of the Google homepage.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"dark-mode-mobile\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1.8666666666667\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/dark-mode-mobile.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"12_Manage_Explicit_Results\"><\/span>12. Manage Explicit Results<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Adjust Google\u2019s SafeSearch settings to control whether you see search results containing adult content and graphic violence.<\/p>\n<p>Click the gear icon at the top right of the search results. Then click on \u201c<strong>SafeSearch<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"safe-search-on\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1.0871428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/safe-search-on.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>You\u2019ll see three settings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Filter:<\/strong> Exclude explicit results entirely<\/li>\n<li><strong>Blur:<\/strong> Blur explicit images but not explicit text or links<\/li>\n<li><strong>Off:<\/strong> Don\u2019t censor any results<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Click your preferred option. Google will save your choice and apply it to all future searches.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-note.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> You may not be able to change your SafeSearch settings if your network administrator has locked them.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-note.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"13_Do_Math\"><\/span>13. Do Math<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google can help with math calculations.<\/p>\n<p>If your calculation involves simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division, type it into Google\u2019s search bar and run the search.<\/p>\n<p>The search results page will show the answer.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"math-search\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.72142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/math-search.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>To perform more complex calculations involving trigonometric functions, logarithms, and more, search for \u201ccalculator.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Google will give you a scientific calculator you can use.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"google-calculator\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.71857142857143\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-calculator.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14_Convert_Units_of_Measurement\"><\/span>14. Convert Units of Measurement<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Convert units of measurement by searching \u201c[number] [source unit of measurement] in [desired unit of measurement].\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>6\u20192 in cm<\/li>\n<li>100 kg in pounds<\/li>\n<li>25 deg c in kelvin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"convert-units\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.59428571428571\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/convert-units.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"15_Convert_Currencies\"><\/span>15. Convert Currencies<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google \u201c[number] [source currency] to [desired currency]\u201d to convert currencies using the real-time exchange rate.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll also see a chart of the exchange rate\u2019s movements over time. Hover your cursor over the chart to learn the exchange rate on different days.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"currency-conversion-search\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.75428571428571\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/currency-conversion-search.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"16_Start_a_Timer_or_a_Stopwatch\"><\/span>16. Start a Timer or a Stopwatch<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Search for \u201ctimer [duration]\u201d to have Google start counting down from that duration automatically.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"google-timer\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.65142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-timer.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Click \u201c<strong>Stop<\/strong>\u201d if you need to pause the timer and \u201c<strong>Reset<\/strong>\u201d to reset it.<\/p>\n<p>Alternatively, search for \u201cstopwatch\u201d to get a stopwatch. Activate it by clicking \u201c<strong>Start<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"google-stopwatch\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.65142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-stopwatch.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<div class=\"sc-quote alert blue-box font-georgia type-normal transparent-img-bg\">\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-sm-down\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">        <\/figure>\n<div class=\"media-body\">\n<blockquote class=\"sc-quote\">\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> Check your device\u2019s sound levels if you don\u2019t hear the timer go off.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"media\">\n<figure class=\"sc-picture media-left hidden-md-up\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/06\/icon-tip.png\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"| Craig Hordlow\">                <\/figure>\n<p>                                <cite class=\"sc-name media-body media-middle\"><br \/>\n                                    <\/cite>\n            <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"17_Activate_a_Bubble_Level\"><\/span>17. Activate a Bubble Level<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google offers a built-in level tool\u2014also known as a bubble or spirit level\u2014on mobile devices. It provides a rough guide of how horizontal or vertical a surface is.<\/p>\n<p>This Google search tip is helpful when you need to see whether that new shelf you\u2019ve installed is straight, but you don\u2019t have a level handy.<\/p>\n<p>Use it by searching for \u201cbubble level\u201d or \u201cspirit level\u201d on your mobile device. Then, tap \u201c<strong>Touch to activate<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"google-bubble-level\" data-aspect-ratio=\"1.2418604651163\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-bubble-level.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>If prompted, grant Google access to your device\u2019s motion and orientation sensors.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"18_Set_Up_Search_Alerts\"><\/span>18. Set Up Search Alerts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Get notifications whenever there are new results for a Google search query.<\/p>\n<p>For example, you can set up an alert for every time someone publishes a post that includes your name or your brand. Or topics relevant to you, like \u201cvegan recipes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To do so, go to <a title=\"Google Alerts - Monitor the Web for interesting new content\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/alerts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Alerts<\/a> and type the query you want to monitor into the \u201c<strong>Create an alert about\u2026<\/strong>\u201d field.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll see sample results for your alert.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"google-alerts\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.95142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-alerts.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Click \u201c<strong>Show options<\/strong>\u201d to configure settings like how often you want to receive notifications and the results\u2019 language and quality.<\/p>\n<p>Then, click \u201c<strong>Create Alert<\/strong>\u201d to finish the setup. Google will start alerting you of new results at your preferred frequency.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"create-google-alert\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.95571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/create-google-alert.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"19_Track_Packages\"><\/span>19. Track Packages<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google can provide shipping updates for packages delivered by UPS, FedEx, and other supported shipping providers.<\/p>\n<p>Just search for \u201c[shipping provider] package tracking.\u201d Provide your package\u2019s tracking number and click \u201c<strong>Track via [shipping provider]<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"package-tracking\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.58428571428571\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/package-tracking.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Google will display your package\u2019s shipping status right there in the search results.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"20_Play_Games\"><\/span>20. Play Games<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You can play certain games directly from Google\u2019s search results page.<\/p>\n<p>This is less of a Google search tip and more of a fun way to use Google.<\/p>\n<p>To play games, search \u201cminesweeper,\u201d \u201csnake,\u201d \u201cpac man,\u201d \u201csolitaire,\u201d or \u201ctic tac toe\u201d to load the relevant game:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"minesweeper-game\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.79\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/minesweeper-game.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Alternatively, you can play a text adventure where you\u2019ll get a scenario in text format. And your response\u2014also in text format\u2014affects what happens next.<\/p>\n<p>Try it by searching for \u201ctext adventure.\u201d Then right-click the search results page and select \u201c<strong>Inspect<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"inspect-code\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.59428571428571\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/inspect-code.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Your browser\u2019s developer tools will appear. Navigate to the \u201c<strong>Console<\/strong>\u201d tab.<\/p>\n<p>Under the large \u201cWarning!\u201d heading in the console\u2019s messages, you\u2019ll see a question: \u201cWould you like to play a game?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And two response options: \u201cYes\u201d or \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"console-game\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.46142857142857\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/console-game.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Scroll to the bottom of the console log, type your response, and then hit \u201c<strong>Enter<\/strong>\u201d or \u201c<strong>return<\/strong>\u201d on your keyboard to start playing.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"21_Discover_Easter_Eggs\"><\/span>21. Discover Easter Eggs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You\u2019ll sometimes find special messages or features on the Google search results for certain queries.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some examples:<\/p>\n<p>Search for fonts like \u201cCalibri,\u201d \u201cComic Sans MS,\u201d and \u201cCourier font,\u201d and Google will display results in the respective font.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"courier-font\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.59428571428571\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/courier-font.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Ask Google \u201cthe answer to life, the universe, and everything\u201d and it will reply \u201c42\u201d\u2014which is a supercomputer\u2019s reply to the same question in \u201cThe Hitchhiker\u2019s Guide to the Galaxy,\u201d a science fiction book by Douglas Adams.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"google-easter-egg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.71571428571429\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/google-easter-egg.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<p>Meanwhile, Google the \u201cBTS\u201d Korean boy band and you\u2019ll see a purple heart near the top left of the search results page.<\/p>\n<p>Select the heart, and purple balloons will appear on the screen. Click them to pop them. The balloons containing microphones reveal messages from BTS\u2019s band members when popped.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"backlinko-image__screenshot backlinko-image backlinko-has-border\">\n<div class=\"backlinko-img-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"bts-easter-egg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"0.56285714285714\" src=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/app\/uploads\/2024\/12\/bts-easter-egg.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"| Craig Hordlow\"><\/p><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Make_Google_Search_Work_for_You\"><\/span>Make Google Search Work for You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Applying this list of Google search tricks will get you more relevant answers to your questions\u2014and quicker, to boot. Some of these tips also make Googling more fun.<\/p>\n<p>But apart from learning how to search on Google effectively for others\u2019 pages, how would you like <strong>your <\/strong>pages to appear in Google\u2019s search results?<\/p>\n<p><strong>You can appear higher for relevant search queries by using <a title=\"What is SEO? Search Engine Optimization In Plain English\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/hub\/seo\/what-is-seo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>SEO is the process of helping search engines discover and understand your site so they can display your site\u2019s pages for relevant queries.<\/p>\n<p>Optimize your site well to increase its chances of ranking higher in search results and receive <a title=\"28 Ways to Increase Traffic to Your Website\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/increase-website-traffic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">more organic traffic<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Read these guides to get a foundational knowledge of SEO:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"SEO Basics: How to Rank #1 on Google\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/seo-basics-for-beginners\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SEO Basics: How to Rank #1 on Google<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"How to Learn SEO In 2024 (In Record Time)\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/learn-seo-fast\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Learn SEO In 2024 (In Record Time)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Google\u2019s 200 Ranking Factors: The Complete List\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/google-ranking-factors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google\u2019s 200 Ranking Factors: The Complete List<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/google-search-tips\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">21 Google Search Tips to Find Exactly What You Want<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Backlinko<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here are 21 Google search tips that will help you: Refine your searches to get the right answers faster Search the web without typing a query Discover cool things you never knew Google could do At the end, we\u2019ll also show you how you can get your site to appear in more Google\u2019s search results. (Spoiler alert\u2014it involves something called search engine optimization, or SEO.) But first, the tips. 1. Familiarize Yourself with the Basics To do a Google search, launch your browser, navigate to the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":11968,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"h5ap_radio_sources":[],"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-backlinko","category-marketing-blogs"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/homepage-vs-browser-search-UiQzpf-600x400.png","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/homepage-vs-browser-search-UiQzpf-600x600.png","author_info":{"display_name":false,"author_link":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/author\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11967","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11967"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11967\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11968"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11967"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11967"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/craighordlow.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11967"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}