How to get better search results in Google

Image: Andy Wolber/TechRepublic (Screenshot: Google.com)

A keyword hunt connected Google.com tin beryllium a large mode to larn much astir galore topics. Enter a fewer presumption and person results successful nether a 2nd oregon so. Typically, the displayed results volition either springiness you the reply you question oregon supply a nexus to a applicable page.

But erstwhile you privation to research a taxable successful depth, you tin amended the usefulness of your results with a fewer elemental hunt techniques. For example, I was helping a non-profit enactment place imaginable lawsuit absorption bundle solutions. The basal hunt of the 3 keywords returned much than 2 cardinal results. A fewer hunt refinements narrowed the results to conscionable implicit 76,000.

The pursuing five-step attack volition assistance you refine your hunt with the usage of quotes to radical terms, combined with methodical exclusion and inclusion of keywords.

1. Adjust Google hunt settings

For superior searching, I suggest you modify your default Google hunt preferences (Figure A). While connected Google.com successful a desktop-class browser, prime Settings (lower close corner) past Search Settings. In astir organizational environments, I urge the pursuing adjustments:

• Enable SafeSearch to exclude explicit contented from the results,
• Adjust the fig of results per leafage to 50 to show a important fig of results,
• Select "Do not amusement fashionable searches" to trim the interaction of trending topics, and
• Select the "Open each selected effect successful a caller browser window" truthful you whitethorn research links without having to repeatedly re-enter your search.

Scroll to the bottommost of the leafage and prime Save aft you marque these changes.

Figure A

In astir organizational settings, I suggest you marque a fewer changes to the default Google Search Settings, specified arsenic turning connected SafeSearch and mounting the fig of results per leafage to 50.

2. Put hunt keyword phrase(s) successful quotes

When you participate your archetypal search, enactment quotes astir keywords to bespeak a circumstantial operation (Figure B). In my example, results for 3 keywords with nary quotes (i.e., lawsuit absorption software) instrumentality much than 6 cardinal results. Why? Because a leafage lone needs to person immoderate 1 of those 3 presumption connected it to merit inclusion. Results for the 3 keywords placed successful quotes (i.e., "case absorption software") requires a leafage to incorporate these 3 circumstantial words successful sequence. In this example, the usage of quotes narrows the fig of results to a small little than 2.3 million. 

You whitethorn usage aggregate sets of quotes to instrumentality links to pages that incorporate some phrases (e.g., "quantum computing" "quantum supremacy").

Review the returned results — each the mode to the bottommost of the page. If you observe respective results that are not what you want, marque a enactment of communal keywords successful these unwanted results.

Figure B

Put quotes astir keywords to hunt for a circumstantial phrase.

3. Exclude definite results with -

Next, modify your hunt a bit. After your archetypal keyword operation (or phrases) successful quotes, adhd a - followed by a connection you noted successful the undesirable results. In my example, "case absorption software" returned galore results related to systems utilized by instrumentality firms. So, I extended my hunt to exclude results with 2 keywords (e.g., -legal -law). This reduced the fig of results to astir 240,000 (Figure C) — astir 10% of the fig of pages returned erstwhile I utilized lone the three-keyword operation successful quotes.

Again, reappraisal the afloat leafage of returned results. If you inactive find galore non-desirable pages, repetition the exclusion process again with an further - followed by a communal unwanted keyword.

Figure C

Review the archetypal acceptable of results, past modify your hunt to exclude pages with keywords not applicable to the pages you want. Use a - awesome successful beforehand of a word to exclude pages with a keyword, arsenic shown (e.g., -legal -law).

4. Require results with +

To refine the results further, adhd a keyword whose beingness increases the likelihood that a leafage volition beryllium relevant. In my example, since I sought bundle for the non-profit community, I added +non-profit arsenic an further word successful my hunt (Figure D). Now, each leafage returned needed to person the keyword "non-profit" connected it successful immoderate fashion. This changed the fig of results from 240,000 successful the anterior measurement to somewhat much than 76,000.

Again, reappraisal the full archetypal results page. If needed, adhd immoderate further required presumption (e.g., spot a + successful beforehand of the term). Note that you besides whitethorn spot a + successful beforehand of keywords contained wrong a punctuation (e.g., +"cloud computing") to necessitate the beingness of a phrase.

Figure D

Use + earlier a keyword to specify that results pages indispensable see that term. In this example, pages indispensable see the word non-profit owed to the past keyword (i.e., +non-profit).

5. Explore results

After you implicit the supra sequence, you should person a leafage of 50 highly applicable results to explore. I typically volition unfastened astir 10 links, reappraisal those pages, past proceed to peruse different set. Often these pages supply further links to research and besides assistance maine place keywords for further searches. I prevention pages for aboriginal reappraisal to the Chrome reading list, arsenic a Chrome bookmark oregon arsenic a nexus with a note successful Google Keep.

What hunt techniques bash you use?

When I privation to research a taxable deeply, I besides thin to hunt different sources. Wikipedia serves arsenic a coagulated starting constituent for galore topics, particularly erstwhile pages person elaborate "see also," "references" and "further reading" sections with links. Twitter searches assistance maine find radical who tweet astir topics via "top" and "most recent" searches. For further resources, I hunt with DuckDuckGo, Mojeek oregon Qwant to entree antithetic sets of results.

What hunt techniques bash you usage erstwhile you privation to larn much astir a topic? What hunt tips bash you counsel radical successful your enactment use? Let maine cognize however you find applicable accusation — either with a remark beneath oregon connected Twitter (@awolber). 

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