There are ways to find what you are looking for faster in Google. Sometimes it works the same as in databases, but there are also search tips specific to Google. These 10 tips will help you Google smarter:
Tip 1. Phrase search
Useful when searching for compound search terms (e.g. "fast fashion"). This allows you to search only for the word combination, not for the individual words.
Tip 2. OR
The OR operator allows you to find and search results that contain one word or the other, or both. If you search for maple OR ahorn, you will find results that contain either maple or ahorn. This allows you to broaden your search and reduces the chance of missing information.
Tip 3. Exclude
If you put a minus sign (-) in front of a word in Google (cat - kitten), this word will not appear in your search results. In this example, the word kitten will not appear in your search results.
Tip 4. Range
With ... you search for all numbers in the number range. The example 2020...2025 elections therefore also show results for the 2023 Dutch general election.
Tip 5. Site:
Using site: will limit your search to that website. In the example above, you will find search results within the website decorrespondent.com about Rotterdam.
Tip 6. Filetype:
With filetype: you can search for specific filetypes. The example above shows only PDF documents on the subject of e-health in Google search results. With this command, you can also search for other filetypes such as jpg or docx.
Tip 7. Related:
Use related: to search for similar websites. The example above shows websites that, like ec.europa.eu/eurostat, contain statistical information about the EU.
Tip 8. @
Search social media by placing an @ before a word. The example above shows how to find posts on Instagram containing the words "school canteens healthy".
Tip 9. Combine
You can combine the above tips in your search query for even more specific search results.
Tip 10. Advanced search
You can also use 'advanced search' in Google. Google even has a very extensive menu where you can find even more tips to Google smarter. You can find the advanced menu under Settings.