Typically, when a brand becomes the unofficial name for a product or service, it’s because it was the first of its kind. Examples: tissues are commonly called Kleenex, and a handheld cordless vacuum is referred to as a Dustbuster. Both were the first in their respective product categories and have become the “nickname” for all others like it.
However, Google Search wasn’t the first or last in the online search engine category, yet it has become synonymous with online searches. How did they do it? Simple – by being the best. “Google it” has long replaced “search it” when finding anything online, mainly because they have stuck to one purpose only – delivering the best possible answers to your online questions.
So, it’s no surprise that Google is intrinsic to getting the most out of everything the internet has to offer – or that digital marketing nerds like us have mastered several tricks for getting the most out of our search efforts. Ready to learn some of our favorite google search engine hacks to change the way you search and strengthen your online game? Let’s go.
Helpful Google Search Hacks for Your Business
If you are game for learning how to use google search like a pro when it comes to helping your business’s online prowess, we’ve got great news. These fun google search hacks can give you an accurate picture of your business’s digital presence as well as up your search speed.
Checking Your Local Search Positioning
Have you ever wondered where your business’s website sits in the Google hierarchy of local search rankings for keywords related to your product or service? The first on our list of google search tips and tricks will help you find out.
There are several ways to track your site’s search performance and statistics on how your website is performing in search results. In fact, Google itself provides a free tool to help – the Google Search Console.
Type Google Search Console into the search bar and click “Get Started” to begin. If you only have one website, it will automatically pull data. However, if you have more than one, you must enter the site URL. Click on “average position” in the graph under the Performance page to check your rankings. The Queries tab will show you which position you have for each keyword listed.
Finding All Websites That Link to Your or Any Other Website
Curious which websites are linking to yours or a competitor’s website? Not to worry – one of our favorite fun google search hacks lets you know. All you have to do is type “link:sitename.com” into the search bar on google.
This hack is helpful if, for example, you have a blog and are curious if any other site has linked to your blog content – which is also called a backlink. Since search engines use backlinks as a positive SEO indicator, finding out how many websites are linking to yours is one of the google search engine hacks that a marketer can use to measure a site’s strength.
Search Only the Specific Website for Content
Another one of our favorite google search tricks helps find something on a specific website. For example, say you want to see if a competitor carries a particular item. You can search for that item on their site by typing “site:” followed by their website URL in the search bar.
Finding Websites Similar to Your or Other Websites
Another one of the google deep search tricks we rely on regularly is excellent for helping us research the competition. If you want to find websites similar in content to yours or other businesses, simply type “related:” before the website URL you are interested in, i.e., “related:starbucks.com.”
This is similar to another hack insiders refer to as “google search hacks inurl.” It’s easy – just type “inurl:” before a particular word, and the search engine will list all the sites with that word in the actual URL, which is great when you cannot remember an exact website name.
Other Useful Google Search Hacks
Although the hacks we’ve mentioned so far are great for business marketing, there are also some fun google search hacks you can use in personal searches. These are simple little tricks for learning how to use Google search like a pro and impress others with your superior search know-how.
Finding Specific Files by File Type
First on our list of personal google search tips and tricks helps you find specific file types online. To do so, type: “ filetype:” to search for any uploaded files that match. For example, if you want to find PDF documents, you would use “filetype:pdf” to do your search.
Excluding Irrelevant Search Terms
Another of the google search engine hacks that’s particularly useful is the exclusion trick. Say you’re researching a word with two meanings, like the crane. If you just wanted to explore the machine version used in construction, then you would type, you will type “cranes -bird” to get results excluding crane, the species of bird.
Checking Stock Value
Ever needed a stock’s value in real-time? Google has a search hack for that! Type in any publicly-traded company’s ticker symbol, such as “AMZN” (which is Amazon). If it’s a big publicly-traded company, the results will be in real-time. Google will disclaim delays associated with the listed price – if any.
Search For Multiple Terms at Once
Google can multi-task with the best of us. For example, say you want to research almonds and their famous cousin almond butter. You can search them simultaneously by typing: “almond” OR “almond butter” to get results for both terms. This trick is one of the biggest google hacking search terms time savers to date.
Forget the Calculator
Need a calculator, but can’t find one (and your phone isn’t nearby)? Another fun google search hack does the math for you. To solve almost any equation, you can either type the problem directly in the search bar or simply google “calculator” to get a keypad to see the math happen IRL.
Quick Unit & Currency Conversion
If you’ve relied on an app for a unit or currency conversion, you can delete it. Google search can act as a converter in seconds. For example, if you type “8 feet to meters”, it will return 8 Feet = 2.4384 Meters. It also works for currency, volume, weight, etc.
Track Packages by Tracking Number
This hack is one of the google search tricks most needed during the busy holiday shopping season – package tracking, that is. Simply type in any FedEx, USPS, or UPS tracking number directly into the search bar, and you will get the tracking information about your package. Who knew?!
Google is a fantastic tool for finding just about anything. It works 24/7 to return the most relevant information you seek, and these hacks will hopefully make your time searching even more effortless and productive. Looking for more expert help around search engine optimization or digital marketing? Contact us at Living Proof Creative to start a conversation about how we can help your brand master the digital marketing world.
