How to Google effectively
Search engines are one of the most disruptive inventions of the Internet. Yet, some of us do not seem to be able to make the most of search. How do you find exactly what you are looking for in the sea of noise?
Google is the most popular search engine and arguably the best. However, this guide should apply to all search engines out there. There are more advanced ways to search, but for most people this guide should be enough to boost your search powers.
Keywords
The words you use in a search are called keywords. The more keywords you use in a query the fewer results you will get. Google looks for pages containing the closest matching combination of keywords.
The trick to searching the Internet effectively is making your search queries as short as possible. DO NOT ask Google questions like you will ask a professor. In fact, treat Google like it is dumb. If for example, you are looking for a guide to upgrade an Android phone. Instead of searching, “how to updgrade Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime to latest Android”, search for, “update grand prime”. Or better still, “update sm-530h”, stating the precise model of the phone. You will quickly find yourself getting more relevant results from searches like these.
Thinking through the keywords you use makes a world of difference in the results you can command from Google. It is ok if you have to try different combinations of keywords. I once bricked a phone and it took 2 weeks of Googling to find a cure. So don’t give up, what you are looking for might be a few keywords away.
Results
After you make a search you are presented with results. Filtering through the results is the second part in getting the most value from your searches.
In summary, only the first 2 pages of your search results are relevant. If you keep going to the next page it is time to reconsider your keywords. Personally, I DO NOT go beyond the first page.
Summary
So the trick to getting the most mileage from Google is simple. Use fewer keywords and stick to Google’s top results.
