How to search the Internet

Todays article will focus on how to search the internet and hopefully get very close to what it is you want. Don’t you hate it when you are searching for something and BOOM up comes something you totally didn’t want. But the phrase is exactly what you want grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr really frustrating. What am I supposed to do change the way I think to be like a search engine ? Of course not. You just have to be able to think like a search engine. This article will teach you how to do that.

Quick Tricks on how to Search the Internet (using google)

• + means that is must have this word

For example, How to Search the Internet would pull up something different than how +search +internet. What you are telling the search engine is. Ok you must have how, search and internet in my results

• -means not this word.

For example, computer –game, will search for sites with the word computer exclude sites with computer game in the results.

• ~means too look for the word and any synonyms

For example ~car. Would search for sites with the word car as well as any synonym for car.

• “” means look specifically for what is within the quotes.

For example, “Tampa Bay Buccaneers” will only return sites with the exact phrase Tampa Bay Buccaneers in it.

• Site: searches on that site

For example site:nfl.com “Tampa Bay Buccaneers”. Would search the site nfl.com for mention of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

• Allintext: searches for the whole groups of words in the text. For example allintext: World of Warcraft

• Safesearch: excludes sites with adult content

• Movies: Rocky Horror Picture Show 33610 (you need the movie name and the zip code)

• Weather: 34639 (just need a zip code for this one)

• Phonebook: Mark Smith 34639 (you can use zip code, area code, state) – gives you the phone number

• Phonebook: 813-996-7000 – gives you the person (reverse lookup)

How to think like a Search Engine

• Make your search terms as brief as possible

For example if you are searching for really delicious ways to cook chicken. Try using recipes chicken.

The problem with using descriptive words is that a search engine searches using the words you give it. So there could be a fabulously delicious recipe but the author of the recipe didn’t use the word delicious.

It is best to make your search terms brief and to the point. The more words you give the greater the chance something whacky could appear in your search

• Understand the setup of the search engine.

Search engines vary on how you must structure you searches. Make certain you are aware of the default properties of the search engine you are using. For example here are the defaults for the most popular search engine google (www.google.com).

1. Popularity – google has a ranking system based on several metrics which is not for sale
2. Importance – google has an importance level that varies from 0/10 to 10/10 (google is of course a 10/10).
3. Term Placement – terms next to each other affect the searching process and are ranked higher than separated terms colleges Tampa will have different results than Tampa colleges. Also there is evidence repeated terms add to the weight of that term in the search colleges colleges Tampa.
4. “And” is automatically placed between terms so adding it will not affect anything nor will removing it.colleges Tampa is the same as Colleges and Tampa.
5. If you get a result that has nothing to do with your search terms it could be a result of the coding on the Web Page. Examples of this are pages of links or a site with nothing on it about what you are searching for. Actually there are rumors google is trying to improve their searching criteria to remove pages that do not give relevant information and are set up as sales or advertising ploys.
6. There are words that are ignored or removed completely. Also google may change the appearance of words collegesmay be changed to college or collegiate for example.

Really Cool Search Related Sites

Never misspell a word again. Improve your spelling with this site.

Spelling and Definitions (Dictionary.com)

Find Synonyms for words.This sites helps you find other ways to say what you want to say.

Find Synonyms (Thesaurus.com)

How to search the internet using other search engines besides google.

Tired of just one opinion ? Well try these search engines to get several perspectives. You can compare the results of the search above "how to search the internet " from google with the results you get from the sites below

Dogpile.com Ask.com Searching the Internet (with Search.com)

Find People on the Internet for Free. Here are some great places to find people for free from the internet.

Find Someone Online (petrieve.com) Find someone online (Zabasearch.com) From How to Search the Internet to FREE Computer Tech Support Blog

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