There are Web search techniques that I use every day in order to find what I'm looking for. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, I've put together just a few of the Web search tricks that I use to search more of the Web.
Probably one of the number one things that has saved me some serious Web search time over the years is the simplest - and that's searching for a phrase by putting it in quotes. When you use quotation marks around a phrase, you are telling the search engine to only bring back pages that include these search terms exactly how you typed them in-order, proximity, etc.
You can use Google to search within a site, and since most site search tools just aren't that great, this is a good way to find what you're looking for with a minimum of fuss. I use this one many times a day.
The inurl search syntax allows you to search for words within the URL, or Uniform Resource Locator. This is just another interesting way to search the Web and find Web sites that you might not have found by just entering in a query word or phrase. I love this Web search trick because I find all sorts of interesting things with it, and it's so simple.
Another Web search trick that's deceptively simple. Basic math can really help you in your search quest (your teachers always told you that someday you would use math in real life, right?).
I use all sorts of different search engines throughout the day, but Google is my standard goto guy. I use it a LOT. And with these Google Cheat Sheet search shortcuts, I find that I'm able to locate what I'm searching for with the minimum of fuss.
If you'd like to limit your searches to a specific domain, such as .edu, .org, .gov, and more, you can use the site: command to accomplish this.
I have about 12 search engines and search services on my Firefox toolbar right now; it saves me a lot of time because I can just type in my search query and instantly pick which search engine I'd like to search with.
I love using new search engines and so in 2005, I decided to put together a list of 100 different search engines and search services. Don't be afraid to try something new - branch out a bit and you might be surprised at what comes back in your search results. I use different search engines throughout the day depending on the nature of my search.
How did I ever get along without del.icio.us? This social bookmarking site is one of my top destinations throughout the day; I search through other people's bookmarks and add my own. An invaluable resource to see what a snapshot of the Web community is searching for, I also love just seeing what other people find interesting.
Many people save a lot of time in their Web searches by using a toolbar, which is basically a software application which gives searches the ability to perform searches and other functions quickly. For example, I have the Google Firefox toolbar on my browser right now.
