Google is the world's most used search engine , with over 90% market share. Every day, billions of queries are performed on Google to find information , products, services, images, videos, and more. But do you know how to use Google effectively and get the best possible results? In this article, we reveal 10 tips for searching on Google like a pro .

1. Start with a simple search

The first tip is to start with a simple search , using the most relevant keywords for your topic. For example, if you're looking for a chocolate cake recipe, simply type "chocolate cake" into the search bar. Google will then display the most popular and relevant results for your query.

If you want to refine your search, you can add additional keywords, such as easy, quick, or gluten-free. You can also use quotation marks to search for an exact phrase, like “gluten-free chocolate cake .” This way, Google will only show you pages that contain exactly that phrase.

2. Use voice search

If you don't want to type your query manually, you can use Google's voice search. Simply say " Hey Google " or click the microphone icon to the right of the search bar. Then, you can dictate your query aloud, and Google will display the relevant results.

Voice search is very convenient if you're on your smartphone or if your hands are full. It's also very effective for long or complex queries, such as " What is the name of the president of Brazil? " or "What is the distance between Paris and New York?"

3. Use web-friendly language

When you search on Google , try using words that are likely to appear on the websites you're interested in. For example, instead of typing "I have a headache," type " headache ," which is the most common phrase used on medical websites.

Similarly, avoid using overly generic or vague words like "car" or "trip." Opt instead for more precise and specific terms, such as "car model" or "travel destination ." This will yield more relevant and targeted results.

4. Don't worry about the details

Google is very intelligent and can correct your spelling mistakes or ignore uppercase/lowercase letters in your query. For example, if you type "napoleon bonaparte" or "Napoléon Bonaparte" , you will get the same results.

Similarly, Google can understand the meaning of your query even if you don't use the exact words. For example, if you type "how much does a plane ticket to London cost," Google will understand that you are looking for the price of a flight to London.

5. Discover the quick answers

For some common or simple queries, Google may display an answer directly in the search results. For example:

• Weather : type weather to view the weather forecast for your region, or add the name of a city, for example weather Lyon, to find out the local forecast.
• Dictionary : type definition before a word to get its definition.
• Calculations : type in a calculation, for example 3×9123 or any other complex mathematical operation to get the answer immediately.
• Unit conversions
• Sports : type the name of your favorite team to see the match schedule, results and much more information.
• Facts : Type the name of a famous person, a place, the title of a movie or a song to get information on the subject.

6. Use advanced search

If you want to refine your search more precisely, you can use Google's advanced search. To access it, click on Settings and then on Advanced search, to the right of the search bar.

Advanced search allows you to choose words or phrases to include or exclude from your results. For example, you can search for pages that contain all of the following words: chocolate banana cake, or those that contain one of the following words: chocolate banana cake or chocolate banana loaf.

You can also choose options such as language, region, update date, file format, site type, or image usage rights.

7. Use search operators

Search operators are symbols or words that you can use in your query to modify the results. For example:

• The minus sign (-) allows you to exclude a word or website from your search. For example, if you type "chocolate cake -banana", you will get results that do not contain the word "banana". If you type "chocolate cake -site:marmiton.org", you will get results that do not come from the website marmiton.org.
• The plus sign (+) allows you to include a word that is often ignored by Google, such as "and" or "the". For example, if you type "Star Wars +and", you will get results that contain the word "and" in addition to "Star Wars".
• The tilde symbol (~) allows you to include synonyms or words similar to the word you entered. For example, if you type ~car, you will get results that also contain the words auto, automobile, or vehicle.
• The asterisk (*) symbol allows you to replace one or more words in your query. For example, if you type "chocolate recipe," you will get results containing "recipe" followed by any word and then "chocolate."
• The colon (:) allows you to limit your search to a specific site type, domain, or range of numbers. For example, typing site:edu will return results that are only educational websites. Typing domain:fr will return results that are only French websites. Typing numbers between:1000…1500 will return results that include numbers between 1000 and 1500.

8. Use image search

search allows you to search using an image rather than text. This lets you find an image's origin, author, name, date, and more. You can also find images similar to or related to the one you've selected.

To search by image , click Images in the top right corner of the Google page. Then, click the camera icon in the search bar. You can then choose to upload an image from your computer, paste the URL of an image found on the web, or drag and drop an image into the search bar.

Google will then display the results corresponding to your image.

9. Use Google Lens

Google Lens is an application that uses artificial intelligence to analyze images captured by your smartphone . This allows you to obtain information about what you see around you, such as the name of a plant, an animal, a monument, etc.

You can also use it to translate text, scan barcodes, copy handwritten text, or identify products or works of art . To use Google Lens , you need to download the app to your smartphone and launch it. Then, simply point your camera at what you want to analyze, and Google Lens will display the relevant information.

Google Lens is very useful if you are travelling abroad, shopping or want to learn more about your surroundings.

10. Use tabs and filters

Finally, the last tip is to use Google's tabs and filters to refine your search based on the type of content you're looking for . For example, if you're looking for images, click on the Images tab in the top right corner of the Google page. You can then filter images by size, color, type, usage rights, and so on.

Similarly, if you are looking for videos, click on the Videos tab and filter the videos by duration, quality, source, etc. You can also use the News, Shopping, Books or Maps tabs to find the content that meets your needs.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about Google search:

Conclusion

Now you know how to search on Google like a pro . By using these 10 tips, you can easily and quickly find the information you're looking for on the web. Feel free to experiment with different keywords, search operators, or filters to refine your results. And if you need help, you can always consult Google Search Help or ask your question to the help community. You can also bring up the Google search bar on your screen by clicking the magnifying glass icon in the top right corner of your browser. This will allow you to access Google more quickly and start your searches without having to open a new tab.