Digest #18: Why and How to Collaborate With Influencers to Create High-Quality And Engaging Content
Google Search Operators: Making Advanced Search Easier

Moreover, it is undeniable that the Google search engine provides relevant results before you can blink your eyes.
By using advanced search operators, you will be able to obtain more refined results. If you are new to using this advanced Google feature, you definitely need a user-friendly cheat sheet, unlike SEO specialists who consider the search operators their bread and butter. Basically, the search operators can be found in symbols, characters, or a unique combination of both.
Here is a comprehensive list of advanced search operators to master Google search and get best from Google search results.
Search for the exact phrase with "example"
Search for the exact phrase with "example"
The search operator is also useful if you want to search for people by name, book titles, products, quotes.

Search within the particular website using site:example.com
Search within the particular website using site:example.com
You can also search within a folder of a website using query site:example.com/folder
For example to search for growth hacking articles blog on Serpstat blog, use query site:serpstat.com/blog growth hacking.

Find the desired keyword in title tag with intitle:
Find the desired keyword in title tag with intitle:
For example, search query seo audit intitle:tools will return pages that contain term tools in page title and contain seo and audit terms anywhere in the web page content.

Search for the desired keywords only within title tag with allintitle: operator
Search for the desired keywords only within title tag with allintitle: operator
Alternatively you can use intitle operator multiple times. For example, allintitle:seo tool is same as intitle:seo intitle:tool.

Find the pages that have the desired keyword in the page's URL with inurl:
Find the pages that have the desired keyword in the page's URL with inurl:
This is suffix operator meaning if you should place it at the end of your search query.

Search for several keywords within pages' URLs with help of allinurl: operator
Search for several keywords within pages' URLs with help of allinurl: operator
For instance, if you search using the term allinurl:content analysis tool, Google search result will show web pages that have the terms content, analysis and tool in their URL. Terms in URL can appear anywhere.
Note, that this is also suffix operator.

Use intext: to find the pages that include the desired keyword in the body tag
Use intext: to find the pages that include the desired keyword in the body tag
For example, intext:marketing search query will return all the pages that have keyword marketing in their body content. This operator is different from " " operator. While " " operator searches for exact phrase in the whole page content, this operator searches only body content.
Search query intext:keyword analysis tips is different from intext:"keyword analysis tips". Former query will show results from pages that have term keyword in body content and terms analysis and tips anywhere web page content. Later query will return list of web pages that have exact phrase keyword analysis tips in body content.

Find the pages with multiple keywords in the body tag with the help of allintext:
Find the pages with multiple keywords in the body tag with the help of allintext:

Use OR operator to see the results that meet one of the specified queries
Use OR operator to see the results that meet one of the specified queries
For instance, intitle:"keyword analysis" OR allinurl:keyword tool query will return all the web pages that either have keyword analysis phrase in page title or keyword and tool term in page URL. You can also use pipe (|) symbol for OR operator.

Expand the search results with AND operator
Expand the search results with AND operator
For instance, search query site:serpstat.com AND intitle:seo AND intext:link building, will show all the pages from website serpstat.com that have term seo in page title and terms link and building in page body content.
Always remember to use capital letters for OR and AND operator.

Find just the desired file formats with filetype:
Find just the desired file formats with filetype:
For instance, if you perform search with query link building tips filetype:docx, Google search result will include links to all the docx files that are related to link building tips.
If you do not specify file format in search query, search result will show links to all the documents related to query term.

Check when your page was last cached using cache: operator
Check when your page was last cached using cache: operator
For instance, if your search query is cache:https://serpstat.com/blog/why-and-how-to-advertise-on-facebook/, Google will show the cached version of this page as stored by Google. It is quite useful in checking articles that websites delete immediately after publishing due to various reasons. In a rare case, it is also helpful in recovering your website content if you do not have proper backup data or you lose control of website backup data.

Find similar websites with related: operator
Find similar websites with related: operator
The related operator will not work if you combine it with other operators.

Narrow the search results with the help of minus(-) operator
Narrow the search results with the help of minus(-) operator
Let's say you are searching for java and you definitely do not want any pages that are related to beans or coffee. You can query using java -beans -coffee.
You can use this operator with other operators, for example:
- To remove pages from example.com domain, use -site:example.com;
- If you do not want any specific term in page title, use -intitle:keyword;
- If you do not want any specific term in URL, use -inurl:keyword.

Let Google fill in the missing word(s) in your search query using * (wildcard operator)
Let Google fill in the missing word(s) in your search query using * (wildcard operator)
This is helpful if you want to search for a generic phrase with slight variation.
Let's say you are searching for search engine marketing tool and search engine optimization tool. You can make a generic query for both these terms using (*) operator like "search engine * tool".

Define the number of keywords with AROUND (X)
Define the number of keywords with AROUND (X)
You can reconstruct search engine tool query we used above, using AROUND(X) operator to search engine AROUND(3) tool.
This operator is quite helpful when you have vague idea of something and you do not remember exact phrase to search for.
Search for synonyms to the requested keyword with ~ (tilde or synonym operator)
Search for synonyms to the requested keyword with ~ (tilde or synonym operator)
For example, if you search using query seo ~guide, Google will show result for SEO guide, SEO tutorial, and SEO tips. It is up to Google to decide what is good synonym for a term. If you are not happy with Google suggestion, you can always use OR operator.
Use .. (range operator) to search for the numbers in a range
Use .. (range operator) to search for the numbers in a range
For example, to search for Lenovo laptop with price between $900 to $1100, use query lenovo laptop $900..$1100.
You can also use this query to find listicle articles. To find out article like Top (5,6.....50) Content Marketing Tips, use query Top 5..50 Content Marketing Tips. Or you can use this operator to define date range like 2011..2012.

Use several complex search operators together with the help of ()
Use several complex search operators together with the help of ()
For example to search for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus in refurbished or second-hand condition, you can use query ("iPhone 7" OR "iPhone 7 plus") AND (intext: refurbished OR intext:second-hand).

Search for the results within the specific location with location: operator
Search for the results within the specific location with location: operator
For example, to find SEO agency in San Francisco, use query seo agency location:san francisco.

Learn the meaning of the desired word with the help of define: operator
Learn the meaning of the desired word with the help of define: operator

Search within the specific website using source:
Search within the specific website using source:

Find more info about any website with info:
Find more info about any website with info:

Specify the date with daterange:
Specify the date with daterange:
Search for prices using $ sign
Search for prices using $ sign

Find out the stock price with stock:
Find out the stock price with stock:

Summing up
Summing up
These operators are boon for any person working in SEO field. You can analyse your competitor, find backlink opportunities, find out about guest posting blogs etc.
It takes practice to get more from these operators, and a little bit of creativity will provide you great advantage over your competitor ;)
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