Guide to Google Advanced Search

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SUPER SIZE YOUR SEARCH Improving Google Search Results To quickly and vastly improve your Google search results, try some of these power user tips. For the purpose of this demo, our goal is to find information on Ford trucks from 1950-1952. Each example includes links to Google that open in a new window.
Your Basic Search
What you type...	see this web search see this image search
Ford truck 1950-1952
What Google thinks you want... Show me results with of one or more these words: Ford, truck, 1950, 1952 In this order of importance, appearing anywhere on the page. Ford is more important than truck. Of course show me pages that are the best match first, but show me pages that match even just one of my words.
Add Some Quote Marks...
What if you add quotes around "Ford Truck"	see this web search see this image search
"Ford truck" 1950-1952
What Google now thinks you want... Show me results with the exact phrase: Ford truck and/or that contain the words: 1950, 1952 I want the "Ford truck" exactly. Not "Ford F1 truck", or "Ford 1950s trucks", preferably from either 1950 or 1952. If you can match 1950 AND 1952, even better! The point, of course, is that it's easy to see why basic searches often return many poor results.
Add a Wildcard...
Add an asterisk between "Ford" and "Truck"	see this web search see this image search
"Ford * truck" 1950-1952
What Google now thinks you want... Show me results that contain phrases that begin with "Ford" and end with "truck", Ford truck, Ford 4X4 truck, Ford newest truck are all good. Sure I want them from 1950 or 1952. Google's wildcard will only match additional words; Ford firetruck, for example, won't match a wildcard search.
Add a Date Range (web search)...
Signify a range with 1950..1952	see this web search
"Ford * truck" 1950..1952
What Google now thinks you want... Show me stuff with Ford and whatever and truck. I am interested in any model year from: 1950 to 1952 Yes, that's 1950 or 1951 or 1952 The date range syntax only works on web searches...
Add a Date Range (image search)...
Use 'OR' or ' \| ' between the 3 years	see this image search
"Ford * truck" "1950 \| 1951 \| 1952"
What Google now thinks you want... Show me stuff with Ford and whatever and truck. I am interested in the model years: 1950 OR 1951 OR 1952 Put either space-pipe-space or the word OR all caps between the dates, and surround the entire date phrase in quotes.
Limit to a site or links to a site...
Use the operator site:	see this web search see this image search
site: pinterest.com "Ford * truck" "1950 \| 1951 \| 1952"
What Google now thinks you want... Show me stuff with Ford and these years either from or on pages that links to pinterest.com Never put a space after the colon (site:). It doesn't work if you do! To limit your search to one or more sites, see below.
Limit to multiple sites
Use the site: or inurl: operator	see this web search see this image search
inurl:(pinterest.com \| flickr.com) "Ford * truck" "1950 \| 1951 \| 1952"
What Google now thinks you want... Show me stuff with Ford and these years and limit your search to: pinterest.com and flickr.com Note the use of parentheses. No space after the colon (inurl:). It won't work!
Cost to fill the tank if you move to France
Type in an equation to the built-in calculator	see this web search
*1.41gallon/liter20euro/dollar**
What Google now thinks you want... Multiply 1.41 [cost of a liter of gas in France] times the ratio of gallons to liters times 20 [fuel tank size] times the ratio of euros to dollars. $144.75 Move to France and it will cost you $144.75 to fill your 20-gallon tank. This is a great example of the wide range of flexibility built into the Google calculator. Note in Safari this created an error when typed into URL bar; type into Google search bar instead at google.com
What's a Ford F1?
Use the define: operator	see this web search
define:(Ford F1)
What Google now thinks you want... You want to know the definition of Ford F1 It's an awesome way to get an answer without having to scroll through search results looking for it.

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Improving Google Search Results