Tricks

10 Simple Google Search Tricks
1. Use the “site:” operator to limit searches to a particular site. I use this one all the time, and it’s particularly handy because many site’s built-in search toolsdon’t return the results you’re looking for (and some sites don’t even have a search feature). If I’m looking for WWD posts about GTD, for example, I could try this search: GTDsite:webworkerdaily.com. 2. Use Google as a spelling aid. As Rob Hacker — the WWD reader I profiled last week — pointed out, entering a word into Google is a quick way to see if you have the right spelling. If it’sincorrect, Google will suggest the correct spelling instead. Additionally, if you want to get a definition of a word, you can use the “define:” operator to return definitions from various dictionaries (forexample, define: parasympathetic). 3. Use Google as a calculator. Google has a built-in calculator — try entering a calculation like 110 * (654/8 + 3). Yes, your computer also has a calculator, but ifyou spend most of your day inside a browser, typing your calculation into the browser’s search box is quicker than firing up your calculator app. 4. Find out what time it is anywhere in the world. Thisone’s really handy if you want to make sure that you’re not phoning someone in the middle of the night. Just search for “time” and then the name of the city. For example, try: time San Francisco 5.Get quick currency conversions. Google can also do currency conversion, for example: 100 pounds in dollars. It only has the more mainstream currencies, though — if you’re trying to see how manyPeruvian nuevos soles your dollars might buy, you’ll be out of luck. 6. Use the OR operator. This can be useful if you’re looking at researching a topic but you’re not sure which keywords will return theinformation you need. It can be particularly handy in conjunction with the “site:” operator. For example, you could try this search: GTD or “getting things done” site:webworkerdaily.com 7. Exclude...