Google search operators

What are Google search operators?

Search operators are as old as search engine optimization itself and come from a time when search engines like Google were not as powerful. Their purpose is to make a search query even more specific in terms of intent so that the search results are more accurate. They can be considered a type of filter. However, much has changed since the early days of SEO, and search engine algorithms work much more precisely. But this does not mean that search operators are outdated. They can still be used effectively for SEO work, such as conducting content and link research, competitive analysis, or looking for potential partners on the Internet. Those who understand how to use these parameters effectively can surf and search much more efficiently. You just need to know which Google search operators are still important. Let's take a look at them.

Basic search operators that are significant in search engine optimization

Some of the basic operators are no longer needed today. In the past, the plus sign was an important parameter to display only search results that included all entered keywords. Now the Google search engine does this automatically. The * as a placeholder is also no longer important, as the Google autocomplete function completes phrases on its own and offers possible suggestions.

Minus sign –

Sometimes it makes sense to exclude a keyword, especially when there may be confusion. For example, if someone types "Golf" into the search bar, the SERPs will show results for both the sport and the VW Golf. However, if someone is only looking for the sport of golf and wants to get information about it, they should enter the following into the search engine:Golf -VW -Car.

Search results on the topic "VW Golf" are therefore excluded. Another example would be changing banks. Anyone who wants to leave Deutsche Bank and is looking for a new financial institution googles "Bank -German" so that results from the old bank are left out. For SEO, this has the advantage that smaller providers can be found using this search operator, who are overshadowed by a dominant competition—in other words, the operator can help discover niche providers.

Pipe Operator |

The "I" symbol is used to make either-or requests. For example, if a user is searching..."Armchair Sofa Living Room", you will find ideas for combination arrangements with sofas and armchairs in the top positions in the SERPs. With the Google search operator "I", however, in the form"Armchair|Sofa Living Room"mostly shopping pages appear either for armchairs or sofas. Depending on the intention, whether a user is looking for inspiration for their home furnishing or is in the purchasing decision process, the "|" parameter indicates a different intention to the search engine.

Two points ..

The two dots .. are intended to specify a time interval or price range in a web search. Example:Backpacks 300..500 euros. The results on the search page display products in this range.

Advanced search operators for Google search

In addition to these basics, there are also advanced operators in search engine optimization that make navigating the World Wide Web a bit easier. Many of them provide timeless benefits.

site

With the "site" operator, it is possible to see which pages of a website have been included in the Google Index. Additionally, it is possible to combine the search operator with additional parameters.

Example: site:evocsports.com Backpacks|Bags

With this input, only pages on evocsports.com will be displayed that are about either backpacks or bags. This is beneficial not only for users. For website operators, the operator is helpful in their own SEO analysis, as well as in competitor analysis.

relacionado

With this Google search operator, the search engine displays pages that are similar to a specific page.

The input looks like this: related:arboro.de

Users have the opportunity to locate additional providers. Online shop operators use the parameter as part of competitor analysis. It also helps in the search for cooperation partners. Those who use guest posts as a strategy for their content marketing can find potential partners through this search filter.

link

Even though there are professional SEO tools available for checking backlinks, the link search operator can provide an initial insight into where links to your own website originate. For this, simply enter the respective page after the operator:link:arboro.de.

filetype

If you are looking for a specific file type, it is best to use the filetype operator. Do you need information on the topic of climate change and want to specifically search for PDFs? Then simply enter:Climate change filetype: pdfAll search results displayed on the result pages are now PDF files. This operator is useful for content research when white papers or similar documents are needed for potential topic input.

intext and allintext

Valuable Google search operators for SEO content research: intext and allintext. These parameters filter search results in the SERPs based on whether one or more keywords appear in the body text of a page. The body text refers to the flowing text that appears on a page.

Example:

intext: coriander

allintext: coriander marjoram rosemary

In the manner of a creative technique, it is advisable to experiment a little and connect the main keyword with terms that initially do not seem very obvious. Perhaps this will lead to interesting content ideas.

inurl and allinurl, intitle and allintitle

The same is possible with the commands inurl and allinurl, except that the URLs are checked for the keyword or keywords. And with intitle and allintitle, the page title is the subject of the check.

()-Suchoperator

The () operator relates two keywords to a third search term and can ideally be combined with an either-or query, where the OR operator comes into play.

Example:

(Climate protection OR animal protection) vegan

Through this information, the results include articles that deal with veganism for animal protection, but also separately contributions that address the aspect of climate protection. Thus, the search is narrowed down to these two areas. At the same time, both topics are addressed with one request.

inanchor and allinanchor

Quite useful for analyses in search engine optimization are the inanchor and allinanchor search operators. They display pages that link with a specific anchor text (link text). This allows you to take a look at how competitors set their anchor texts and what content is hidden behind the links. Anyone looking for inspiration to improve their own link texts should work with this command.

Examples:

inanchor:aquaponic

allinanchor: build aquaponics yourself

cache

The cache operator provides a view of the cached version of a website, which is useful if the page is currently inaccessible. The instruction is done as in this example:cache:arboro.de

There are more Google search operators

There are additional search operators, but at this point, we have covered the most important instructions for search engine optimization. Many instructions have also become outdated due to the improved Google algorithm (see the plus operator). However, the operators presented here offer lasting advantages for users as well as for website operators, because they specify search results and narrow them down, while also helping with SEO analysis. Of course, search operators do not replace SEO tools, which are always needed by SEO specialists, but when used smartly, they can identify starting points for a much deeper examination. And that is already worth something, especially when companies conduct SEO in-house but cannot afford SEO tools.

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