Skip to content
Ann Smarty

Top SEO Expert

  • Infographic Link Building Service
  • Content Marketing Services
  • SEO & AI Optimization Newsletter
  • Contact
Ann Smarty
Top SEO Expert
Home / Search Engines / How to Smartly Combine Google’s Search Operators to Find Anything

How to Smartly Combine Google’s Search Operators to Find Anything

How to Smartly Combine Google's Search Operators to Find AnythingIf I have learned anything since I started this blog is to find anything in Google almost momentarily.

I can quickly find the source of a quote, the original image or the official documentation for anything.

At college they used to say that you don’t need to (and you cannot) know answers to all questions: It’s how fast and efficiently you can find the answers. If that’s true, I am certainly an A+ student. My searching ability has been a huge help in many situations (beyond my professional life where it’s an integral part of my life)

And it’s not just about using Google’s advanced operators. It’s actually about combining them.

***If you want to get better at searching, do join my premium course on how to find anything.***

Table of Contents

  • Example #1 Find PDF downloads on .gov sites
  • Example #2 Find documents that mention a word in the text
  • Example #3 Find more Twitter accounts that relate to an organization
  • Example #4 Search several sites simultaneously
  • Example #5 Find forum discussions on any topic

Example #1 Find PDF downloads on .gov sites

Type:

[flu shot ext:pdf site:gov]

This is a good way to find documents on any topic to print out and take home. Great trick to help in online research.

Example #1 Find PDF downloads on .gov sites
Example #1 Find PDF downloads on .gov sites

Example #2 Find documents that mention a word in the text

Sometimes we just need to find articles that mention a name or a concept without focusing on it. Here’s how:

[Mark Zuckerberg -intitle:Mark -intitle:Zuckerberg]

Combine
Example #2 Find documents that mention a word in the text

Example #3 Find more Twitter accounts that relate to an organization

Looking for more Twitter accounts that represent a company or tweet about it? Google is a much better source than Twitter search for that!

Type:

[site:twitter.com @nytimes -inurl:status -inurl:hashtag -inurl:lists]

Find more Twitter accounts that relate to an organization
Example #3 Find more Twitter accounts that relate to an organization

{-inurl:status -inurl:hashtag -inurl:lists} force Google to exclude Twitter lists, hashtags and updates from search results leaving it with only Twitter profiles containing your search term

Example #4 Search several sites simultaneously

Do you fond yourself searching the same sites again and again? Here’s a way to search them all at a time!

[Cam McCaul site:vine.com OR site:vimeo.com OR site:youtube.com]

Example #4 Search several sites simultaneously
Example #4 Search several sites simultaneously

Example #5 Find forum discussions on any topic

Forums remain my source of the most truthful unbiased information on the web. It’s hard to fake an authentic forum discussion: You can always see how established and trusted any user is. The truth is revealed in communication! Therefore I often search for forum discussions when researching any product or phenomenon.

Here’s how to force Google to search forum discussions:

[tennis ball machine inurl:forum OR inurl:forums]

Find forum discussions on any topic
Example #5 Find forum discussions on any topic

Don’t forget to download the attached document containing all the mentioned search queries, clickable links and screenshots! Run some commands right away to see them in action!

The following two tabs change content below.
  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy LinkedIn profile

Ann Smarty

I am Ann Smarty, owner of SEOsmarty.com and co-founder of Smarty.Marketing. I've been in the SEO industry for two decades and I am now reporting on search and AI news over at annsmarty.com
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy LinkedIn profile

Latest posts by Ann Smarty (see all)

  • How Seasonal Trends Inform and Direct Your Content Strategy [Updated] - May 2, 2025
  • Practical Guide to Finding Link Bait Inspiration - Sep 25, 2024
  • How to Get Insanely Productive with Social Media Updates to Scale Your Referral Traffic - May 1, 2024

Related posts:

  • Announcing Viral Content Buzz, the Free Social Media Promotion Platform
  • Tools I Use
  • Google Trying to Identify the Author: Fails and Puzzles
  • How to Ghost-Google: Searching Google without Google to Know about You
  • Beyond Google’s 10 Blue Links

Post navigation

Previous Previous
3 Traffic Growth Screenshots I am Proud of (And You Can Be Too!)
NextContinue
[Quick Tip] How to Find Most Valuable Keywords to Create Content

Subscribe!

Follow Ann

About Ann Smarty

Smarty Marketing – Recommended by Zyppy List

Social

Follow me on:

I am Ann Smarty, owner of SEOsmarty.com and co-founder of Smarty.Marketing. I've been in the SEO industry for two decades and I am now reporting on search and AI news over at annsmarty.com

Smarty Marketing – Recommended by Zyppy List

RECENT ARTICLES

  • How Seasonal Trends Inform and Direct Your Content Strategy [Updated]
  • Practical Guide to Finding Link Bait Inspiration
  • How to Get Insanely Productive with Social Media Updates to Scale Your Referral Traffic
  • How to Make Money Blogging in 2024
  • Everything About Passwords – a Guide to Managing Online Personas
  • HOW TO: Re-package Your Best Content for More Exposure (and Links)

MOST POPULAR POSTS

  • How To Optimize Images For Search Engines, Social Media and People
  • How to Create a Useful Twitter Retweet Bot
  • Ann Smarty Becomes An SEO Mom :)
  • Link Building is Still a Numbers Game
  • Am I NOT Allowed to Link (Legally)?
  • How To Call To Action
  • HOW TO: Re-package Your Best Content for More Exposure (and Links)
  • Impossible CAPTCHA : It Doesn't Really Matter if You are Human or Not

CATEGORIES

  • Blogging
  • Branding
  • Content Marketing
  • Digital Marketing Ethics
  • Domain Names
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Link Building
  • Marketing Tools
  • On-Page SEO
  • Reputation Management
  • Search Engines
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Usability
  • Viral Marketing
  • Website Design

© 2025 Top SEO Expert

  • Infographic Link Building Service
  • Content Marketing Services
  • SEO & AI Optimization Newsletter
  • Contact