5 Tips to Use Google Search More Effectively

Google provides a wide range of useful products and programs, and they become more useful once you pick up on a few tips and tricks.

5 Tips to Use Google Search More Effectively

Exclude irrelevant results. Using a simple dash (-) before certain words, will exclude any web pages with unwanted search results. For example, if you want to know about buckeye trees that grow in Ohio, but not the Ohio State Buckeyes, you could search for “buckeyes -football,” which will remove any web pages related to the sport.

Search for products in certain price ranges. Using Google to find a product you want is no fun if you keep coming up with too-expensive results. Use a certain price range instead. Are you looking for a new bike for your child? Simply use the search term “children’s bike $100…$200.” You can obtain results within your budget by using a few dots within your money range on the search.

Only search recent articles. Are you looking for the most current news stories about a particular politician or celebrity? Once you search for their name, click on “search tools.” Click on “anytime” and use the drop-down menu to narrow your search to within the timeframe you’d like your results to come from. For example, if you are doing research on IT serviceproviders around your area and were interested in the most recent information, use the filters provided under search tools.

Filter your recipes. Google allows you to narrow down recipe searches based on ingredients, cooking time, and even calorie count. Once you search for your recipe, click on “search tools” to find filter options.

Use the wildcard feature. If you are searching for a particular phrase and can’t remember every word, you can use an asterisk (*) as a placeholder for the words you don’t know. This is especially helpful if you have partial lyrics to a song but can’t remember the artist or title to search for them all.

4 Ways to Make Google Drive Work for You

Use Google Drive Anywhere. You can download Google Driveto your PC or Mac, as well as via an app on your smartphone. You no longer need to be connected online to work on a specific item on your Google Drive. You can keep your files all easily accessible and never look disorganized again!

Create Forms. Creating and sending a form is easy. Click “New” and select “Google Forms.” You’ll find options to choose the type of form you need. You can create a multiple choice form or even a fill in the blank form on Google Drive. Just input the questions and answers (if using multiple choice), and send it off.

Take Advantage of HelloFax. If you run a small business, investing on a monthly fax subscription service, that you may not use often, is probably not a good idea. Instead, you can install HelloFax from Google Drive’s app store and send 50 free faxes per month.

Keep Organized with Gantter. Another free app in Google Drive, this project management tool will allow you to keep track of every project you or your employees work on.

3 New Ways to Use Your Gmail Account

Send a canned response. It can be tedious to type the same thing over and over. Gmail fixes that! Once you enable the feature in the “Labs” section of your “settings” from your Gmail account, you’ll be able to right-click in your emails and add, use, or remove canned responses. Never again will you waste time typing the same thing multiple times per day!

Integrate your Google Calendar with your Email. It’s as simple as clicking on “More” while you are in an email. You’ll have the option to create an event straight from the email.

Unsend that email, quick! You can enable Google’s newest feature by enabling it in the “General” tab section of your “Settings.” Scroll to “Undo Send” and select how long you want to extend the send cancellation period of an email. This tool is especially handy if you accidentally send an email to the wrong person.

There are seemingly endless tips and tricks on Google, many of which you can find just by looking through your settings and experimenting. Hopefully, this list will give you a good idea of how to get started on the road to faster searches and better productivity!