How to get better (more relevant) results when using Google

Using the Internet to search for things is something we all take for granted. Unfortunately, we have never been taught how to do it and we kind of bumble along and hope for the best. Because I do it all day I'm really very good at it and I am often asked: "How Do You Do That?!".

Here are my tips:

• Every word you type is used. Therefore: "the phrase, the whole phrase and nothing but the phrase"!

• Don't worry about the case: "New York" and "new york" are the same.

• Punctuation is ignored

• Each word restricts the results so use different types of words. E.g. Computer Repair Alicante includes a noun, an action and a place.

• Use fewer words to start with and add more if you get too many results

• Think of synonyms : computer, PC, desktop, laptop; repair, fix;

More advanced tips:

• If you need a certain phrase then enclose in quotes: "new york" rather than 'new' 'york'. This forces Google^® to return only pages about the city.

• To avoid certain words then precede them with a minus sign. For example: "paris -hilton" returns pages about Paris the city not Paris Hilton.

• To use an exact term then precede it with a plus sign. E.g. I would recommend using "+fcuk" if you are interested in clothes! This avoids searching for terms that look similar but are not what you want!

• Use the asterisk to allow Google^® to fill in the blanks. E.g. "Rooney * Ferguson". The * could be: loves, hates, kicks, kisses ... !

• Use "OR" to give Google^® a choice between just a few options. E.g. "Rooney OR Beckham * Ferguson". The "OR" has to be in capitals.

Internet & Web