How to Google ?

How to Google ?

Another "practical" guide for research

Google is one of the most powerful information acquiring tool of the century and this is not really a secret anymore. There are many articles on "tips and tricks" to use Google or "top Google secrets", and this one might be considered one of those.

Many self-taught developers and such use it daily and I personally am no exception. Google is just that good at what it does.

Now, how exactly do you Google?

1 . The common way

"How to Google" would be a perfect google search for someone with no clue on how to use the search engine, but that would be ironic.

  • Step1: Get a web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Duckduckgo or whatever you prefer) installed on your machine with internet access

  • Step2: type www.google.com

  • Step3: type your search query

The average person just formulate their search query as they would ask it to the closest person. And that works...until you need very specific information.

2. The advanced method

Google itself helps you using its engine efficiently and how to refine your queries. They explain how to do advanced search, reverse image search, and how to use search filters...

That's it... that's basically all you needed. Congratulations you are now a Google search expert.

It's actually the basics for the dark arts of Google Dorking (Google it).

3. The researcher's method

If you are a professional and need to use Google as such, you need to hone your google-fu skills even further. Google have multiple subdomains dedicated to different types of products. Be you a student or a researcher, Google scholar is for you. If you are a school teacher, Google for education's tools might help. Let's say you need only books results... well, here you go.

There are many more. Developers have tools dedicated to their dreadful activities too. Google forgot no one.

4. The next trend

Google and other search engines made a great impact in the early days of internet and are still a big thing today. But things change and with the increase of AI people now talk about chatGPT. Unlike most people, I don't really intend to write a whole article about it but in my opinion chatGPT is a great research tool.

But, search results should be taken carefully as they can convey inaccurate information.

Did you know that most people don't think about searching basic things on Google while some people basically live from hundreds of Google search a day?

I personally wrote this article making Google searches about how to Google. Basically like, here, Let me Google it for you.

End of the line

It's no secret anymore that Google is a powerful research tool and way more than a simple search engine. Some people still don't know how to use it to it's fullest extent. The solution is actually simple. Start Googling more. The more you use it the more familiar you get with the tool and the more "secret tricks" you will learn.

Many of those were not covered in this short article (Fun Google Easter eggs, Google SEO tricks) because the main goal here is to quickly give you an idea of how good Google is. You only get better at using it by... well, using it.