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Google Power Search Strings
Advanced Internet Research Techniques Part II
(follow up to September 15, 2011 webinar)
Garrett Wasny, MA, CMC, CITP/FIBP http://www.garrettwasny.com | [email protected]
How Most Users Search Google
• “Huck Finn” googling.
• Type a word or two into search box and hope for best.
• Passive, random, limited reach.
• Expect “one click” answers.
• What they think is “big catch” is really “small minnow.”
The Smarter Way to Search Google
• “Deep sea trawler” googling.
• Use simple yet effective techniques to cast big search net “wide and deep”.
• Active, planned, broad reach.
• Expect discovery process to be long journey.
• Harvest rich diversity of digital objects.
Agenda
1. Search Strings Defined What are Search Strings and How They Can Transform How You Gather Information
2. Search Tagging
Adding Contextual Words to Boost Time, Geographical and Industry Relevancy
3. Search “Intentioning” Spelling Out What You Want in Detail
4. Search Filtering How to Zero in on Specific Phrases, Domains, File Types and More
5. X-Ray Searching How to Deep-Scan Any Website
6. Word “Baiting and Trolling” Using Creative Language to “Hook” Deeply-Buried Information
7. “Mentalist” Searching Scanning Hidden Web Elements and Connections
8. Google “Hacking” How “Black Hat” Users Search for Sensitive Information
9. Keyword “Nerding” How to Break Out of Keyword Rut and Generate Fresh Search Ideas on any Topic
10. Peripheral “Visioning” Incorporating Offline Sources in Your Online Discovery
1. Search Strings Defined What are Search Strings and How They Can Transform How You Gather Information
What are search strings?
Search strings are the
words and phrases you
type into the Google
search box when
scanning for
information.
Why are search strings important? Users turn
to Google for info on critical life decisions. The
strings provide key instructions to Google on what
online information to retrieve. The better your
instructions, the better and more relevant info you’ll
receive. The more relevant info you receive, the
better decisions you’ll make in your professional
and personal life.
How do I improve my Google searching?
2. Search Tagging
Adding Contextual Words to Boost Time, Geographical and Industry Relevancy
What is search tagging?
Search tagging refers to
adding additional
information in your
search string related to
your time, geography
and industry interests.
Why is search tagging important? When you
include additional tags or context words in your
search string, you provide Google with more
information that can be used to help you find better
and more relevant results. Many users assume
Google can read your mind. It can’t (at least not
yet)! For now, you must literally spell out what you
want – and the more detail, the better.
accountant 2012 Toronto aerospace
Time-tagging: add
current year
Geo-tagging: add
place names, postal,
zip and telephone
area codes. Industry-tagging:
add industry or
sector names.
3. Search “Intentioning” Spelling Out What You Want in Detail
What is search
“intentioning”?
This refers to literally
spelling out your search
intentions – not just
what info you want but
why you want it.
Why is search “intentioning” important? Many
users assume Google can read your mind. It can’t (at
least not yet)! For now, literally spell out what you
want – and the more details you provide, the better.
You should “talk” to Google the same way as you
would communicate with a reference specialist at
a library. The more info you provide, the better they
can help you. The fewer words you provide, the more
they have to guess what you want.
Vague Search String Focused Search String with Intentions
accounting requests for proposals accounting services
Sudbury school board
accountant
forensic auditor Edmonton oil and gas
industry
shoe Men’s running shoe rubber sole water-
resistant
house Hawaii house rentals for vacation in January
FYI: You can input up to 32 keywords in your Google search string!
4. Search Filtering How to Zero in on Specific Phrases, Domains, File Types and More
What is search “filtering?
This refers to using
Google search
commands to sort
searches by phrase,
filetype and domains.
Why is search filtering important? Like a powerful
sonar on a fishing trawler, the search filters allow you
to “deep-dive” beneath the surface of the web. They
enable you to spot and retrieve relevant online
content that’s typically hidden in a normal Google
search.
PHRASE SEARCHING FILETYPE SEARCHING DOMAIN SEARCHING
“ ” filetype: site:
“forensic auditor”
“bank loans to seniors”
filetype:pdf keywords
filetype:xls keywords
Filetype:doc keywords
filetype:ppt keywords
site:com keywords
site:net keywords
site:org keywords
site:gc.ca keywords
site:ny.gov keywords
5. X-Ray Searching How to Deep-Scan Any Website
What is X-Ray searching?
This refers to using
Google to search and
return results from only
one specific website.
Why is X-Ray searching important? Like a medical
scan used by doctors, the X-Ray technique allows you
to look beneath the surface of a website. You can
focus Google’s search powers on a particular page
and uncover content and results not revealed by even
the website’s own search engine.
site:url
site:cra-arc.gc.ca keywords
site:irs.gov keywords
site:cica.ca keywords
Tip: combine X-Ray technique with phrase and
filetype filters to take searching to whole new level.
Example:
site:cra-arc.gc.ca filetype:pdf “ifrs report”
Tip: use site:url and cycle through different
filetypes:(pdf,xls,doc,ppt) to uncover rich harvest of
digital objects on a specific website.
6. Word “Baiting and Trolling” Using Creative Language to “Hook” Deeply-Buried Information
What is word baiting and
trolling?
This refers to the nimble
and creative use of
words and language to
uncover fresh search
results.
Why is word baiting and trolling important? Just
as different sizes of minnows are used as bait to
attract larger fish, different words – and their
synonyms and how they’re spelt and ordered – can
also be used as bait. They can attract relevant results
you would not typically “catch” in a regular search.
Use synonyms.
Tinker with word order.
Use singular and plural
versions of keywords.
Tinker with American
and British spellings.
Deliberately misspell
keywords.
Double or triple up
keywords or phrases.
Write queries in the
form of a question.
Recognize language
Is inherently ambiguous.
Put an asterisk * in a
phrase or question
you want completed
and Google will fill in
the blanks
Use minus sign (-) to
specify items you
DON’T want in
results.
Use sentiment analysis:
“I hate x; x sucks; I love x)
7. “Mentalist” Searching Scanning Hidden Web Elements and Connections
What is mentalist
searching?
This refers to looking at
hidden website elements
that provide valuable
content clues but most
people overlook.
Why is mentalist searching important? Just as a
mentalist uses powerful observational skill to see
things other people can’t, you can do the same thing
online to see hidden patterns and connections. If you
know where and how to look, you can uncover fresh
results as if by magic that most users overlook.
LINK SEARCHING WEBPAGE TITLE
SEARCHING URL SEARCHING
intitle:keywords
inurl:keywords
Searches for websites
that link to a specific url. Searches for keywords
in a webpage title. Searches for keywords
in a website url.
link:url
8. Google “Hacking” How “Black Hat” Users Search for Sensitive Information
What is Google Hacking?
This refers to search
techniques used by
“black hat” searchers to
find sensitive
information on Google.
Why is Google Hacking important? The techniques
should be used with caution and are not intended to
promote the discovery of confidential information.
They are intended to illustrate the nature and extent of
confidential data that is publicly available on Google if
you know where and how to look.
“my visa number is * ” "secret password" filetype:xls
inurl:userlist
intitle:confidential filetype:xls
Tip: Go to Hackers for Charity at
http://www.hackersforcharity.org/ghdb/ for more
examples of Google hacking techniques.
“my password is * ”
“my credit card # is * ”
9. Keyword “Nerding” How to Break Out of Keyword Rut and Generate Fresh Search Ideas on any Topic
What is keyword
“nerding”?
This refers to
brainstorming new words
and phrases to use in
your Google searches.
Tip: Use the Google Keyword Tool at
http://bit.ly/googlekeywordtool for “nerding” and
generating new keyword ideas and phrases.
Tip: Go to Google Advanced Search at
http://www.google.ca/advanced_search for one-
page form with many search string options.
Why is keyword nerding important? Using new
keywords allows you to search from fresh angles
and break out of a keyword “ruts”.
10. Peripheral “Visioning” Incorporating Offline Sources in Your Online Discovery
What is peripheral
visioning?
This refers to searching
in the “real world” and
not relying strictly on
Google to find
information.
Why is peripheral visioning important? The
Internet contains only a tiny fraction of the total
information in the world (less than 1% according to
Eric Schmidt at http://bit.ly/zD7fvL). This means you
need to search offline – not just the web -- for a
complete intelligence picture.
Personal e-mail exchanges
Go to public library and review
paper documents not yet posted
online (and may never be).
Travel to collect
front-line intelligence.
Visit public
agencies and
archives and
inspect paper-only
records.
Pick up phone
and talk to
subject experts.
Walk down hall
and consult with
colleagues.
BEFORE “Huck Finn”
Googling
AFTER “Deep Sea Trawler”
Googling
Recap and Wrap-Up Search String Lesson Why Important? Key Tips
Search strings are words you type
into Google search box.
Strings find info for critical life
decisions.
Improve your search strings and
you’ll improve your life.
Search tagging is adding context
words in search string.
The more info you provide Google,
the more relevant info it can deliver.
Use time, geo and industry-tagging
to boost relevancy.
Search intentioning is spelling out
what you want and why you want it.
Being open and transparent about
your wants = better Google results.
Be specific as possible and use up
to 32 keywords in search string.
Search filtering is sorting results
by phrase, filetype and domains.
Filtering allows you to “deep dive”
Google and slice & dice results.
Double quotes for phrases; Use
filetype: and site: commands.
X-Ray searching is scanning one
specific website.
You can uncover results not found
in website’s own search engine.
Use site:url command; use filetype:
to look for specific digital objects.
Word baiting and trolling is
creatively using language to search.
Nimble use of language can “catch”
fresh results.
Use synonyms, singular and plural,
misspellings, write in question form.
Mentalist searching is scanning
hidden web elements.
You can uncover web patterns and
connections overlooked by others.
Use commands link:url,
intitle:keywords and inurl:keywords.
Google hacking is searching for
sensitive information on Google.
The techniques can reveal
confidential & personal info online.
“My visa number is *”
“secret password” filetype:xls
Keyword nerding is generating
fresh search ideas.
Using new keywords allows you to
search from fresh angles.
Use the Google Keyword Tool at
http://bit.ly/googlekeywordtool
Peripheral visioning refers to
searching in “real world.”
Internet contains only a tiny fraction
of world knowledge.
Gather info through email
exchanges, personal meetings.
Recap and Wrap-Up
• You now know how to pull and tighten your “strings” … Google search strings.
• You’re about to start a string of good luck … in your online discovery.
• You can now gather more and better info on Google … no strings attached.
Google Power Search Strings Advanced Internet Research Techniques Part II
(follow up to September 15, 2011 webinar)
Garrett Wasny, MA, CMC, CITP/FIBP
http://www.garrettwasny.com | [email protected]