Google tricks: search operators and useful examples

The Google search operators let you refine a query: quotation marks search for an exact phrase, the minus sign excludes terms, site: limits the site, and filetype: searches for a file format. They are useful for research, but do not replace reviewing sources or auditing your website.

At Agencia Cero we have gathered examples for more precise searches. This guide distinguishes features documented by Google from historical commands that appeared in the original version. The classification by use is editorial, not an official search-engine classification.

Google operators for narrowing a search

The official help for refining searches documents these options. Write the operator attached to its value: site:agenciacero.com, with no space after the colon.

• Exact phrase: "economic crisis in Chile" searches for that sequence of words.
• Exclude a term: crisis -economic excludes results containing the excluded term.
• Search within a site: site:agenciacero.com SEO limits the query to the domain.
• Find files: marketing plan filetype:pdf searches for documents in that format.
• Narrow by dates: marketing after:2025-01-01 before:2026-01-01 requests documents according to the dates Google identifies for them.

Always check the date within the document: a filter does not certify that its data are current. You can also use the interface filters; their availability and order depend on the query.

How to combine operators without losing useful results

Start with a simple question and add one condition at a time. For example, go from marketing plan to "marketing plan" filetype:pdf. Then, if you are looking for a particular source, add its domain with site:. If you get few results, remove the most restrictive condition first.

Not all useful documents use your exact words. Try related concepts and review the full content, especially when the search engine’s summary does not provide enough context.

What site: can and cannot show

A query such as site:agenciacero.com SEO helps locate pages on a domain related to the topic. However, the list is not exhaustive, and a URL’s absence does not demonstrate that it is outside the index. Google explains these limitations in its documentation for the site: operator.

If you manage the site and need to review a URL, use Search Console’s URL inspection with the appropriate permissions. Do not use a search’s approximate number of results as a complete inventory of indexed pages.

Commands from the original guide: how to interpret them today

Some lists of tricks mix documented operators, search conventions, and retired features. We retain the historical examples so you can recognize them, without presenting them as verified current features when the consulted documentation does not support that.

Alternatives, incomplete phrases, and definitions

• OR: the historical example crisis OR depression was used to express alternatives. For reproducible research, also run each query separately and compare the results.
• Asterisk: "crisis * in Chile" became known as a wildcard for unknown words. The current help consulted does not document it among its main operators; try explicit rephrasing if you need precision.
• define: define:seo appeared as a way to access definitions. A query such as what does SEO mean lets you search for explanations, but its presence in results does not guarantee a single definition or a dictionary card.

Searches by title, URL, text, and link text

The original version included inurl:, allinurl:, intitle:, allintitle:, intext:, allintext:, inanchor: and allinanchor:. They were used to direct the search toward the page address, title, body, or link text, respectively.

Examples from that collection were inurl:seo, allintitle:beach vacations, allintext:house rentals -santiago and allinanchor:"seo in chile". We do not present them as a current compatibility inventory or as an exhaustive method for auditing content or backlinks. To verify a title or URL, open the page; to review links on your own site, use the available administration tools.

Social media, prices, and numerical ranges

The examples @designseo_cl and #marketing illustrated searches for usernames and hashtags. They do not guarantee access to every profile or post on a network. Also search for the name alongside the platform’s domain and check that the profile belongs to the correct person or brand.

The historical queries iphone 400$, television 200..500 and wars 1600..1900 searched for prices or ranges. Do not use them as proof of availability, currency, or current price. State the currency and context explicitly, check the source, and, for document dates, consider the documented operators before: and after:.

Retired tricks you should no longer follow

• cache: was previously used to access a copy stored by Google. Google confirms that it no longer works in Search.
• related: was used to find sites related to an address. Google removed its documentation because it stopped supporting it.
• Google+ and the + sign: old profile searches such as +david are not a current way to find profiles on the consumer version of Google+, which closed in 2019.
• link: the old example link:www.designseo.cl should not be used as a reliable list of inbound links. For your own site, consult the link reports available in Search Console and consider their limitations.

The retirement of cache: and related: is recorded in the official Google documentation updates. The closure of Google+ is explained in its official frequently asked questions. This background helps avoid confusing an old list of tricks with current features.

How to use Google for mathematical calculations

The Google calculator help confirms that you can type operations or search for “calculator.” The interface lets you review operations and scientific functions. The following examples retain the mathematical uses from the original guide:

• Powers: 2 raised to 5 equals 32. Try 2^5 or use the calculator’s power key.
• Factorials: 5! equals 120; it is the product of the integers from 1 to 5.
• Percentages: 7 % of 5000 is 350. You can also calculate 5000*0.07.
• Logarithms: ln means natural logarithm. On a scientific calculator, check which base log uses. For base 2, you can calculate ln(x)/ln(2); do not assume the old example lg(28) means base 2.
• Trigonometry: sin, cos, and tan correspond to sine, cosine, and tangent. Check degrees or radians before interpreting the result. Secant, cosecant, and cotangent can be expressed through their reciprocals where defined.
• Roots: the square root of 9 is 3. The fifth root of 340 corresponds to 340^(1/5); the historical text 5th root of 340 described that same operation.

These are mathematical examples, not a guarantee that every written variation will trigger a direct answer in each interface or language. If the calculator does not appear, search for it by name. Check the expression and units before using the result.

A procedure for more precise research

1. Write down what information you need and which source might document it.
2. Run a simple query and review the vocabulary of the first results.
3. Add quotation marks, a domain, or a format only when helpful.
4. Open the source and check authorship, date, and context.
5. Cross-check relevant information against another suitable source.
6. Save the query and review date if you need to repeat the work.

If you need to follow a topic, you can review Google’s help on how to create an alert. An alert makes it easier to discover new results, but does not guarantee complete coverage.

Frequently asked questions about Google tricks

Do these operators improve my site’s SEO?

Not directly. They help research results and locate information. Improving rankings requires working on the site and its content; typing a query does not modify its ranking signals.

Why does a search return different results?

Results can change with the query, context, and search engine updates. Record the comparison conditions and do not treat an isolated search as a complete measurement.

What should I do if an operator does not work as expected?

Review the syntax, remove conditions, and consult the official help. Use a simple query or the available filters before assuming there is no information on the topic.