A few
simple tasks can give amazingly better search
result, even without using advanced features of
a search engine.
Agreed, for complex search on focussed
subjects, one has to use advanced features that
almost every search engine provides. But then,
not every search is complex - you might be looking
for as simple a thing as URL of Exim Bank of India.
A few tips can make your job really easy and less
time consuming.
1.
Select the Search Engine Carefully
Most of us are fond of one or two
search engines and blindly use them no matter
what the search subject is. However, a little
planning can save your time considerably.
If you are searching in directory
type search engine, the search result will be
precise but limited in number. So, if your search
topic is not well-known or broad enough - it may
not be listed in Yahoo! categories. On the other
hand - if you are looking for a few good sites
- there is nothing like Yahoo!
If the search is for a specific product
or service - check if there is any specific search
engine for that topic. For example - if you are
looking for software download - cnet or download.com
is a better choice than general purpose search
engines.
If you need quick results from more
than one search engine - use a meta search engine
like dogpile.com
And if you really want to do nothing
but search blindly, use google - it never fails
to amaze me with its broad coverage and extremely
fast throughput.
I have found google.com to cover
more Indian sites than any so called India-specific
search engines !
2. Be Specific
Always start with very specific search
expression. Never beat around the bush - tell
the search engine exactly what you want.
If you are looking for garment buyers
in Togo - search for garment and (buyers or importers)
and togo - not just togo or garment
You can even state your problem -
"can not install printer in Linux"
You will be amazed to find how often
this works !
3. Forced
Search
You can force search engine to look
for sites having specific search words. The +
symbol lets you do this
The + symbol ensures that a search
engine finds pages that have all the words you
enter, not just some of them. For example - if
you are looking for tobacco growers in Andhra
Pradesh - search with
+'Tobacco growers' +'Andhra Pradesh'
The + symbol above will ensure that
search engine retrieves only those pages that
have both the phrases 'Andhra Pradesh' and 'Tobacco
growers'
Forced search is especially helpful
when you do a search and then find yourself overwhelmed
with information. Use of + symbol will narrow
down your search considerably.
More search tips in forthcoming issues
|
