Create better Google search results with the help of AI
How to do this easily
"Human knowledge is a map; the more it's drawn, the more it disappears." - Unknown (often attributed to ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus)
Searching for ideas and knowledge is a meditative ritual. It offers a unique blend of comfort, curiosity, and, at times, waves of frustration. The learning process itself holds value, reminding us that wisdom often lies just beyond our grasp.
The frustration of Google searches
For years, I approached searching in Google haphazardly. It was a scattershot process, tossing words into the search bar, hoping the algorithm would make sense of my chaotic brain. Sometimes I found what I was looking for, but mostly it felt like a compromise. Lately, I feel like a hostage to an endless parade of sponsored, SEO-optimized results, bombarded with popups and ads that make it nearly impossible to read a page without distraction.
So how do I make searching a more deliberate extension of my thoughts, rather than a mere guessing game? I could attempt more precise searches using Google search operators (or commands) that look like a cryptic programming language. Take a look at this page and you tell me how likely you are to employ them in your Google searches.
Using Google search operators
Most people have no clue about the power of using Google search operators to build precise search requests. The problem is it’s just too difficult to remember how to use them for most of us.
This is what a Google search looks like using Google search operators (or syntax). It’s compact, specific and powerful provided you feel comfortable with the lingo.
("renewable energy policy" OR "clean energy report") -blog filetype:pdf (site:.gov)
The majority of us would not be confident attempting to build a custom search in Google like that. But if it’s built for us, we can use it with ease. Just paste the cryptic goodness directly into the a Google search box.
Leveraging AI for better searches - the easy way
I find it helpful to ask your favorite AI assistant (Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude.ai) to create a more precise Google search request. They never get tired regardless of the complexity of the task. We’ll focus on Google Gemini in the following examples but any LLM will help you do this. Your results will vary from mine depending on what LLM you are using. But the discovery process is the same and you will learn more about searching as a result of trying these ideas out.
Examples
Say you want to find articles on digital marketing. That’s the kind of Google search by itself that displays way too many sponsored ads and other eyeball interfering noise.
Why not try using this prompt to help narrow your search?"
Prompt:
Create a Google search to help me find digital marketing trends at Forbes.com
Answer:
"digital marketing trends" site:forbes.com"
Copy the text back to your Google search bar and modify to fit your needs. Hint you can could change Forbes.com to hbr.org or CNN.com. The important thing to remember is using quotes around the key words you are search for.
When you use a more precise search query, you instantly notice there are no extraneous results, no clutter. It was as if the noise of the internet had quieted, and only the pertinent remained.
There were times when I need to trim away even more fat in a search. For example, Tesla had been so dominate in the USA that I had forgotten there were other players in the game. By excluding Tesla, I opened up a search conversation I hadn’t anticipated, discovering the nuances of lesser-known companies, government initiatives, and scientific advancements.
I prompted Google Gemini:
Create a search query for electric cars that excludes Tesla. Use search operators to ensure Tesla results are filtered out.
Answer:
"electric cars" -Tesla
The result, I discovered lesser-known companies, government initiatives, and scientific advancements by excluding Tesla.
How about finding something specific in a sea of information like a government site.
Prompt:
Conduct a comprehensive search for government-issued PDF documents that contain information on renewable or clean energy policies.
Answer:
filetype:pdf (renewable OR clean) energy policy government
Government websites, dense as they are, hold treasures that often go overlooked. By honing in on PDFs, I was granted access to documents that felt as though they had been waiting for me all along, tucked away in the corners of officialdom.
Let’s say you are doing some research on climate change and you are looking for something specific on the NYTimes after a certain date.
The prompt:
Search articles from The New York Times website that mention "climate change" in the title and were published in the past month.
The Answer:
site:nytimes.com intitle:"climate change" after:2023-09-15
This variation helped me locate specific NYTimes articles I vaguely recall reading but cannot seem to find especially when I generally remember when I read them. I use this approach often now for other websites.
If you prefer to exclude The New York Times, try this prompt instead.
Prompt:
Create a Google search that will articles about climate change, but exclude content from the New York Times.
Answer:
intitle:"climate change" -site:nytimes.com
This would return information about the causes of climate change, excluding any results from the New York Times website.
Summing up
I find that searching isn’t just a tool for finding information—it’s a reflection of how we think, how we engage with the world around us. Each search is an inquiry, a question posed not just to Google, but to the universe of knowledge that surrounds us. And like all good inquiries, the answer isn’t always in the results, but in the way we craft the question.
Note: If you’re a Bing search user or DuckDuckGo user, you can ask your favorite LLM to craft specific search requests just like we did here for Google.
Ready to transform your search experience? Try one of these prompts with your favorite AI assistant and see what you discover!
Extra help
The key reason for including these additional examples is to remind you of the power of using a specific search request for SPECIFIC website. As we learned above we can incorporate specific dates into the search or look for content in a particular format - like PDF. Use your preferred LLM chat box to help you build the requests and expand on that as you gain confidence.
Industry-specific searches:
"e-commerce trends" site:mashable.com
"social media marketing strategies" site:hbr.org
"influencer marketing insights" site:adage.com
Geographic-focused searches:
"digital marketing in Asia" site:economist.com
"Latin American digital trends" site:latinamericatimes.com
"European e-commerce market" site:statista.com
Device- or platform-specific searches:
"mobile app marketing strategies" site:techcrunch.com
"digital marketing for voice assistants" site:cnet.com
"artificial intelligence in marketing" site:fastcompany.com
Emerging technology searches:
"blockchain in digital marketing" site:coindesk.com
"5G marketing opportunities" site:wirecutter.com
"virtual reality advertising" site:adweek.com
Niche topic searches:
"gaming influencer marketing" site:esportsbuzzer.com
"digital marketing for non-profits" site:philanthropynewsdigest.org
"sustainable digital marketing practices" site:greenbiz.com
Enjoy learning new ideas!
Tom