Did your online queries ever lead you to a surprising and overwhelming number of results? Is it possible that because of how you typed your query you are still unable to find the specific thing you needed? Even now, most people still don't know how to fully maximize the search engine. Your next Internet search could be easy if you make use of different terms and operators. Your search results are narrowed because of their help. You will find that you can choose from among hundreds of search engines.

Google, Infoseek, and Excite are commonly used search engines, but there are also more. Although Yahoo is a web directory, it is still widely used for searches. Searching can be done by categories, news stories, and others. One of the most searched items on the Internet is cars. You may have even tried to search for cars on the Internet yourself. But what if you wanted to narrow your search to cars in your area alone?

Checking out each search results page will not be necessary. A search engine makes available to its users some advanced options. In searching, four basic keywords exist. Using AND finds only documents containing all of the specified words or phrases. You can use the plus symbol instead of AND. OR allows you to locate documents that would contain at least one of the words you entered. Exclusion of certain choices containing words which will not lead you to the result you're looking for is possible through the use of NOT.

To see an example of the use of exact phrases and plus commands, consider the query '+car +san antonio area +texas dallas +houston'. This particular search will look for cars and auto dealers all over Texas, but it will not include Dallas or Houston. Try searching for a certain breed of dog instead of just searching for dog. If you are trying to look for an exact phrase or word, try putting it in quotes. What will only be included in your search results would be those that contain the exact word or phrase.

You might want to do your searches with lowercase letters, except if you are doing a case sensitive search. Foreign languages may have special characters that keep you from actually getting the search results you want. The searches performed by a search engine is not confined to just text. Some have the ability to search for links, titles, host names, and image names.

Some search engines have specific search options, like altavista and yahoo, which is what makes them so popular. In altavista, language is a consideration you can use in your searches. Using altavista allows you to access with a single mouse click an option which will translate web pages that are written in foreign languages. The special options of Yahoo meanwhile include the search engine giving suggested ideas and also organizing links together. You can easily find news stories that would grab your interest and do searches in other search engines with Yahoo.

Back then, it seemed that what you could only search for were World Wide Web documents. Now, online searches have extensively included addresses, phone numbers, and maps. Yahoo maps has this unique feature of allowing you to have the directions you would need to get a certain place from your house, provided you give your address.

About Author / Additional Info:
http://www.orangeline.com.au