Google is an AMAZING company for us developers!
How do I keep track of the tools that come and go?
Are you using Google search like a pro?
How to Use Google – Search Tips for Better Results
Current Favorite time savers
Use .new domain to create:
- Google Docs (doc.new, docs.new, documents.new)
- Google Sheets (sheet.new, sheets.new, spreadsheets.new)
- Google Slides (slide.new, slides.new, deck.new, presentation.new)
- Google Forms (form.new, forms.new)
- Google Sites (site.new, sites.new, website.new)
Do not use http(s):// or www! Just type doc.new
More interesting uses of Google:
The Google Brain
When you search on Google, the results you get are based on the location where you initiate your search. The results you get are intentionally biased. It's done in the interest of speed. If you are looking for the local Starbucks, and this bias was not built into the algorithm, you would spend far more time searching for it!
Our brains are no different. When I give you a prompt, every thought that arises is like search results in Google. The difference is that Google reflects the collective wisdom of billions of points of information. We, on the other hand, are left with the results of our limited personal experience and the prior knowledge we've retained.
If I say the word 'car,' it's like inputting the word 'car' into google. The thoughts that follow are unique to you, based on your own metadata.
What algorithm defines what shows up on page one of the search results in our head? The thoughts that spring to mind first are your page one results. Knowledge is only a small part of the equation. More often, the results that pop up first are the ones we've anchored a strong emotional connection to.
I've found that the more I teach, the more effective my search results become. I'm a big believer in the learn → do → teach path to mastery. Experiences tend to strengthen our knowledge and the knowledge we retain first is the knowledge we apply. We further deepen that knowledge when we teach what we know to others.
What's the point?
The point is that our ‘search results’ (thoughts) are based on our unique circumstances, the knowledge we are able to recall and the experiences we've had (as we remember them). In most cases, our data set is both limited and flawed, so we do the best we can do with what we have. Failure happens first.
Knowing everyone works from a limited dataset, it's easier to tolerate the decisions of others that may contradict our own.
Our ability to improve is in the algorithm we use, similar to how Google produces search results. Like Google, we need to work on improving our algorithm.
The key to finding what you need quickly on Google is knowing how to search for it. Picking the right words and quickly assimilating the results. Gather as little knowledge as you need and to take action. Don't get stuck into paralysis by analysis.
All Things Google
Google is constantly evolving. Here's my share of what I've seen as a daily google user.
Google Bookshelf
https://books.google.com/books?uid=115042673900209941360
Google Photos
https://photos.google.com/sharing
Google Plus
http://google.com/+selfpublish
Google Badges
Google Circles
Add an event to Google search results
Learn how here
Google my Business
Helpful Links:
https://www.en.advertisercommunity.com/t5/Google-My-Business/ct-p/GMB
Listing on .site
Example: http://publish.business.site
Reviews
See: https://support.google.com/business/answer/7035772
Google Feedburner
Request Feedburner to ping your feed: http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/ping
Ranking in Google
Straight from the horses mouth
How do I make my site appear first in Google Search results?
Everyone asks us this question. The answer is: there is no secret, there are only good practices. Here are the best practices for improving your ranking in Google search results:
- Provide high quality content on your site. Google tries to find the best answer for our users’ requests; if you write the best material, you’re in the game. Use the Search Analytics report to see which queries lead to your pages, and what the click-through rate is for links to your site.
- Make your site mobile friendly. Many users search on mobile devices; our search results favor pages that we think answer the user’s request best with the best possible user experience on their platform. (your pubwriter site is very mobile friendly!)
- Use informative titles and snippets. Good, clear titles and accurate meta tag descriptions help us understand the purpose of a page and generate useful snippets in our search results. Learn more.
- Add structured data to enable additional search result features such as stars, event information, or site search boxes, which add to the user experience, making your site more valuable to readers. Read more about structured data or use our tools.
- Make sure that you follow our guidelines for good sites and avoid pitfalls that could affect your search ratings.