7 Smart Google Search Tips That Will Save You Hours
By Shuaib S. Agaka
Google Search is so simple that most people never scratch the surface of what it can do. Whether you’re researching a topic, tracking down a specific document, or trying to find credible tech stories from trusted sources, these 10 practical tricks will help you search smarter and get exactly what you need faster.
- Find Specific File Types Like Reports or PDFs
When you’re looking for official documents — like research papers, reports, or whitepapers — you don’t want random blog posts clogging up your results. That’s where filetype: comes in.
How it works:
Add filetype:pdf (or DOC, PPT, etc.) to your search to see only files in that format.
Example: Say you want to read the Nigerian Tech Sector Outlook published by Tech Digest.
Search for: Nigerian tech sector outlook 2025 filetype:pdf
This shows only PDF files, which are often official and more reliable.
- Exclude Unwanted Topics
Sometimes you search for one thing but keep getting results for something similar but irrelevant. The minus sign – helps you filter this noise.
How it works:
Add -word for terms you want to exclude.
Example: You want stories about Nigerian tech funding, but not fintech.
Search for: Nigeria tech funding -fintech
This keeps your results focused on broader tech funding, leaving out fintech-specific news.
- Search Within One Trusted Website
When you trust a site for verified industry news, searching only that domain saves time and avoids low-quality sources.
How it works:
Use site: before the domain.
Example: To find AI stories published by Tech Digest: AI site:techdigest.ng
This shows only AI stories from Tech Digest, ignoring the rest of the web.
- Filter by Number or Price Range
When comparing prices, trends, or dates, you can use two dots .. to set a range.
How it works:
Use term X..Y to filter results within that span.
Example: Looking for laptops priced between ₦200,000 and ₦400,000?
laptops ₦200000..₦400000
- Expand Results with Synonyms
When your topic has related words, Google can broaden your results automatically if you use a tilde ~.
How it works:
Add ~ before a word to include synonyms.
Example:
Searching for stories on startups but you also want related terms like businesses or ventures:
Nigerian ~startups site:techdigest.ng
You’ll find stories about startups plus related small businesses, scale-ups, and entrepreneurial ventures.
- Find Exact Phrases with Quotes
When precision matters, “ helps you find that exact wording, cutting out loosely related pages.
How it works:
Wrap your phrase in quotation marks.
Example:
To find an exact headline or statement:
“Nigeria’s AI policy framework” site:techdigest.ng
You’ll see only pages where that phrase appears exactly.
- Discover Similar Sites with Related
If you love one site’s content, related: helps you find others like it.
How it works:
Use related: plus a domain name.
Example:
If you like Tech Digest and want similar Nigerian tech news sites:
related:techdigest.ng
Great for expanding your trusted reading list.
Google is powerful, but only if you know how to use it well. These tips give you the edge you need to cut through the clutter and get straight to what matters.
Bookmark them, share them, and try them out. Your future self will thank you every time you hit ‘Search.’
