List of Google Search Operators With Examples

Google search operators help online marketers like you to refine the search results as per your needs.

The general public is unaware of these special Google search operators but being a search engine optimizer or a digital marketer, you should have the practical knowledge of every Google search operator.

Related: Google Launches Menu Icons For Search Results

Here is a list of top Google search operators that most marketers use.

Related: Top Google Ads Statistics

1- Quotes (” “)

Quotes can be used as a Google search operator to display exact match results. Put any phrase under ” “, and Google will show results that contain the exact word or phrase. 

Purpose: To find highly relevant results. The quotes operator is used to find results when Google fails to match your search intent using a regular search query. 

Live Example: For example, if you wish to find Nike shoes in the range of $100, then you can use the search term “Nike shoes” “$100,” and Google will return a list of results that has Nike shoes in the range of $100. 

Related: Core Web Vitals For Google SEO

Here is the search query: “Nike shoes” “$100”

2- AND

The AND search operator is used to return results related to both the search terms that you have entered in the search box. However, Google uses the AND operator for the default search.

Purpose: AND is used to find results for two different search intent using a single search query.

Related: How to Get a Google Knowledge Panel For Your Business?

Live Example: “SEO AND content“

3- OR 

The OR Google search operator forces Google to return results that contain either of the search terms. You can also use “|” in place of “OR.”

Purpose: The purpose of the OR operator is to find results that contain either one of your words in your search query.

Related: What is SEO? Complete Guide to Learn SEO

Live Example: SEO OR PPC

4- Minus (-)

Minus (-) tells Google not to include the search term. In simple words, “it helps you to exclude words from the search queries.” For example, you only want to see results related to jobs but want to exclude “Samsung” from the results.

Purpose: Users use this Google search operator to exclude any irrelevant search terms from the results. It’s like using negative keywords in PPC.

Related: PPC Tips For Beginners

Live Example: jobs -Samsung

5- Asterisk (*)

The Asterisk(*) operator acts as a wildcard and matches phrases or words. It tells Google to fill the blank spot. 

Purpose: Asterisk(*) is mostly used to generate random results for queries.

Related: Google My Business Listing Optimization Guide

Live Example: jeff * amazon

6- Brackets ()

Brackets() is a Google search operator that is used to group more than one search operator together.

Related: How to Fix a Bad Google Review?

Purpose: Brackets() purpose is to structure and execute an advanced search.

Live Example: (excel OR outlook) ms word

7- $ / €

$ or €  is a price search operator that lets you search for products with prices. 

But, you can use these two signs($ and €) only.

Tip: Press and hold the “Alt” key and type “0163”, and it will make a pound (€) sign.

Related: Best Google Ad Extensions for Ecommerce Businesses

Purpose: You can use this Google Search Operator to search for products under specific currency.

Live Example: iPhone 11 $500

8- #..#

The dot operator is used to search for a range of numbers. For example, if you want to see search results related to “WWE video” between 2010 to 2015 only.

Purpose: To know news, announcements, and notifications under a specific year or number.

Live Example: WWE video 2010..2015

9- inanchor:

Inanchor: finds pages that are linked to any specific anchor text. In the below example, any page linked using the anchor “SEO” or “PPC” will be returned.

Related: PPC Tips To Improve Campaign Performance

Purpose: You can use the inanchor Google search operator to find pages linked using a specific anchor text. 

Live Example: inanchor:SEO PPC

10- allinanchor:

Allincnachor: Google search operator is very similar to “inanchor:” search operator, except it, returns pages with all the search terms or words after “:”

Related: PPC Skills To Become Master PPC Specialist

Purpose: With the allinanchor: search operator, you can search for pages linked using exact anchor texts.

Live Example: allinanchor:SEO PPC

11- blogurl:

By using the blogurl: operator, you can find all the blog URLs of a specific domain.

Related: How to Create a Blog: Complete Guide

Purpose: The purpose of blogurl: operator is to help users quickly find blog URLs of any domain. 

Live Example: blogurl:micrsosoft.com

12- Intitle:

Intitle: operator tells Google to only search for pages that include the word or phrase on their title. With this operator, you can find out how many websites target a specific keyword in the title tag.

Related: SEO Keyword Research Guide

Purpose: Intitle: operator is used to check the competitiveness of keywords and to find backlink opportunities.

Live Example: intitle:SEO services

13- Allintitle:

Allintitle: Google search operator is similar to intitle, except it ensures that every word in the search query is in the web page title. It is one of the best Google search operators used by many marketers to analyze organic SEO competitors.

Related: WordPress SEO: Supreme Guide

Purpose: Allintitle: operator helps to research your competitors to improve your SEO strategy.

Live Example: allintitle:WordPress SEO

14- Site:

The Site: operator is used to check if your website pages are indexed or not by Google. It limits your search to a single website.

Related: Index Your Site On Google Faster

Purpose: The Site: operator helps check how many indexed pages a site has and lets you check any duplicate content or links opportunity.

Live Example: site:seosandwitch.com

15- Source:

Source: is an operator vastly used by news website owners. It allows you to search for a phrase in a specific source of the website in Google News.

Related: Best Tools To Check Website Traffic

Purpose: Find news on specific topics under a particular news website.

Live Example: apple source:nytimes

16- Allintext:

Allintext: is a search operator that allows you to search for only pages with search terms in their content body.

Related: Ice Cream Formula To Rank Seed Keywords

Purpose: Allintext: the purpose is to discover better results for especially long-tail keywords.

Live Example: allintext:free WordPress plugins

17- Inurl:

Inurl: works the same as Intitle and Intext; the only difference between these operators is that Inurl checks and returns web pages containing the search terms in their URL.

Related: Best Instagram Influencer Marketing Strategies

Purpose: Using this operator, you can filter out bad URLs and find backlinks opportunities under your niche.

Live Example: inurl:Instagram tools

18- Allinurl:

Similar to Inurl but it will only include web pages that have all the words in their URL. If anyone of the words is not included in a page, Google will not show that particular web page.

Related: PosterMyWall: Easy Design Tool For Social Media

Purpose: Can be used for competitor analysis to identify link opportunities.

Live Example: allinurl:best designing tools

19- Filetype:

Filetype: search operator helps you to find results for a specific file type. Filetype: is beneficial when you are searching for any document related to some topic.

Related: PPC Stats You Shouldn’t Ignore

Purpose: To research and find original documents for various topics.

Live Example: PPC filetype:pdf

20- Related:

Related: operator can be used to find related websites to a specific URL. With this, you can find sites that are highly relevant to your industry.

Related: How To Sell On Flipkart? Complete Guide

Purpose: Find niche relevant competitors, and see how Google is categorizing your website.

Live Example: related:flipkart.com

21- AROUND(X):

AROUND(X): encourages Google to search for results containing two words under X words of each other. For example, “apple” and “iPhone” must be included in the content body, and no more than four words.

Purpose: AROUND(X): search operator is widely used for finding quotes and music lyrics. With this, you can find statements, research, and case studies.

Live Example: apple AROUND(3) iPhone

22- Weather:

Weather is a very basic search operator that is used to find the weather of any specific location. It will also display the results of other weather-related websites, as shown in the example below.

Related: Difference Between PPC and CPC

Purpose: With the help of Weather: Google Search Operator, you can easily find weather reports of any location.

Live Example: weather:america

23- Stocks:

Stocks: is a type of search operator that lets you search for any company’s stock information like price, year, and other details.

Purpose: Stocks: helps you quickly find stocks of any company; it can be useful for stock market traders.

Live Example: stocks:irctc

24- Map:

Map: Google search operator is very useful when searching for the map location of any place.

Related: Best SEO Companies in Mumbai

Purpose: With the help of Map: operator, you can see a map of any location.

Live Example: Map: Mumbai

25- Movie:

As the name describes, Movie: is used to find information about any movie. Not only this, but you can also find movie showtimes near your location.

Purpose: With Movie:, you can easily search for movie details and the latest movie showtimes.

Live Example: Movie:batman

26- In

“In” Google Search Operator helps you to convert one unit to another. It works with weights, currencies, temperatures, etc. You need to place “in” between amount and currency, as shown in the example below.

Purpose: “In” is only used for converting units with each other such as currencies.

Live Example: $100 in INR

27- Source:

Source: is a type of Google Search Operator that allows you to search for news results from a Google News source.

Purpose: Source: is widely used to search for news from a specific source of a news website.

Live Example: google source:the_verge

28- loc: placename

Loc: is used to find results from a specific country, city, or area.

Related: Top SEO Companies in London

Purpose: If you are looking for results in any particular country or city, you should use loc: search operator.

Live Example: loc:” san Francisco” apple

29- Cache:

Using Cache: Google Search Operator, you can get details of the most recent cache version of any site or web page.

Purpose: You can use Cache: for identifying when a website crawled last time.

Live Example: cache:seosandwitch.com

30- Inposttitle:

Inposttitle: is a very useful search operator when you are performing blog research for your website.

Related: Top Benefits of Blogging

Purpose: With Inposttitle: search operator’s help, you can easily find blogs with specific search terms or phrases.

Live Example: inposttitle: weight loss recipes

31- Plus (+)

Like the Minus (-) search operator, you can use the Plus (+) operator to add or include words in your search query or phrase you want to be included in your results.

Related: SEO Tips For Law Firms

Purpose: You can use Plus (+) operator to find guest posting opportunities, as shown in the example below.

Live Example: write for us + SEO

Related: Guest Posting Sites List

32- Tilde(~)

Tilde(~) search operator is used to find pages with related synonyms. You can place (~) before your search query, and Google will display all the results with synonyms to the word.

Purpose: You can use Tilde(~) to find results with synonyms to the word.

Live Example: holiday ~decorations

Final Thoughts

The above list of Google search operators are helpful when you are doing competitor analysis. It is not easy to remember all these operators if you are a newbie. Start using some of the the basic operators then gradually proceed with the more advanced ones. With time, you will be able to remember most of the Google search operators easily.