Google Operators for SEO

new operators and strategies to outrank your website

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Google Operators for SEO

by Top SEO Expert, Sandy Rowley

Google Advanced Search Operators: The Complete Guide for SEO Success

Secret SEO, Google’s advanced search operators offer powerful tools to refine searches and uncover hidden insights. These operators allow you to find link-building opportunities, analyze competitor content, and even diagnose indexing issues on your website. In this guide, we’ll explore each search operator and how to use them effectively for SEO.

1. Use of AROUND(X) Operator for Proximity Searches
   The AROUND(X) operator finds instances of two terms within a certain number of words of each other, which is useful for SEO research to locate close associations between keywords. For example, SEO AROUND(3) consultant will find pages where "SEO" and "consultant" appear within three words of each other. This can help identify natural keyword pairings or common phrases in competitor content. For example, if you search: “Best SEO Expert around Reno” or “AROUND(reno) , you will see Best SEO experts that are actually located in Reno Nv and not an SEO Expert located overseas.
2. Range Searches Using #..#
   The #..# operator is useful for finding content within a specific range, often for prices or dates. For example, SEO tools $50..$100 could show tools priced between $50 and $100, or SEO 2015..2023 can help locate content published between 2015 and 2023. This is particularly helpful for trend research over specific time periods or filtering content within certain numerical criteria.
3. Combining before: and after: with intitle: for Time-Sensitive Competitor Analysis
   To identify how competitors address time-sensitive topics, combine before: and after: with intitle:. For instance, site:competitor.com intitle:SEO before:2023-01-01 after:2022-01-01 helps locate content published in 2022 with "SEO" in the title, giving insights into yearly topic trends or focus shifts.
4. Using define: for Quick Definitions and Topic Research
   The define: operator provides definitions and can be useful for basic keyword research. For example, define:SEO pulls up Google's definition, which is often paired with related search queries, offering additional keywords for consideration.
5. inanchor: and allinanchor: for Backlink Analysis
   Though somewhat unreliable, the inanchor: and allinanchor: operators can help you find pages with specific anchor text in backlinks, which is useful for understanding how competitors build link profiles. For instance, inanchor:"SEO services" locates pages linked with "SEO services" as anchor text, showing link-building patterns and anchor preferences among competitors.
6. Locating Specific Locations with loc: and location:
   The loc: and location: operators can help localize search results by area, such as loc:"New York" SEO expert. This operator can help narrow results for local SEO research or market-specific queries, providing valuable insights into geographic competition.

• Diagnose Indexing and Visibility Issues
  Use the site: operator to check which pages of your website are indexed by Google. Combine it with filetype: to locate PDFs or specific file types that may be unintentionally indexed. For instance, site:yourdomain.com filetype:pdf will reveal any PDF files accessible in Google’s index. If sensitive files like lead-generation PDFs are indexed, consider using a noindex directive to prevent public access. Additionally, using cache: followed by a URL can show the most recent cached version of a page, allowing you to see how Google views your content.
• Analyze Competitors and Find Inspiration
  The related: operator can help identify competitor sites similar to yours, providing insights into which sites Google considers comparable. From there, use site:competitordomain.com combined with intitle: to identify key content themes or articles that drive traffic for competitors. For example, site:moz.com intitle:"SEO tips" will show pages Moz has published with “SEO tips” in the title, which could inspire similar content for your site.
• Discover Guest Post and Link-Building Opportunities
  Use the intitle: and inurl: operators to find sites in your niche that accept guest posts. For example, coffee intitle:"write for us" inurl:write-for-us helps locate sites open to guest contributions. You can also find authors who frequently guest blog by using inurl:author/[firstname-lastname] to identify their work across sites. This strategy allows you to pitch similar content to websites with high-quality backlinks.
• Find Resource Pages for Link-Building
  Resource pages are valuable for link-building, as they curate links to helpful content. Use the intitle: and inurl: operators to locate these pages by searching for terms like intitle:resources inurl:resources combined with your niche keyword, such as intitle:coffee inurl:resources. Look for resource pages that link externally to high-quality sites, and pitch your own valuable content if it aligns with the page’s topic.
• Uncover New Content and Trends in Competitors’ Content
  To track how often competitors publish, use a combination of site:, before:, and after: operators. For example, site:competitordomain.com after:2023-01-01 before:2023-12-31 shows all posts published in 2023. This allows you to monitor content frequency, helping you identify competitors’ content strategies and publishing schedules.

1. Diagnose Indexing and Visibility Issues
   Use the site: operator to check which pages of your website are indexed by Google. Combine it with filetype: to locate PDFs or specific file types that may be unintentionally indexed. For instance, site:yourdomain.com filetype:pdf will reveal any PDF files accessible in Google’s index. If sensitive files like lead-generation PDFs are indexed, consider using a noindex directive to prevent public access. Additionally, using cache: followed by a URL can show the most recent cached version of a page, allowing you to see how Google views your content.
2. Analyze Competitors and Find Inspiration
   The related: operator can help identify competitor sites similar to yours, providing insights into which sites Google considers comparable. From there, use site:competitordomain.com combined with intitle: to identify key content themes or articles that drive traffic for competitors. For example, site:moz.com intitle:"SEO tips" will show pages Moz has published with “SEO tips” in the title, which could inspire similar content for your site.
3. Discover Guest Post and Link-Building Opportunities
   Use the intitle: and inurl: operators to find sites in your niche that accept guest posts. For example, coffee intitle:"write for us" inurl:write-for-us helps locate sites open to guest contributions. You can also find authors who frequently guest blog by using inurl:author/[firstname-lastname] to identify their work across sites. This strategy allows you to pitch similar content to websites with high-quality backlinks.
4. Find Resource Pages for Link-Building
   Resource pages are valuable for link-building, as they curate links to helpful content. Use the intitle: and inurl: operators to locate these pages by searching for terms like intitle:resources inurl:resources combined with your niche keyword, such as intitle:coffee inurl:resources. Look for resource pages that link externally to high-quality sites, and pitch your own valuable content if it aligns with the page’s topic.
5. Uncover New Content and Trends in Competitors’ Content
   To track how often competitors publish, use a combination of site:, before:, and after: operators. For example, site:competitordomain.com after:2023-01-01 before:2023-12-31 shows all posts published in 2023. This allows you to monitor content frequency, helping you identify competitors’ content strategies and publishing schedules.

Extra Google Operators not found elsewhere online…

1. Add a section on how to use the site: and filetype: operators to find potential indexing issues and check if sensitive files like lead-generation PDFs are indexed.
2. Include tips on using the related: and site: operators together for competitive analysis, with examples on how to identify content themes of competitor sites.
3. Expand on intitle: and inurl: usage for finding guest post opportunities and add a strategy to find guest authors in your niche.
4. Add a detailed method on finding resource pages for link-building using intitle: and inurl: operators.
5. Insert instructions on tracking competitor content frequency using the before: and after: operators.

Google Search Operators: The Full List

Google’s search operators fall into three categories:

1. Working — Operators that function as expected.
2. Unreliable — Not officially deprecated but may yield inconsistent results.
3. Not Working — Officially deprecated and no longer functional.

Here’s the complete list of Google search operators, along with practical examples for SEO use.

Working Operators

Search OperatorFunctionExample" "Search for an exact word or phrase."steve jobs"ORFind results related to either term.jobs OR gates``Same as ORANDResults related to both terms.jobs AND gates-Exclude a term from results.jobs -apple*Wildcard operator for any word.steve * apple( )Group multiple terms.(ipad OR iphone) appledefine:Find definitions.define:entrepreneurcache:View Google’s cache of a webpage.cache:apple.comfiletype:Search for specific file types (e.g., PDF).apple filetype:pdfext:Alternative for filetype:apple ext:pdfsite:Restrict results to a specific website.site:apple.comrelated:Find sites related to a domain.related:apple.comintitle:Find pages with a term in the title tag.intitle:appleallintitle:Search titles for multiple terms.allintitle:apple iphoneinurl:Search for terms in the URL.inurl:appleallinurl:Find URLs with multiple terms.allinurl:apple iphoneintext:Search for words in page content.intext:apple iphoneallintext:Find content with multiple terms.allintext:apple iphone

Key SEO Techniques Using Search Operators

1. Diagnose Indexing and Visibility Issues

Using site: alone can show which pages of your website are indexed. For instance, site:yourdomain.com filetype:pdf will display indexed PDFs, which could include sensitive files like gated lead magnets. If such files are accessible in search, use noindex tags to prevent public access.

The cache: operator lets you view Google’s cached version of a page, helping identify indexing or crawling issues.

2. Competitive Analysis with related: and site: Operators

Use the related: operator to find similar sites, offering a way to analyze competitors. Combining site: with intitle: (e.g., site:moz.com intitle:"SEO tips") lets you dive into competitors’ content themes and identify valuable topics they focus on. This analysis is helpful for generating ideas for content to fill any topic gaps on your own site.

3. Find Guest Post and Link-Building Opportunities

Use intitle: and inurl: operators to locate guest post opportunities in your niche. For example, coffee intitle:"write for us" inurl:write-for-us helps find sites open to guest contributions. Additionally, search for author-specific posts with inurl:author/[firstname-lastname] to identify where guest authors in your field contribute.

This technique allows you to target quality sites in your niche for link-building outreach.

4. Locate Resource Pages for Link-Building

Resource pages curate links to valuable content, making them ideal for link-building. To find them, use intitle: and inurl: operators combined with your topic (e.g., intitle:resources inurl:resources coffee). Once you find relevant resource pages, you can reach out to the site owners and suggest your content for inclusion if it aligns with their audience.

5. Monitor Competitor Content Frequency

Use site:, before:, and after: together to track how frequently competitors publish new content. For instance, site:competitordomain.com after:2023-01-01 before:2023-12-31 shows posts from 2023, allowing you to monitor their content cadence and strategize accordingly.

Tips for Advanced Search Techniques

1. Find Related Content and Questions
   Use the inurl: operator on Quora or other Q&A sites (e.g., site:quora.com inurl:SEO) to locate threads on specific topics. This can help you find relevant questions to answer, build brand awareness, and generate referral traffic.
2. Identify Internal Link Opportunities
   Use site: combined with your target keyword to locate pages on your site that mention the topic, providing a chance to add internal links. For example, site:yourdomain.com "SEO tips" highlights internal link opportunities to your “SEO tips” content.
3. Track Reviews of Competitors
   Use allintitle:review ([competitor 1] OR [competitor 2]) to find reviews of competitors, which may reveal potential sites for product reviews or other mentions. The after: operator can filter results for recent publications.

Final Thoughts

Google’s advanced search operators empower SEOs to refine searches, uncover link-building opportunities, and monitor competitors with precision. Though some operators work best when combined, these tools open up new possibilities for optimizing content and building authority through strategic SEO research.