How do you really use Google?

Let's share our Google-searching habits to find out how do real people do it.

I try to come up with a query which will give me the most relevant results. I'm trying to think like Google. I do a lot of "how to" and "why does" queries.

When I get the results, I middle-click all interesting results from the first page to open them in a new tab. I will click all that seem relevant to my query. Then I will read one by one in these tabs.

Two consequences: all pages that rank for the query will get a click from me. The last one on the list will get a longer visit time as the tab stays open until I get to it.

If I didn't get what I wanted, only then will I move to page 2, or will change the search query altogether.

I'm banner blind and I never buy anything. I don't click affiliate links, ever. I hover over the link to see if it's an aff link. If I'll be taking out my credit card it will be for a service I really need (and am not persuaded to buy it).

P.S. I'm also using Google as an internal search engine for the pages I already visited. For example, I know which query will get me to my bank's currency exchange list. And I use that constantly, as it's much quicker than going to the bank website and then navigating it, and bookmarks aren't feasible as I'd have to make one for each machine. Google search is universal, and it also remembers my queries across all devices. Many people do this, for example, they search for "coca cola" or "cocacola.com" when they want to go to the Coca Cola website. They type in Google instead of typing in the URL bar.

How do you do things?

Hey Dan,

Great thread start...

Funny, but every single step is exactly similar to how i use it. I wonder if the responses here will correspond to an average user.

Decided that I'll go spy on my parents during my next visit...

I just type in my query direct into the address bar and scan the results for one which indicates it might be useful. Open that, then go back and choose another one if the first is no good. Never even thought of opening multiple windows.

I just type in my query direct into the address bar and scan the results for one which indicates it might be useful. Open that, then go back and choose another one if the first is no good. Never even thought of opening multiple windows.

Never hit a banner, but not too bothered about hitting a link even if it looks like an affiliate...I'd never follow through with a purchase or registration from doing that though.

Great post. Just wondering, why the aversion against clicking on affiliate links? If the website provides value to me, why not give them something in return? That's how we make a money after all? I will gladly click through an aff link if it solves a problem for me.

As for myself, I never open multiple windows. I just type in my query in the search bar and read the descriptions. I will usually open three or four untill I find what i am looking for. I do scan pages 2, 3 or 4 as the best content as not always in the highest ranking sites.

I very rarely go to page 2, if I don't find what I'm looking for on page 1 then I change my query.

I don't open multiple tabs, I usually browse one at a time picking out the one that looks most relevant out of the first 5-6 results.

Hey Dan.

First of all, great topic.

When searching for something, I usually do pretty much the same as you – I search it in the address bar and middle-click all the results which seem relevant at first glance. Afterwards, I go through them one by one to see if I find the needed information. If I don’t find it on first page, usually I’ll just figure that I’ve used the wrong query in the first place and make a new search – I rarely go to the second page. I never click on the paid ads, I just copy and paste the URL in a different URL bar. For visited pages that I want to use again later, I organize them in folders in my bookmarks. I rarely delete my history because a lot of times, I'll end up looking there for a page that I need.

Regarding affiliate links, I usually open them and check what kind of info is provided.

I use G in the exact same way. I type in every single thing. The only thing I do not search up are my own websites. These urls I type in directly :)

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Originally Posted by wolfie

Just wondering, why the aversion against clicking on affiliate links? If the website provides value to me, why not give them something in return? That's how we make a money after all? I will gladly click through an aff link if it solves a problem for me.

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Agree 100% with that - if I've visited a page that's fully answered my question/given me a better deal etc then I'll use their affiliate link without question when purchasing as I think that they should be rewarded.

I tend to use fairly long-tail queries when using google and rarely go beyond the first page (unless looking for one of my own sites!). I don't clean the browsing history when using Chrome so I get presented with what Google intends me to see; I also use IE with all history automatically removed for 'clean' searches when checking positions for our own/competitor pages so that the results aren't skewed.

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Originally Posted by wolfie

Great post. Just wondering, why the aversion against clicking on affiliate links? If the website provides value to me, why not give them something in return? That's how we make a money after all? I will gladly click through an aff link if it solves a problem for me.

As for myself, I never open multiple windows. I just type in my query in the search bar and read the descriptions. I will usually open three or four untill I find what i am looking for. I do scan pages 2, 3 or 4 as the best content as not always in the highest ranking sites.

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I agree with you, we are affiliates too :), so if there is a little opportunity to help the webmaster of the source, why don't use aff. links ?
For example I bought hosting for my website by aff. link and I did it advicedly. I will do the same for other services too.

I usually type in my query in the search or address bar, sometimes I open multiple windows, if I want to see many different results. Also it depends from the time I have for serching.

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Originally Posted by RacingJim

I very rarely go to page 2, if I don't find what I'm looking for on page 1 then I change my query.

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Same here.

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Originally Posted by DanHorvat

When I get the results, I middle-click all interesting results from the first page to open them in a new tab. I will click all that seem relevant to my query. Then I will read one by one in these tabs.

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I also do this, yet I rarely go to page 2 if page 1 fails to satisfy. I assume if page 1 fails that means my query was ****** and needs correcting.

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I'm banner blind and I never buy anything. I don't click affiliate links, ever. I hover over the link to see if it's an aff link. If I'll be taking out my credit card it will be for a service I really need (and am not persuaded to buy it).

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I can probably count on one hand the number of banners I've clicked in the last 20 years that wasn't for "research purposes"

The affiliate link thing... In the past, I, like you avoided affiliate links like the plague unless they were FatWallet/Ebates type links that actually gave me a discernible discount. Most affiliate sites lie about giving better prices/deals and I categorically avoid them just b/c I don't like to be BS'd. However, after becoming an affiliate, I now give business to sites that help me answer my query faster and that I personally judge to be "well done" as a means of rewarding people that I think deserve to be rewarded.

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P.S. I'm also using Google as an internal search engine for the pages I already visited.

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Also do this sometimes for convenience.

Bump. Does anyone else want to share his/her Google-using habits? It would benefit us all.

I`ll try to help keep the thread going even if I don`t have anything interesting to say. It`s a really good thread.

I`m an idiot in this regard - I started focusing on my keywords like "betting previews" and never thought twice about it, I focused on content. After 2 years, I`m finally trying to understand better converting keywords and, like Dan said, how to provide search results that get clicked.

As for search, I almost always check the second, third and fourth page. I look for 1-2 authorities on the first page and than next page. Just because I know that quality, original, new content isn`t necessarily on the first page. Unfortunately not in the 1-4/5 pages that I check either.

I check the ranking of my sites for certain search terms on a daily basis using Google through various country specific proxy servers. As far as searching the web, I only use Google as it is by far the best search engine imo. I don't bother using Yahoo and I rarely use Bing.

My only addition to Dan's method is that i never read the description. I look only at the titles and click on the ones that seem relevant (opening them in a new tab).

I wonder is someone actually pays attention to the descriptions (besides google).

I do but only because I know that G does :) but in some cases I read the descriptions also for my own searches because often the titles are not clear and G also build up titles in their own way so it is not always the title that the webmaster included.

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Originally Posted by DanHorvat

I try to come up with a query which will give me the most relevant results. I'm trying to think like Google. I do a lot of "how to" and "why does" queries.

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Same here. Like "Who is Arthur Musgrove?" rather than just the name. Or "What is XXXX syntax in PHP" ?

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Originally Posted by DanHorvat

When I get the results, I middle-click all interesting results from the first page to open them in a new tab. I will click all that seem relevant to my query. Then I will read one by one in these tabs.

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Middle click? MAC mouse?

Anyway - yes I right click 2-3 options that look good from the first page.
I look at title AND descriptions AND URL to weed out obvious spam results including query echos and thin EMD sites.

This leaves the Google query result page available to check more result if needed. (ie the first 2-3 are a bust)

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Originally Posted by DanHorvat

Two consequences: all pages that rank for the query will get a click from me. The last one on the list will get a longer visit time as the tab stays open until I get to it. If I didn't get what I wanted, only then will I move to page 2, or will change the search query altogether.

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Same here

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Originally Posted by DanHorvat

I'm banner blind and I never buy anything. I don't click affiliate links, ever. I hover over the link to see if it's an aff link. If I'll be taking out my credit card it will be for a service I really need (and am not persuaded to buy it).

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Not banner blind. I might buy (or at least research further) if it's a buying question.
I'm not pro or anti-affiliate.

But I prefer that the page answers my question quite a bit - I usually will not click further to a second site to search.
Instead I'll go to the next page.

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Originally Posted by DanHorvat

P.S. I'm also using Google as an internal search engine for the pages I already visited. For example, I know which query will get me to my bank's currency exchange list.

And I use that constantly, as it's much quicker than going to the bank website and then navigating it, and bookmarks aren't feasible as I'd have to make one for each machine.

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I use favourites - I also type in all financial addresses - and will not rely on Google or any search engine for re-direction.

I type directly into address bar and somehow I sometimes found also interesting sites on page 5, 6 or even 7. If an affiliate link appears interesting to me I might also click on it because I am nosy:-)

I rarely go to the 2nd page, if I don't get what I searched for on the first attempt I'll rephrase my query.
Same here, I don't buy or click on ads.