GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND: MAKING SENSE OF GOOGLE FOR PRODUCTIVITY

Google Is Your Friend, how often do you hear people say this around you? I think it’s quite a familiar statement that you hear especially when you direct a question to an Internet savvy person, who seems not to have a detail answer to your question at that moment and thinks you should rather consult a search engine for help. Google Is Your Friend is a phrase that is often shortened as GIYF; it is a term commonly used by people of various ages and interest. It is a familiar term among many people who are conversant with the usage of Internet for different purposes.

“Google Is Your Friend!”

“Google is a Search Engine”, many people believe—which is Fine; but how do you use it? How conversant are you with using Google and its advance search features?

Assumption they say could be a very costly game sometime. It was until recently that I got to understand that even people who often say “Google is Your Friend”, do not necessarily have an in-depth understanding of how to leverage on it so solve their day-to-day ‘challenges’—particularly, as pertaining to their business activity. To an average person on “Google Street”, Google is only useful when they wanted to complete their class assignment, or search for what is trending online. I once asked a friend, “Have you ever used Google?” Then he looked at me amazingly. Like, what-kind-of-question-is-that reaction that we often express when someone asks us those perceived ‘seemingly-embarrassing’ questions.

I mean, how could you be asking me such a very cheap question! But I insisted: “Have you ever used Google?” Then he answered in affirmative; “Yes now, seebi Google is a Search Engine now”

Yes it is but what do you use it for?

“I use it to search for News!” he said.

Well, that is it!

That is it what Google means to him. To search for latest news. But as a job seeker have you ever tried and see into how you can use Google [more] to your advantage? For keywords like: “Available Jobs Near Me”; “Upcoming Training Near Me” and other related keywords like that help you to be aware of various job opportunities and training for self-development around you that you can take advantage of. You can also use your area of discipline or the type of job you need, especially if you are new in an environment, by typing something like “Teaching Jobs Near Me”; “Marketing Job Near Me” and the rest.

How about using search string such as: “Site:the name of your website” + search term like “link building” to know how many blogs or other websites that are linking back to your site to increase your backlink for more SEO Visibility? You can as well use Related string to find out about your competitors which in return gives you an opportunity to know your competitors and what they have been doing to improve their Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) effort.

For example, a search string like “Related:maravim.com” returns to you a result that shows a number of people who are in the same business as you and from there you can do some further research to top-up your SEO game.

There are endless features that Google Search Strings and Advance Search can bring to you. For example, you can use Google to find out weather forecast and currency conversion. Recently I needed to do some conversion for an online course I was about to start. The author of the course is based in India and the courses were listed in his local currency. Well, that is not a problem; all I needed to do was to head to Google and type on my Chrome omnibox the author’s local currency in my own local currency.

In addition to that, beyond latest news, movies OR searching for articles to get your school assignment done, Google can also help you to locate your phone in case you misplace it or you believe it is lost. “Google Find My Device” gives you an opportunity to locate your device, ring it, lock the screen and if you like wipe your data off it. I will encourage to explore more of Google Advance Search for its maximum usage. And you will know better that, indeed:

Google is Your friend!