Google’s website: operator limits search outcomes to a single area. It is among the oldest and most useful instruments for search engine marketing.
To make use of, kind website: adopted by the specified URL (no area) in Google’s search field — e.g., website:sampledomain.com/article.
Right here’s the right way to use it for key web optimization duties.
Utilizing the website: Operator
1. Discover inside pages to hyperlink to
The website: operator is helpful for finding related inside pages rapidly.
The website: operator locates related inside pages rapidly. This instance searches for “hreflang” articles.
Search optimizers as soon as used the operator to know which pages Google prioritized for any question. However that’s not dependable as a result of outcomes for website: are usually not based mostly on intent, earlier searches, and even freshness — as is the case for different queries.
Nonetheless, the website: operator usually surfaces a search-optimized web page for every question, so I proceed utilizing it for inside hyperlink choices.
2. Find URLs that shouldn’t be listed
Google’s Search Console is the easiest way to establish pages that ought to and shouldn’t be listed. But it surely’s not good. Typically Search Console lists unindexed URLs which are truly listed. So use Search Console and website: to seek out listed pages that ought to be blocked, redirected, or canonicalized.
Even higher, run a number of website: operators to verify correctly listed pages, making certain:
- Tag pages are usually not listed: website:area.com inurl:tag
- Backend, admin pages are usually not listed: website:area.com inurl:admin
- Solely https URLs are listed: website:area.com inurl:http or website:area.com -inurl:https
From there, use Search Console’s URL inspection device to seek out the explanations for improper indexation.
A seek for website:seosmarty.com -inurl:https features a minus signal to exclude https pages from the outcomes.
3. Entry Google’s cache
Google’s cache exhibits how the search engine sees all parts of a web page. A website: search can entry the cache model of a web page by clicking the three vertical dots subsequent to the title within the outcomes. The following “Extra choices” pop-up card may also state how lengthy Google has listed the web page.
Entry the cached model of a web page through a website: search after which clicking the three vertical dots subsequent to the title within the outcomes.
4. Preview a website’s search snippets
The content material of natural search snippets is query-dependent. Relying on the search time period, Google might rewrite the web page title, extract on-page content material as a substitute of the meta description, and show website names as a substitute of URLs.
Nonetheless, the website: operator will present:
- The place a snippet is tranсated.
- The web page’s publish date, per Google.
Right here’s a web page preview utilizing the website: operator:
The website: operator can preview search snippets, though the non website: outcomes may differ.
Right here’s what it appears to be like like in a typical search. Be aware the date and the title look the identical, however the query-driven snippet beneath has a unique description and website title. It additionally contains a picture.
Regular snippets — with out utilizing the website: operator — embrace a picture, amongst different variations.
5. Discover pages to replace
Google affords a helpful date search choice that hides behind the “Instruments” hyperlink in search outcomes. Select a date vary to seek out all pages Google listed throughout that interval. It’s a fast strategy to discover articles to replace, particularly when publishing a associated subject.
Google’s date-search choice is behind the “Instruments” hyperlink in search outcomes.
Browser Extensions
I’m conscious of two browser extensions to entry the website: operator rapidly.
- Search Web site WE (Firefox). Spotlight any phrases on a web page and right-click. The extension will seek for these phrases on the present area or subdomain.
- Search the present website (Google Chrome). Click on the extension icon and sort any phrase to provoke Google’s website: seek for the present area.
