3 Basic Things To Know About Google

Google is one of the most complicated computer programs ever, and while most people have a basic understanding of what it is and how to use it, many people don't know the full extent of everything Google does and what it is capable of. It would be fair to say that no one person knows everything about Google since Google was designed to learn for itself and be able to make its own algorithms. However, just because you can't know everything about Google doesn't mean that you shouldn't try to get informed about what you can. Here are a few basic things to know about Google that you might not know already.

Keywords

How does Google know which websites to bring up first when you search for something? Well, part of that has to do with keywords. People and companies who have Google Ads accounts have the opportunity to create a Google keyword planner to help bump their website to the top of the page when users search for certain phrases. Google then helps create a set of keywords that the client can use to help their website come up more often in related Google searches. This process is known as search engine optimization, and companies from all over the world use it to get better name recognition for their business.

Targeted Ads

Everyone has, at some point while browsing a website, seen an advertisement that seemed strangely on-the-nose. Maybe it was something you had searched for on Google earlier, maybe it was something you'd said in a conversation, or maybe it was just a thought you had, and you become suspicious that Google is invading your privacy. In a sense, that's true. Google has access to all your search history, everything you've bought online, and all of your social media activity, and because they have all this information, they are good at guessing what kind of ads might appeal to you. That's not all, however. They put together a sort of profile on you, and if you have a similar profile to someone else, and that other person shows an interest in a new product, they might start advertising that product to you as well. Google has spent years correcting and adjusting how they target ads, and it can be difficult to understand how it works, but there are resources to keep you as informed as possible.

Advanced Searching

On a much lighter note, one feature of Google that you might not know about but could probably find a use for are Google's advanced search operators. These are symbols or words that you can put into your Google search to get more specialized results. For example, if you were searching for animation companies, but you weren't interested in any information about Pixar, you could search "animation studios -Pixar". Typing the minus symbol before a word alerts Google not to include results related to that word. There are dozens of other shortcuts you can use to specify exactly what you're looking for, including finding a certain file type, finding information specifically about movies, finding prices within a certain range, and much more.

There is so much information about how Google works that one simple article won't be able to cut it. If you're truly curious about the complete inner workings of Google, it will take serious research, time, and dedication to even begin to fully comprehend everything. However, there are definite benefits to being knowledgeable about Google. People have made entire careers out of knowing how Google works and knowing how to manipulate it in their favor, companies are always in need of experts to help better their online presence, and knowing exactly what to search to find what you need can help out in your everyday life. Google is a tool that has become necessary to society, and learning how to use it effectively is one of the most valuable skills a person can have.