Cache in the Bank: Understanding Googles Advanced Operators

If you would like to know when your site was last indexed by Google, you can find out easily by using the Google cache command. By typing "cache:www.logcabinrustics.com" into the Google search engine, I learned that my site was last indexed yesterday. The Google cache also displays the web page at the time of indexing, so you can see the latest version of your page that was indexed by Google.

As some webmasters have learned, the Google cache feature can be particularly handy when a valuable website and its backup have been lost due to computer failures. It may be time-consuming, especially if you have hundreds of pages, but you can actually retrieve the "lost" pages from your site in the form that Google last indexed them. If this doesn't work, you might also try the Wayback Machine at archive.org.

Forensic experts have also used the Google cache feature to their advantage-to retrieve incriminating evidence from the web. This should be an important reminder to all webmasters not to publish sensitive material online. A later decision not to publish some tantalizing tidbit, and the frantic page-pulling that ensues, may not be enough to erase those ill-said words from the Net.

Webmasters are supposed to be able to block Google from caching their site by using the "no cache" tag. However, many don't even try this for fear of losing favor in the company's powerful search rankings. Although Google says the "no cache" tags don't affect web rankings, some webmasters aren't so sure.

Other Helpful Google Operators

Other helpful search engine operators of particular value to webmasters include:

LINK: The LINK operator, when used in conjunction with your domain name, is supposed to tell you how many links are pointing to your site. The syntax for this command is "link:http://www.thevegetarianexpress.com/. By way of caution, this only shows how many links indexed by Google that are linking to you. A more inclusive option is found at the Marketleap website, where the Link Popularity Tool reports how many links are pointing to your site from other well-traveled search engines as well.

INURL: Google's INURL operator will restrict your search to one site only. For example, typing "inurl:www.logcabinrustics.com log beds" will bring up the log beds only on the Log Cabin Rustics furniture website. This is a particularly helpful option if you are looking for a specific phrase on one site.

INTITLE: The INTITLE operator is helpful if you are looking for sites with a particular keyword in their title tag. Use this phrase at Google by typing in "intitle:furniture" or whatever other search term you are looking for.

Variations of the above themes include the ALLINURL and ALLINTITLE search operators. These are particularly useful when you are looking for a string of keywords in either a title or site. For example, if you start a query with allinurl:, Google will restrict the results to those with all of the query words in the url. For instance, [allinurl:logcabinrustics.com bunk beds] will return only documents that have both "bunk" and "beds" in the url.

Google operators can be especially helpful in analyzing the web pages of key competitors. To learn more, visit http://www.google.com/help/operators.html.

Copyright 2005 Log Cabin Rustics

Cari Haus is webmaster for http://www.logcabinrustics.com, an online retailer of quality log furniture.

---

Optimize Your Website or Get Lost In The Crowd!

It used to be that designing an attractive website to... Read More

Search Engine Optimization for Everyone

There are many facets to SEO and the search engines... Read More

World of Website Promotion

Website promotion is a big and ongoing process. Every person... Read More

Google Ban - How Not To Get Banned By Google!

Given that Google now provides over 75% of all Internet... Read More

One Way Link Building Secures Long Term Ranking Results

One-way link building is a great way to improve your... Read More

Why Search Engine Optimization is Not Enough

OK. So you've created a nice website with lots of... Read More

SEO #2: On-page Optimization

Yesterday you should have read the first course out of... Read More

A Three Day Marketing Plan for Better Google Rankings

If you're reading this article, you've probably discovered that simply... Read More

Its Not Just All About Google Anymore

Those webmasters that stick to the old ways and focus... Read More

Linking for Traffic not Positioning!

With more and more experts and search engine enthusiastsclaiming the... Read More

Website Copy-writing for Higher Sales and Higher Search Engine Ranking

Why, you ask? Mainly, because search engines want to provide... Read More

If Content is King, then surely Relevance is Queen!

There has been a lot of to-ing and fro-ing in... Read More

60 Day Sandbox for Google & AskJeeves; MSN Indexes Quickest, Yahoo Next

Search engine listing delays have come to be called the... Read More

Emerging Methods for Effective Search Engine Ranking

Search Engine traffic has always been and continues to be... Read More

How to Use the Google Patent to Get More Traffic

According to the recent release of the Google Patent Application,... Read More

How to Increase Alexa Ranking of Your Website

Alexa toolbar also useful to Browse expired websites database. Many... Read More

Getting Your Site Seen By Search Engines

Is your website listed on search engines? When people search... Read More

Google Sitemaps Explained - How To Use Google Sitemaps

Three Ways To Index Your Site With Google Sitemaps [Difficult,... Read More

Picking Keywords for SEO ? A Different View

The first step to developing any search engine optimization effort... Read More

The Business Case for SEO

It's interesting how potential clients have preconceived notions about which... Read More

Does Google Hire Mad Scientists?

Online search giant, Google, often tests the waters for new... Read More

Search Engine Position Report

Since search engines are the first stop for people on... Read More

Banned from Google and Wondering Why?

There are those that get on the computer one night... Read More

10 Costly Search Engine Mistakes to Avoid

If you have a website then you already know the... Read More

More Hits are Good for My Website - A Myth You Should Avoid

I hear this all the time. "I can get you... Read More

Google Bring Deskbar Search To Windows Desktop. Now Any Website Can Take Advantage Of This

Google's premier of desktop search proves that the desktop is... Read More

SEO Basics - 8 Key Strategies For Online Business Success

The world of search engine optimization (SEO) can be a... Read More

How to Avoid Being Dropped by the Search Engines

For websites, one of the most important things in their... Read More

Is Google Having a Tough Time with Their Website Limit?

If you are one to pay attention to what happens... Read More

The Search Doesnt End at Your Homepage

In a recent report for a new client, I wrote:... Read More

How To Make Your Website More Successful? (Part II)

In part I of our series of how to make... Read More

Learn about the Google Search Engine Tools

Think you know everything about searching with Google? Think again.... Read More

Types of Links

Internal Linking ? An introductionThe web as they call it... Read More