How can you increase search diversity with advanced techniques?

1 Use search operators

Search operators are special characters or words that you can add to your query to modify or refine your search. They can help you narrow down or expand your results, filter by specific criteria, or combine multiple queries. For example, you can use quotation marks to search for an exact phrase, a minus sign to exclude a term, or an asterisk to replace a word. You can also use site:, filetype:, intitle:, or inurl: to limit your results to a certain domain, file type, title, or URL. Search operators can help you find more diverse and relevant results by giving you more control over your search.

2 Use advanced settings

Most search engines have advanced settings that you can access from the main search page or the results page. These settings allow you to customize your search preferences, such as language, region, date, and safe search. You can also use advanced settings to change the number of results per page, the display format, or the search history. By adjusting these settings, you can increase search diversity by exploring different sources, locations, time periods, or formats.

3 Use related searches

Related searches are suggestions that appear at the bottom or the side of the results page. They are based on the original query and the search behavior of other users. They can help you find more diverse results by showing you alternative or similar queries, synonyms, subtopics, or questions. You can click on any of the related searches to see a new set of results, or use them as inspiration to refine your query. Related searches can help you discover new angles, perspectives, or information that you might have missed otherwise.

4 Use different search engines

One of the simplest ways to increase search diversity is to use different search engines. Different search engines have different algorithms, databases, features, and interfaces. They may rank, display, or filter results differently, depending on various factors, such as popularity, relevance, authority, freshness, or personalization. By using different search engines, you can compare and contrast the results, find new sources, or avoid bias or censorship. You can also use specialized search engines that focus on a specific topic, field, or type of content, such as images, videos, news, or academic papers.

5 Use search tools

Search tools are applications or extensions that enhance your search experience by adding extra functionality or features. They can help you increase search diversity by providing you with more options, insights, or feedback. For example, you can use search tools to generate keywords, analyze results, visualize data, track trends, or verify facts. You can also use search tools to automate, optimize, or customize your search process, such as using voice search, bookmarks, alerts, or filters. Search tools can help you improve your search skills, efficiency, and quality.

6 Use feedback mechanisms

Feedback mechanisms are ways to communicate with the search engine or other users about your search experience. They can help you increase search diversity by influencing the results, the algorithm, or the community. For example, you can use feedback mechanisms to rate, comment, share, or report results, to express your satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or interest. You can also use feedback mechanisms to suggest, request, or correct information, to improve the accuracy, completeness, or diversity of the content. Feedback mechanisms can help you shape your search environment, outcome, and impact.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?