Google is clearly the best general-purpose search engine on the Web (see www.pcmag.com/searchengines). But most people don't use it to its best advantage. Do you just plug in a keyword or two and hope for the best? That may be the quickest way to search, but with more than 3 billion pages in Google's index, it's still a struggle to pare results to a manageable number.

But Google is an remarkably powerful tool that can ease and enhance your Internet exploration. Google's search options go beyond simple keywords, the Web, and even its own programmers. Let's look at some of Google's lesser-known options.

Using a special syntax is a way to tell Google that you want to restrict your searches to certain elements or characteristics of Web pages. Google has a fairly complete list of its syntax elements at www.google.com/help/operators.html. Here are some advanced operators that can help narrow down your search results.

Intitle: at the beginning of a query word or phrase (intitle:"Three Blind Mice") restricts your search results to just the titles of Web pages.

Intext: does the opposite of intitle:, searching only the body text, ignoring titles, links, and so forth. Intext: is perfect when what you're searching for might commonly appear in URLs. If you're looking for the term HTML, for example, and you don't want to get results such as www.mysite.com/index.html, you can enter intext:html.

Link: lets you see which pages are linking to your Web page or to another page you're interested in. For example, try typing in link:http://www.pcmag.com.

Try using site: (which restricts results to top-level domains) with intitle: to find certain types of pages. For example, get scholarly pages about Mark Twain by searching for intitle:"Mark Twain"site:edu. Experiment with mixing various elements; you'll develop several strategies for finding the stuff you want more effectively. The site: command is very helpful as an alternative to the mediocre search engines built into many sites.

Let Google help you figure out whether you've got the right spelling—and the right word—for your search. Enter a misspelled word or phrase into the query box (try "thre blund mise") and Google may suggest a proper spelling. This doesn't always succeed; it works best when the word you're searching for can be found in a dictionary. Once you search for a properly spelled word, look at the results page, which repeats your query. (If you're searching for "three blind mice," underneath the search window will appear a statement such as Searched the web for "three blind mice.") You'll discover that you can click on each word in your search phrase and get a definition from a dictionary.

Suppose you want to contact someone and don't have his phone number handy. Google can help you with that, too. Just enter a name, city, and state. (The city is optional, but you must enter a state.) If a phone number matches the listing, you'll see it at the top of the search results along with a map link to the address. If you'd rather restrict your results, use rphonebook: for residential listings or bphonebook: for business listings. If you'd rather use a search form for business phone listings, try Yellow Search (www.buzztoolbox.com/google/yellowsearch.shtml).

Google offers several services that give you a head start in focusing your search. Google Groups (http://groups.google.com) indexes literally millions of messages from decades of discussion on Usenet. Google even helps you with your shopping via two tools: Froogle (http://froogle.google.com), which indexes products from online stores, and Google Catalogs (http://catalogs.google.com), which features products from more 6,000 paper catalogs in a searchable index. And this only scratches the surface. You can get a complete list of Google's tools and services at www.google.com/options/index.html.

You're probably used to using Google in your browser. But have you ever thought of using Google outside your browser?

Google Alert (www.googlealert.com) monitors your search terms and e-mails you information about new additions to Google's Web index. (Google Alert is not affiliated with Google; it uses Google's Web services API to perform its searches.) If you're more interested in news stories than general Web content, check out the beta version of Google News Alerts (www.google.com/newsalerts). This service (which is affiliated with Google) will monitor up to 50 news queries per e-mail address and send you information about news stories that match your query. (Hint: Use the intitle: and source: syntax elements with Google News to limit the number of alerts you get.)

Google on the telephone? Yup. This service is brought to you by the folks at Google Labs (http://labs.google.com), a place for experimental Google ideas and features (which may come and go, so what's there at this writing might not be there when you decide to check it out). With Google Voice Search (http://labs1.google.com/gvs.html), you dial the Voice Search phone number, speak your keywords, and then click on the indicated link. Every time you say a new search term, the results page will refresh with your new query (you must have JavaScript enabled for this to work). Remember, this service is still in an experimental phase, so don't expect 100 percent success.

In 2002, Google released the Google API (application programming interface), a way for programmers to access Google's search engine results without violating the Google Terms of Service. A lot of people have created useful (and occasionally not-so-useful but interesting) applications not available from Google itself, such as Google Alert. For many applications, you'll need an API key, which is available free from www.google.com/apis. See the figures for two more examples, and visit www.pcmag.com/solutions for more.

Thanks to its many different search properties, Google goes far beyond a regular search engine. Give the tricks in this article a try. You'll be amazed at how many different ways Google can improve your Internet searching

Steps by Step How to Find the Right Affiliate Program!

Google is probably already your favorite search engine, but there's a lot you don't know about it.

For instance, you can use Google as a dictionary, calculator or phonebook, translate pages into other languages, and find out who links to your web site. Sit back and relax while I take you on a tour of Google's often-unnoticed features.

Have you ever asked yourself what a soliloquy is? Fear not: Google has the answer! Just type define: soliloquy into the search box, and you'll discover that it's a "speech you make to yourself." I know I'll sleep better at night, knowing that.

Too lazy to pick up the yellow pages? Type phonebook: Mabe's Pizza Decorah, and you've got instant pizza access. You can also do a reverse lookup, like phonebook: (563) 382-4297.

(If the thought of having your phone number available to any schmuck on the Internet scares you, you can remove it from Google's phone book here: ).

Oh, the fun is just getting started! Forget the TI-85; Google can crunch numbers too! Type 2+2 and you'll get 4. Type sqrt(-9) and you'll get 3i. Type 1+2-3*4 and you'll get -9. The possibilities are endless!

But wait, there's more!

Are you looking for the right business to start up or affiliate program to market:

Try it now: Just use the search bar above: Type in Affiliate Programs

Or just be specific: Type in what interest you to market and type Affiliate After it!

Look at your Results below: Go NOW!

Now here is what you should be looking for in an affiliate program!

Tip #1: Specificity (and Segmentation) Will Soup UP Your Sales

Don't make the mistake of trying to sell beef jerky to a vegetarian with your site, services or sales copy. Lots of people I work with will take a very general niche, and create a beautiful site around the topic...and then plug in very nuanced affiliate offers into their monetization model..:-) This simply, unfortunately, DOESN'T work well, as you are far better creating several smaller, very segmented sites that speak to an unique audience within the larger niche, and plugging in hyper specific offers that are guaranteed to appeal to each one. (or create one LARGE planet affiliate site, and link to the smaller "satellite" sites from there)

Tip #2: Create your OWN Affiliates, and Your OWN Products to Boot

This is SO simple, and the easiest and most elegant path to REAL online profits. There are simple scripts now that will let you create your own in house affiliate programs, where you sell your OWN products on your site, (rather than those of others) and simply allow your visitors, to become your marketing partners ( and distribution channel as well!) Popular Paypal scripts can do this in one short hour, and you can sell e books or downloads from your site all while encouraging your visitors to profit from selling the same on THEIR sites ( or to their friends)...and easy and elegant way to make your own affiliate efforts viral in a hurry!

Click HERE--> for FREE internet marketing affiliate tips, tricks, and secret DOWNLOADS you WON'T find anywhere else... so much fun & effortlessly easy, it almost feels like stealing!