Knowing how to Google is much different than Googling. First off, typing in the appropriate phrases and operators can reduce search time if you don’t have to sift through a bunch of duds. Second, Google has a wide range of capabilities that are often ignored and neglected, capabilities that greatly improve the success of finding exactly what you’re looking for. Check out the modifiers listed below.

Basic Operators: Google has several basic modifiers designed to pare down what you are looking for.

Exact phrase: To maximize your search for an exact phrase, place the entire phrase in quotes.

Excluded words: Reduce results for words commonly associated with your search word by placing a negative sign on the word you want to exclude. For example, if searching for roller but not the word coaster, type roller –coaster into the search field.

Similar words: To find both a word and its synonyms, use of the tilde can increase results for all similar words. For example, type ~aircraft to find words like planes, helicopters, etc.

Multiple words: Avoid having to do multiple searches by placing an OR between two words you both want searched for with a root word, i.e. type car Honda OR Ford when you want information on both Honda and Ford cars.

Numerical ranges: Use ellipses to determine a range of numbers or time period. For example put in Harrison Ford 1975…1985 to find out about the actor during this time period.

Advanced Google Operators: Some nifty advanced modifiers can help you come up with what you’re looking for while letting you search in ways you didn’t know were possible.

Find meanings: Utilize the define: phrase to find the definitions of a word, for example define:calligraphy.

Site specific: When searching for only a specific type of site with specific information, type in the site: modifier. As an example, when searching through government sites for tax information type taxes site:gov to find just tax information on .gov websites.

Linked pages: If you need webpages that link to a particular website, type in the link: modifier to find all links to a particular site, i.e. link:www.ucla.com will pick up all sites that link to the University of California, Los Angeles website. Other useful modifiers include phonebook: to find residential phone listings; the stocks: modifier to find information on specific stocks, for example stocks:goog; weather: to find out info in any given city, i.e. weather:San Francisco; movie: to find out movie information; and flights: to find flights from one airport to another, for example flight:jfk bos.

SEO-Oriented Operators: One little known function of Google is that it lets you search through online documents for a title name or text reference on purpose, reducing the need to search through results that could come from anywhere in the document.

The allintitle: modifier seeks out all titles containing the exact words you are looking for. As an example, allintitle:horses and buggies will search through all documents containing the words horses and buggies in the title.

The allintext: modifier does the same search, yet through the text of the document. So allintext:horses and buggies brings up documents containing those exact words. To use the same kind of modifier to find the exact words in a URL, type in allinurl: followed by the words you’re looking for.

Calculator and Conversions: Google can also act as your personal calculator or conversion tool. To determine a calculation, plug in the equation into Google using the +,-,*, /, %, or ^. Google also performs advanced mathematics, including square roots, i.e. sqrt (25); and non-square roots, for example 4th root of 56. Use Google to find sin, cos, arctan, tan, or other functions by typing in sin(pi/7) or tan(4/5*pi). To use Google’s conversion function, type in in radians or in degrees after the equation. For example 4/5 in degrees or 56*.4 in radians will give you the equivalent. Other conversion modifiers include cm in foot (i.e. 45 cm in foot), C in F (i.e. 32 C in F), $ in pound, miles in league, mph in speed of light, and so forth. Try it yourself to find the many different conversion possibilities.

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Here at ReputationDefender, we’ve previously talked about Foursquare and how the location-based application tracks where you are, where you’ve been, and when, allowing users to earn product and service discounts in the process. Now a new site called Please Rob Me brings that same technology a little closer to home and in the process points out the dangers of location-based technology.

The idea is based on the same concept as that of Foursquare and Google Buzz, however instead of telling the online world where you are, it tells people where you’re not – namely at home. Using data picked up from Foursquare and Twitter, PleaseRobMe.com simply plasters your last location and when you checked into your Foursquare or Twitter account on a livestream on the site (i.e. @zachscott left home and checked in 10 minutes ago: I’m at Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers [6513 W. Park Blvd, Midway, Plano]).

PleaseRobMe.com seems a little malicious in nature, especially with the site’s catchphrase “Listing all those empty homes out there” and use of terms like “Recent Empty Homes” and “new opportunities” but the Dutch creators have made it clear they’re just doing this to drive home a point. The developers write:

“Services like Foresquare allow you to fulfill some primeval urge to colonize the plant. A part of that is letting everyone know you own that specific spot. You get to tell where you are and if you’re there first, it’s yours. O, and of course there’s badges.

The danger is publicly telling people where you are. This is because it leaves on place you’re definitely not… home. So here we are; on one end we’re leaving lights on when we’re going on a holiday, and on the other we’re telling everybody on the internet we’re not home. It gets even worse if you have “friends” who want to colonize your house. That means they have to enter your address, to tell everyone where they are. Your address.. on the internet.. Now you know what to do when people reach for their phone as soon as they enter your home. That’s right, slap them across the face.”

And they have a point, as in the case of the purported Twitter-based robbery of Arizona resident Israel Hyman almost a year ago. Now that the idea is out there and all easily accessible in one location like PleaseRobMe.com, geo app users might want to seriously consider laying off the technology – or at least make sure someone else is at home when they’re not. Or invest in a guard dog.

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[via XKCD]

This Valentine’s Day, keeping things “personal” between you and your significant other may mean not using social media or other online tools to express your genuine feelings. In other words, NOT sending Facebook flowers/hugs/lingerie/other assorted virtual gifts to someone you truly care about; NOT using E-Cards as a replacement for the real thing; and NOT uploading a video of yourself lip syncing (or worse actually singing) Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” in your underwear to YouTube to share with your partner and the rest of the online community. More often than not, the real thing is much more effective.

With those thoughts in mind, we here at ReputationDefender have compiled some Valentine’s Day social media tips designed to keep the day special for just you and whoever you choose to share it with:

• Keep your Tweets and Facebook status updates PG-13 rated

Nobody wants to read about your Valentine’s night plans, no matter how subtle you are. So instead of tweeting “At the grocery store buying strawberries and chocolate sauce, hint, hint” or updating with “Can’t wait for my night with (add name here),” just keep it to yourself. Your Facebook friends will thank you for keeping mushy, gushy stuff off their update streams and your partner won’t hate you for announcing plans for “Horizontal mambo time.”

• Don’t text or e-mail that “special” Valentine’s Day picture to your partner.

You can never be too sure where it’s going to end up. It’s well know that data doesn’t just disappear into a World Wide Web black-hole, never to appear again. It goes somewhere. So unless you want that sexy, pouty lipped image of you dressed in leopard lingerie to pop up on Hot or Not or God knows where else, save the outfits (or lack of outfits) for personal time.

• Avoid the myriad “Who’s your perfect match?”, “What type of lover are you?”, and “Are you meant to be together?” quizzes on Facebook and other websites.

While knowing whether or not you’re compatible with Jessica Alba is helpful information, basing a relationship off of or even bothering to take an online quiz is about as constructive as proposing via Twitter. Besides being time wasters, quizzes can be detrimental to a relationship depending on how much thought you give them (“What do you mean I’m not your perfect match!?!”) and often are managed by third-party developers (who are known to have security issues).

• Being genuine often means going the extra mile.

Nobody wants to read “I love you” in a tweet, Facebook message, or e-mail, particularly on Valentine’s Day. A Valentine’s Day E-Card is just as impersonal with the added annoyance that it’s carrying possible malware. Your best bet is sticking to tradition, i.e. cards, candies, flowers, etc. Besides preventing images or text from being seen by the wrong people, the traditional approach to Valentine’s Day says you care enough to at least stop at the drug store or supermarket on your way over.

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For many members of Generation Y, making their way through high school, getting into a good college, or finding that first job is tough enough, so adding one more to-do item to their lists seems a bit burdensome. However, managing online reputations is just as important for those under 30 as it is for those over 30. Plus, keeping a clean online history or polishing up one’s online footprint can only help land that first job or gain acceptance into college choice number one.

A recent University of Massachusetts Dartmouth study revealed that 23 percent of college admissions offices use search engines like Google to research students before even considering them as acceptable candidates. Of those same offices polled, 17 percent admitted to using social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace to vet potential students while another survey from UMass Dartmouth shows that 53 percent of Inc. 500 companies reported using a Google search and/or some kind of review of MySpace and Facebook as part of the hiring process.

Most recently a Data Privacy Day survey sponsored by Microsoft showed even more dire numbers, saying that 70 percent of hiring managers in the US have claimed to reject candidates based on what they found. Considering the ramifications behind a poorly managed reputation, and the proclivity of Gen Y to share their lives freely, we thought it would be a good idea to offer some advice on reputation management for college students and recent grads.

On Blogging and Social Media: As one journalist puts it, “imagine that your mother is reading every post you write and watching every move you make.  By the way, she already is.” Keeping your digital nose clean begins with a bit of common sense. Posting distasteful or even questionable items to the Internet can have negative results a little ways down the road or even a long ways down the road so keep that in mind with everything you post. Even harder is making sure other people don’t post items of you you’d rather not have online – not an easy thing to correct. A 2006 USA Today article gives just a few examples of high school and college students who paid the price when their online reputations didn’t turn up squeaky clean. In the four years since then, social media use has become even more prevalent, with Facebook tallying more than 350 million users and Twitter becoming a worldwide phenomena.

An important rule to keep in mind is that Facebook, MySpace, blogs, message boards, and other online tools aren’t private. Parents should relay this message to their children and be conscious of what their children are doing online. Check out Project PRO: Privacy & Reputation Online, a collaborative effort between the American School Counselor Association and Reputation Defender, for tips and ideas on keeping children and adolescents safe online. Without professional help, cleaning up many items that have been posted is a difficult task.

On Tweeting Safely: With Twitter has come a whole new method of sullying one’s online reputation. Adhering to a few simple rules can keep personal information from getting out and keeping Gen Y Tweeters safe. For starters, never give out personal information, including your full name, address, phone numbers, or passwords. Additionally, keep profile information brief and avoid responding to users that you don’t know. Also consider every tweet you send out, including tweets that identify where you are, where you’re heading, or photos where you’re easily recognizable, as tweets can remain visible for many years. Read more tips on safe Twitter use here.

On Finding a Job: We’ve reported plenty on using tools like LinkedIn and Facebook to create professional online resumes, as well as how to drive traffic to these profiles once they’re built. However many Gen Y’ers are still catching on to the concept of using devices like LinkedIn and Facebook, according to an article on Recruitingfly.com.

Take our advice – using these tools (in particular using them in a professional manner, as with Facebook) can usually only help your chances, not hinder them. Furthermore, putting the web address to your LinkedIn profile on a hardcopy of your resume isn’t a bad idea – it provides another method for potential employers to do their homework on you and lets them know you’re tech savvy.

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Gen-Yers and Gen-Zers lookout – there’s some new kids on the social networking scene. Baby boomers and Generation Xers are quickly taking to Facebook, leveraging the sites many capabilities to do more than just connect with friends and family but to network professionally and create the social site equivalent of an online resume.

In a digital era where, more often than not, we learn about what’s new in a person’s life through their Facebook status, the mega-social site is showing remarkable potential as a business tool, causing older users and professionals to take notice and sign up for the service. Statistics for 2009-2010 show Facebook’s U.S. growth in the 55-plus age demographic was 922%, followed next by a 328% increase in 35- to 54-year-old users on the site, and a 127% jump in 25- to 34-year-old Facebookers, according to the info supplied to istrategylabs by Facebook’s Social Ads system. Remarkably, the number of college students on Facebook shrank by more than half during the same time period, according to the report.

As more and more professionals join Facebook, they must first decide whether to keep their sites for business or social use, as the content for the latter may be inappropriate for the former. This problem can often be overcome by combining the two, carefully filtering the information you allow on your site, or more simply creating two profiles – one for social use and the other for business to promote you, your company, organization, or craft. From there, setting up your site’s content to be as organized and polished as possible is key to giving an authoritative first impression. To help make this first impression a reality, check out our five expert tips below.

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Step 1: Know Your Audience

Keep in mind what you want potential employers and associates to see on your profile. Fill out the profile sections (“Basic,” “Personal,” “Contact,” and “Education and Work”) as you would write a resume, highlighting accomplishments, responsibilities, goals, etc. Keep content as relevant to your career or professional aspirations as possible and keep important information you want users to notice first on the front page, below your photo.

Step 2: Think Simple

Simplify the site’s contents, avoiding the use of widgets, extra photos, graphics, gifts, irrelevant links, and similar items. Limiting the many fun tools Facebook allows is just one obstacle professionals have to overcome with the social networking site, says job search expert Alison Doyle in her article Facebook and Professional Networking: Should You Use Facebook for Professional Networking?

According to the article,

“Part of the difference is that when I look at my LinkedIn profile there isn’t anything other than professional information. With Facebook there’s just so much other stuff – gifts you can send, friends you can poke, birthdays, parties and other events, and widgets and tools for countless other applications. However, that’s exactly what Facebook was designed to do and therein lies the dilemma for those who want to keep their personal life separate from their work life.”

Limit the aps you add to your profile, instead choosing applications that provide value and are applicable to the workplace, like these 10 apps highlighted by ReadWriteWeb.

Step 3: Looks Are Everything.

Appearance is everything, at least when it comes to your professional Facebook profile. Use your complete name when setting up your account and choose a professional-looking photo in which you’re wearing typical business dress. Limit access to photo albums you post to your account by using privacy settings. If you keep a blog that may shed light on your interests or personality, link to it in your profile, though use caution when linking Twitter feeds to your Facebook status. Adding the hashtag #fb to your tweets allows them to go straight to your wall, giving you more selection of what appears on your site.

Step 4: Privacy Settings Are There for a Reason

Don’t forget to utilize Facebook’s privacy settings, which can help you hide information in your profile from some users while still allowing colleagues to see your work and education information. For networking, it makes sense to let Facebookers view your profile photos and “Education and Work” sections. If you don’t want everyone to see where you work or where you went to school, you can also customize your privacy settings to a per-user basis. For more helpful tips from journalist Meryl Evans on utilizing Facebook to the best of its abilities for business, read her article on WebWorkerDaily.com.

Step 5: Reach Out

Now that it looks good, show off your professional Facebook page through social networking. Once your page is complete, leverage its abilities to show off what you’ve done and what you can do. Establish connections with old and current co-workers, keeping in touch using Facebook e-mail. Also, choose your Friends selectively, understanding that once added, your Friends can see information about each other through your profile.

Additionally, you should link to worksites and pages of relevant organizations, allowing visitors to your profile to learn even more about your professional pursuits. It is a good decision to join groups relevant to your career interests as well, since these groups may provide opportunities for adding new Friends of similar careers or attending events and activities to network in person. Use Facebook’s many applications to find professional face-to-face networking events.

In addition to the five steps we’ve already outlined, here are some extras: Let potential employers and colleagues know you’re philanthropic by use the Causes app to help nonprofits and look good while doing it too and consider taking advantage of Facebook’s paid advertising for professional profiles, allowing you to connect with possible employers using a simple ads.

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