![]() ![]() ![]() Combining and nesting Boolean search operators Once you know the basics, there are many ways to mix and match the operators to further refine your research. ![]() Tips and tricks: Get fancy with your Boolean search Some search engines allow the use of a hyphen (-) in place of NOT. The operator NOT narrows searches by excluding keywords that could otherwise appear alongside your primary keyword.įor example, searching for pizza NOT frozen would return results about pizza with all references to frozen pizzas removed. Quotation marks allow you to search for an exact multi-word phrase, such as “vegan pizza” or “best refrigerated pizzas.” Use quotation marks when you search names (e.g.: “John Smith”) for better accuracy in your results. (This would include both circles, as well as the overlap, in a Venn diagram.)įor example, searching vegetarian OR vegan would give you results about both, which is helpful if you’re looking for results from variations on a keyword or multiple related keywords. Some search engines also allow the ampersand (&) in place of AND.īy contrast, the operator OR broadens your search by finding results that include either keyword. Using our pizza example, you would search pizza AND vegan to find results that include both keywords. (Think of the overlapping sliver in the middle of a Venn diagram.) The operator AND narrows your search by looking for the overlap between two or more keywords. Refining results with AND, OR and quotation marks Operators with a colon (see examples below) typically omit any spaces between the operator and the keyword. #GOOGLE BOOLEAN SEARCH TIPS PRO#Pro Tip: Boolean operators are usually case sensitive, so be sure to go all caps with AND, OR and NOT. #GOOGLE BOOLEAN SEARCH TIPS HOW TO#How to do a Boolean searchĮxecuting a Boolean search is as simple as opening up your search engine or database and typing into the search bar, but to harness the power of these precise searches, you first have to know a few Boolean operators. Likewise, Muck Rack users can use Boolean search terms to create specific monitoring alerts to stay on top of brand or competitor coverage. Muck Rack’s database of journalists and articles is keyword based, which means users can easily identify the content they need through the use of Boolean operators. (“vegan food”, “vegan pizza”) NOT (recipe, review, ad) Here's what that search string might look like: With Boolean search, you could narrow your focus with a single search-one that takes into account the particularities of your product and weeds out the recipes, restaurant reviews and delivery ads you would encounter with a broader search. A search for “pizza” wouldn’t help you to find writers interested in vegan foods or easy weeknight dinners-two interest areas your client has identified for you to focus on. Searching instead for “pizza” would help, but still, you would spend hours clicking into too many search results that ultimately go nowhere. Say your client sells a fantastic new line of take-and-bake (not frozen) vegan pizzas-yum! When you begin your research into media to pitch, you could start by searching for writers who cover “food,” but this would be far too broad. Finding the perfect media contact takes time, but Boolean searches will help you locate that writer or editor faster than ever. Whatever it is that you’re pitching, you’ve likely put in quite a bit of work to differentiate your brand or client within the marketplace, and you know that a well-targeted pitch is much more likely to land a mention. Why is Boolean search important for PR pros to understand? Think of it like search filters that can be applied right in the search bar, without any extra clicks.īoolean searches (pronounced BOO-lee-uhn and named for 19th-century English mathematician George Boole) can be used on major search engines like Google or Bing, within social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn and in many databases and PR software, including Muck Rack. ![]() What is a Boolean search?Ī Boolean search combines keywords (that you already use in searches) and text-based modifiers (called Boolean operators) to refine your search results. By maximizing your knowledge of Boolean, you'll also ensure that you're capturing the articles you need to monitor and report on surrounding your brand or client. Understanding how to execute a Boolean search will bring you so much closer to finding the right media contacts to pitch. What if you had a secret weapon that could help you find the contacts and coverage you need without having to scroll past pages of useless content? Research is a PR pro’s best friend, whether you’re building a media list, preparing to conduct an interview or reporting on brand coverage.īut when you’re searching a media database like Muck Rack or combing through the world wide web on Google, much of your research time is likely wasted in evaluating and eliminating irrelevant results. ![]()
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