Technical SEO
Search Operators
Search operators are special syntax commands used in Google and other search engines to refine and filter search results beyond standard keyword searches. Common operators include "site:" (search within a domain), "inurl:" (find URLs containing a phrase), "intitle:" (find pages with a keyword in title), "filetype:" (find specific file types), and ""exact phrase"" (exact match).
SEO practitioners use search operators for competitor research, link prospecting, duplicate content detection, and index auditing. Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush automate many operator-based searches at scale. Google's Search Central documentation provides the official list of supported operators.
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Related Terms
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Index
Index refers to the archive of web pages created for users by Google.
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SERP (Search Engine Results Page)
The page a search engine returns in response to a query — increasingly less a list of "10 blue links" and more a composed surface combining AI Overviews, featured snippets, People Also Ask, local pack, ads, and organic results.
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Sitemap
Refers to xml extension files that allow bots to examine the website faster and in more detail.
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URL
Refers to unique web addresses that provide access to a resource on the Internet.