Search the Web More Efficiently, Part 5
By Daniel Bazac, October 2003 (update May 2006).

Qualities Of A Good Web Searcher

These are the qualities of a good Web searcher:

1. Patience. You can find what you're looking for in ten seconds, ten minutes or never. Keep in mind that searching the Web can be a very time consuming operation.
2. Persistence. Don't be scared of millions of results. Don't give up too fast. Searching the Web is a process of trial and error.
3. Good memory. When conducting extensive research, you'll have to remember all your previous search queries so you know what terms you have already tried. Write them down - it's easier.
4. Good organizational skills. Plan your strategy ahead of time and stick with the plan.
5. Creativity. Select the best words for your query.
6. Decisiveness. Learn to quickly recognize relevant results in the search engine's result page. Don't waste your time with search tools or strategies that don't work.
7. Learn and accept the Web's limitations. Sometimes you cannot find the information because there is no information available on the Web related to your search. But this happens very rarely. Most of the time, the problem is not a lack of information but rather being overwhelmed by relevant results. That is if you know where and how to search.

And yes, practice, practice, practice. The more you search, the more you'll know and soon you will be scoring the most relevant results in the timeliest manner.

Using Bookmarks when Searching

A final piece of advice: use bookmarks or favorites.

When visiting a page that you think you might want to visit again, it's wise to save its web address (URL) in your "bookmarks" or "favorites" folder in your browser or - much better - in a Web-based bookmarks manager - such as MyBookmarks.com - which allows you to access your bookmarks from any computer at any location.

The next time you want to visit that page, you simply open the saved bookmark instead of searching again or typing the page's URL.

Be aware that in time you can collect thousands of bookmarks. Be smart and organize them in thoughtfully labeled categories and subcategories.

Last but not least, back-up your bookmarks just like all the other important information you back-up from your computer.

Rest assured that finding information on the Web is never a question of luck. Instead it is the result of a thorough understanding of how search tools work, combined with mastering the art of creating a targeted search query. Searching the Web is not difficult. Like any task, you simply must press the right buttons.

Good luck with your searches!

Do you have searching tips not listed above? Please send them to danielbazac@hotmail.com. Thank you.

Do you want to learn more about searching? Go to the Pandia Goalgetter Web Search Tutorial>>>

Copyright © Daniel Bazac 2003. All Rights Reserved.

Daniel Bazac is Search Engine Marketer for Web Design in New York, a site design, Search Engine Optimization and Promotion Company. He also maintains Bazac Weblog a blog about the Search Engines and Search Engine Marketing News and Articles. He can be reached at danielbazac@hotmail.com.