Google’s Programmable Search Engines (PSEs, previously called Custom Search Engines) provide search opportunities that are unavailable with any other tool. PSEs have advanced settings and search operators that are not supported by “regular” Google. With PSEs, it is possible to perform filtered searches within parts of the web as if they were databases!
While lots of professionals use existing PSEs to source for talent or with other research goals, few people have experience creating them. Even fewer know about powerful PSE-only search operators. The main reason PSEs are not as popular as they should be is that it is not easy to get educated on PSE creation. There is little information online and no books (other than this one) on the subject. Even less info is available on the “structured” operators that allow for filtered searches.
The first of its kind, this book hopes to popularize these fun and powerful tools so that many more people can include PSEs in their work.
Key Features:
- A detailed introduction to creating PSEs, including info absent in Google’s help
- A “hack” for creating PSEs that look for profiles in seconds
- An introduction to advanced PSE-only search operators allowed to perform filtered searches of parts of the web
- A “hack” for expanding Google’s search limits to 500 terms
- Use cases, examples, and approaches that would be educational for those doing online research
This book will be of interest to researchers, OSINT specialists, investigative journalists, Competitive Intelligence people, recruiters, and Sourcers, to name a few categories, and to the general public interested in how to search better.
