Google Search Parameters Explained

Jun 12, 2012 - 8:18 am 4 by
Filed Under Google

URLI spotted this post via HackerNews named Google search parameters in 2012.

It is one of the most comprehensive posts explaining what all the various URL parameters in Google's search URL strings mean.

This post goes through about 75 different URL parameters that either change the search query, refinement, set of results or mean something in terms of tracking or other metrics.

It is broken down by:

  • Normal Search Query
  • Advanced Search Operators
  • Country and Language
  • Advanced Search Tools
  • Other Parameters
  • Unknown Parameters

Matt Cutts of Google replied to the HackerNews thread saying:

You can also make a custom setting in Chrome to send only the parameters to Google that you want. In the Settings panel, click on Manage Search Engines. Make a "new" search engine but make the query go to Google (or YouTube, or whatever) with only the parameters you want. You can start with the url for Google and prune down the input encoding or the sourceid or whatever you want, or just make the path be "/search?q=%s" if you want to go really minimal.

The response was pretty classic where one HackerNews user said:

that's a great solution. it would be also quite great if you would tell us what these (to us) unknown parameters mean :)

Check out the post at RankPanel.com.

Forum discussion at HackerNews.

Image credit to Big Stock Photo for www

 

Popular Categories

The Pulse of the search community

Search Video Recaps

 
- YouTube
Video Details More Videos Subscribe to Videos

Most Recent Articles

Search Forum Recap

Daily Search Forum Recap: April 21, 2025

Apr 21, 2025 - 10:00 am
Google

Google Drops Event Rich Results Carousel On Desktop Search: Bug?

Apr 21, 2025 - 7:51 am
Google

Google Live Demo Of Android AR Glasses

Apr 21, 2025 - 7:41 am
Search News

IAB/PWC: U.S Search Ad Revenue Grew 15.9% With $102.9 Billion In 2024

Apr 21, 2025 - 7:31 am
Bing SEO

Bing Webmaster Tools Working To Streamline Email Notifications

Apr 21, 2025 - 7:21 am
Bing Search

Microsoft Launches Copilot Merchant Program

Apr 21, 2025 - 7:11 am
Previous Story: Google Hamburg Office Space