Effective Keyword Searches

August 5, 2008 by Sweetie

Effective keyword searches for finding winnable sweepstakes and contests

Here are some tips for using search engines to effectively find your favorite sweepstakes based on the prizes you want to win, the date the sweepstakes ends, and more.

Note: Keyword search can be done in all lower case.

Try these keywords of phrases for the basics:

blog contest
blog giveaway
sweepstakes
contests
giveaways

Using the Minus Sign:

Whatever you are NOT trying to search for you put a minus sign and then the word. You must have a space BEFORE and not after the minus sign for it to work though.

sweepstakes -2007
giveaway -2007
contest -2007
blog giveaway -2007
blog contest -2007

If you search using a phrase you eliminate the possibility of having more specific results come up.

Using the Plus Sign:

Use this type of search to look for specific prizes you want to enter for where the word ipod is what you want to replace if you are looking to win a computer, TV, trip, etc.

sweepstakes +ipod
giveaway +ipod
blog giveaway +ipod
blog contest +ipod

To get real specific try even more specific phrases:

sweepstakes -mom -housewife -mommy -children -baby +ipod
blog giveaway -mom -housewife -mommy -children -baby +ipod
blog contest -mom -housewife -mommy -children -baby +ipod

Where +ipod is what you change based on what you are looking to win.

Using Quotes in your phrases:

Try using quotes to get more of an exact match.

sweepstakes +”sony digital camera”
contest +”baby photo”
giveaway +”trip to disney”

Put it all together:

sweepstakes -2007 +2008 +”sony digital camera”
“blog giveaway” +$50 +”gift certificate” -2007 +2008

Next step?

Set up a Google Alert to remind you when your specific search results have hit a new match! To learn how to setup a Google Alert visit my lesson plan entitled, Using Google Alerts to find Sweepstakes

Check out more popular articles on sweepstakes including:

NEW HERE? Subscribe to Sweeties Sweeps for FREE by Email or RSS. Find your way around Sweeties Sweeps HERE, Media Info, or Advertising Info. You can follow Sweetie on Twitter, be her Friend on Facebook, and contact her by email. For even more sweepstakes please visit the Sweeties Daily Sweepstakes Digest or to find sweepstakes for your state join Sweeties Secret Sweeps.