How to Google a Person
Put a name in quotation marks to filter the results., Include details., Try to search for a person's online pseudonym., Know that your searching may not be fruitful.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Put a name in quotation marks to filter the results.
Search the person's first name and last name as a single search term within double quotation marks: e.g. "John Smith".
If the name is a somewhat common one, many irrelevant results will show up.
To filter these results, try including a middle initial or middle name with your original search: "John A.
Smith" or "John Andrew Smith". -
Step 2: Include details.
If you're Googling someone, you likely know something about him/her besides the name.
Perhaps you know the name of the company the person works for.
Perhaps you know names of family members.
Perhaps you know activities or hobbies, schools or churches.
Most often, you will know their general geographic location (city/state).
Think of where you met the person or how you know the person, and include one or two of these elements in your search.
For example, you met John Smith on an elevator in ABC Corporate Building.
You would Google "John Smith" and "ABC" in the same search bar.
Or perhaps John Smith's boy Greg plays soccer for nearby Allentown High.
Google "Greg Smith" "soccer" or "Greg Smith" "Allentown" to find information about Greg. , The other way to strike gold is to find the person's online pseudonym and Google that.
Pseudonyms might include nicknames, screen-names, pen-names, business names, or known aliases.
This can often pull up more information than Googling the person's name.
Of course, this approach doesn't work if the person has created a separate pseudonym for each site or account.
Few people are that privacy-savvy, though. , There are a few people left who just don't put themselves online.
You will Google these people largely in vain.
You might find their name mentioned briefly in an article written by a colleague, or you might see their name in a long list of other participants in some community event.
Don't discount the information gathered this way – it can still be very helpful.
However, it may not be as useful as information that the person posts about himself or herself. -
Step 3: Try to search for a person's online pseudonym.
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Step 4: Know that your searching may not be fruitful.
Detailed Guide
Search the person's first name and last name as a single search term within double quotation marks: e.g. "John Smith".
If the name is a somewhat common one, many irrelevant results will show up.
To filter these results, try including a middle initial or middle name with your original search: "John A.
Smith" or "John Andrew Smith".
If you're Googling someone, you likely know something about him/her besides the name.
Perhaps you know the name of the company the person works for.
Perhaps you know names of family members.
Perhaps you know activities or hobbies, schools or churches.
Most often, you will know their general geographic location (city/state).
Think of where you met the person or how you know the person, and include one or two of these elements in your search.
For example, you met John Smith on an elevator in ABC Corporate Building.
You would Google "John Smith" and "ABC" in the same search bar.
Or perhaps John Smith's boy Greg plays soccer for nearby Allentown High.
Google "Greg Smith" "soccer" or "Greg Smith" "Allentown" to find information about Greg. , The other way to strike gold is to find the person's online pseudonym and Google that.
Pseudonyms might include nicknames, screen-names, pen-names, business names, or known aliases.
This can often pull up more information than Googling the person's name.
Of course, this approach doesn't work if the person has created a separate pseudonym for each site or account.
Few people are that privacy-savvy, though. , There are a few people left who just don't put themselves online.
You will Google these people largely in vain.
You might find their name mentioned briefly in an article written by a colleague, or you might see their name in a long list of other participants in some community event.
Don't discount the information gathered this way – it can still be very helpful.
However, it may not be as useful as information that the person posts about himself or herself.
About the Author
Harold Baker
Harold Baker has dedicated 5 years to mastering media and communications. As a content creator, Harold focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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