How to Use Image Search
Think about what you are looking for., Explore your options., Do some old-fashioned research to spot the differences between the three main search engines., Run a basic search.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Think about what you are looking for.
It helps to ask yourself a few important questions before searching.
This will bring to mind the correct terms to use in your search.
What are you looking for? How specific are your needs? Do you want to pick something cute from many pictures of cats? Are you looking for a picture of a cat doing something in particular? What do you want to do with this image? Do you want to use it in a social media post? Do you want to print it for publication? Maybe you just saw a status update that reminded you of a meme you saw awhile back.
Perhaps you need a photo to use in one of your blog posts.
There are different copyright considerations for each of these options which may require a more advanced search. -
Step 2: Explore your options.
The biggest names in image search are Google, Bing and Yahoo.
They all do basically the same thing in their own way, each with slight differences.
Google offers a very comprehensive image search engine.
It provides a user-friendly interface with a wide variety of filters and advanced search options.
Bing Images is also good.
It is comparable to Google Images in terms of interface and filters, but not quite as comprehensive.
Yahoo Images works in a pinch.
It has only the most common search filters, with about the same results as Bing most of the time. , Open up each image search engine in a different browser tab.
Pick a basic search term like kittens or Nicolas Cage, and enter it into each search engine.
Compare and contrast the results.
You will notice that all three engines come up with some duplicate entries.
However, Google usually finds the widest variety of items that are not picked up by the other two.
Mess with the filters.
All three engines have some version of time, size, color, license and safe search filters.
Google and Bing both have file type filters, but Yahoo does not.
Bing has a couple of filters Google doesn’t have, such as layout and people.
This makes Bing look like a more specific search engine at first glance.
However, if you click on the gear shaped button in the top right hand corner of your Google Image search results page, you can access the Google Advanced Image Search.
This feature is what sets Google apart from other engines.
It allows you to narrow down your search using text and other very specific options.
Choose which engine or engines you will employ based on your needs and the options each has to offer. , Enter a word or words into the search field at the top of the page, then press “enter” or click the “search” button with your mouse.
If you want to narrow down your search results, try putting your search terms in quotation marks.
For instance, “Nicolas Cage crying” will bring up slightly different and more specific results than plain old Nicolas Cage crying.
Pay attention to the autocomplete options when you enter your search terms.
Sometimes this feature will generate a list of popular associated searches as you are typing.
This can be a good way to get the most out of your web searches.
Keep in mind you will sometimes have to do multiple searches before you find exactly what you are looking for.
After an initial search in Bing or Google, you will notice a section at the top of the page above your results with suggestions for related searches.
Feel free to browse through those if you are having trouble thinking of the correct terms for your search.
At the end of the day, searching the internet is all about word association.
Adding the right verb or adjective to the object of your searching desires can make all the difference in what results turn up. -
Step 3: Do some old-fashioned research to spot the differences between the three main search engines.
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Step 4: Run a basic search.
Detailed Guide
It helps to ask yourself a few important questions before searching.
This will bring to mind the correct terms to use in your search.
What are you looking for? How specific are your needs? Do you want to pick something cute from many pictures of cats? Are you looking for a picture of a cat doing something in particular? What do you want to do with this image? Do you want to use it in a social media post? Do you want to print it for publication? Maybe you just saw a status update that reminded you of a meme you saw awhile back.
Perhaps you need a photo to use in one of your blog posts.
There are different copyright considerations for each of these options which may require a more advanced search.
The biggest names in image search are Google, Bing and Yahoo.
They all do basically the same thing in their own way, each with slight differences.
Google offers a very comprehensive image search engine.
It provides a user-friendly interface with a wide variety of filters and advanced search options.
Bing Images is also good.
It is comparable to Google Images in terms of interface and filters, but not quite as comprehensive.
Yahoo Images works in a pinch.
It has only the most common search filters, with about the same results as Bing most of the time. , Open up each image search engine in a different browser tab.
Pick a basic search term like kittens or Nicolas Cage, and enter it into each search engine.
Compare and contrast the results.
You will notice that all three engines come up with some duplicate entries.
However, Google usually finds the widest variety of items that are not picked up by the other two.
Mess with the filters.
All three engines have some version of time, size, color, license and safe search filters.
Google and Bing both have file type filters, but Yahoo does not.
Bing has a couple of filters Google doesn’t have, such as layout and people.
This makes Bing look like a more specific search engine at first glance.
However, if you click on the gear shaped button in the top right hand corner of your Google Image search results page, you can access the Google Advanced Image Search.
This feature is what sets Google apart from other engines.
It allows you to narrow down your search using text and other very specific options.
Choose which engine or engines you will employ based on your needs and the options each has to offer. , Enter a word or words into the search field at the top of the page, then press “enter” or click the “search” button with your mouse.
If you want to narrow down your search results, try putting your search terms in quotation marks.
For instance, “Nicolas Cage crying” will bring up slightly different and more specific results than plain old Nicolas Cage crying.
Pay attention to the autocomplete options when you enter your search terms.
Sometimes this feature will generate a list of popular associated searches as you are typing.
This can be a good way to get the most out of your web searches.
Keep in mind you will sometimes have to do multiple searches before you find exactly what you are looking for.
After an initial search in Bing or Google, you will notice a section at the top of the page above your results with suggestions for related searches.
Feel free to browse through those if you are having trouble thinking of the correct terms for your search.
At the end of the day, searching the internet is all about word association.
Adding the right verb or adjective to the object of your searching desires can make all the difference in what results turn up.
About the Author
Jennifer Kim
Experienced content creator specializing in cooking guides and tutorials.
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