Google search operators are still one of the fastest ways to audit a site, check indexing, and steal competitor content ideas - without opening another SaaS tab. This guide lists operators that still work in 2026, with copy-paste recipes for agencies and in-house SEOs running hotels, rent-a-car fleets, or local service sites.
Related: GSC weekly ops playbook · technical SEO guide · keyword research · Search Console pillar
Core operators that still work
| Operator | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
site: | Limits results to a domain or path | site:anotherseoguru.com/en/blog |
intitle: | Pages with the term in the title | intitle:"SEO Θεσσαλονίκη" |
inurl: | Pages with the term in the URL | inurl:pricing site:example.com |
filetype: | Restricts to a file type | filetype:pdf hotel rate sheet |
"" (quotes) | Exact phrase match | "πόσο κοστίζει το SEO" |
- (minus) | Excludes a term | seo agency -jobs |
OR | Either term | GEO OR AEO SEO |
* (wildcard) | Fills unknown words in a phrase | "rent a car * airport" |
Operators are filters, not ranking hacks. They narrow what Google shows you so you can audit faster. Decisions - which title to rewrite, which URL to canonicalize - still belong in Search Console with click and impression data.
SEO audit recipes
1. How many pages look indexed?
site:yourdomain.com
Compare the rough count to Search Console → Pages. Big gaps mean crawl/index issues - start with our technical SEO checklist and the technical SEO pillar.
2. Find thin or accidental indexation
site:yourdomain.com inurl:page=
site:yourdomain.com inurl:?
site:yourdomain.com filetype:pdf
Facet URLs and PDFs often waste crawl budget. Noindex or canonicalize them. Tourism booking engines frequently leak ?currency= and ?utm_ variants into the index - catch them early.
3. Title cannibalization
site:yourdomain.com intitle:"local SEO"
site:yourdomain.com intitle:"Paros hotel"
If three URLs compete for the same title theme, pick one winner and merge/redirect the rest. Pair this with an internal linking audit so the winner receives the inlinks.
4. Competitor content gaps
site:competitor.com intitle:guide
site:competitor.com inurl:blog "hotel"
site:competitor.com intitle:"airport" "car rental"
List topics they cover that you do not - then ship a better page with proof, photos, and a clear CTA. Validate demand in Search Console or a keyword tool before writing ten thin posts.
5. Language and market checks (EL/EN sites)
site:yourdomain.com/el "ενοικίαση αυτοκινήτου"
site:yourdomain.com/en "car rental Mykonos"
Bilingual tourism sites often under-link one language. Operators help you spot thin language sections before hreflang audits do.
Operators that are unreliable or retired
Google has narrowed or retired several classic operators (intext:, public link:, some related: behavior). Treat anything undocumented as unstable. Prefer Search Console for your own queries and server logs for crawl truth. Do not build a link-building report on a retired link: operator - use the Links report in GSC and a verified backlink tool instead.
Combine with Search Console (not instead of it)
Operators are for discovery. Decisions should use GSC clicks, impressions, and position - especially for Greece commercial queries like κατασκευή eshop, SEO Αθήνα, and hotel SEO. See our query prioritization framework and weekly ops playbook.
A practical weekly combo
| Day | Operator use | GSC action |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | site: sanity after deploy | Check Index → Pages |
| Tue | intitle: cannibalization scan | Tag near-miss queries |
| Wed | Competitor site: gap scan | Add 1 content backlog item |
| Thu | filetype:pdf / param leaks | Ticket noindex/canonical |
| Fri | Spot-check money URLs | Validate last week's 3 fixes |
Tourism and local recipes
Hotel location coverage
site:yourdomain.com intitle:Paros
site:yourdomain.com inurl:locations
"hotel near Parikia port" -site:booking.com
The last query (minus OTAs) surfaces independent competitors and inspiration for your own destination FAQs - then reinforce with GBP and local SEO.
Rent-a-car fleet and policy
site:yourdomain.com intitle:automatic
site:yourdomain.com "international driving permit"
site:competitor.com inurl:fleet
Policy pages earn AEO citations when facts are explicit. Operators find whether those facts exist on your domain at all.
Agency prospecting
"powered by" "WordPress" "hotel" "Cyclades"
intitle:"car rental" "Mykonos" "book now"
Useful for sales research - not for ranking manipulation. Scope honestly via DIY vs agency when you pitch.
Quick reference card
site:→ index sanityintitle:/inurl:→ structure & cannibalizationfiletype:→ stray assets- Quotes + minus → intent cleanup
- Confirm winners in GSC before rewriting titles
- Log every finding in your weekly three-fix backlog
Common mistakes
- Treating
site:count as exact index size (it is not) - Rewriting titles from operator results without checking CTR in GSC
- Ignoring mobile-only indexation issues that operators cannot show
- Building content from competitor
site:lists without commercial intent filters - Forgetting to re-run operators after a migration or CMS change
FAQ
What are Google search operators?
Special query prefixes (like site: or intitle:) that filter Google results so you can audit indexing, find content gaps, and research competitors faster than browsing alone.
Does site: still work in 2026?
Yes. site:example.com still shows indexed URLs Google is willing to surface. It is not a complete index dump, but it is the fastest indexing sanity check after a deploy or migration.
Which operators help with SEO audits?
Start with site:, then intitle:, inurl:, filetype:pdf, and minus (-) exclusions. Combine them to find thin pages, duplicate titles, and indexed PDFs you forgot about.
Can operators replace Google Search Console?
No. Use operators for discovery; use Search Console for prioritization and proof. See the Search Console mastery pillar.
Which operators are unreliable in 2026?
Treat intext:, public link:, and some related: behaviors as unstable. Prefer documented operators, GSC, and logs for decisions that affect production.
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Frequently asked questions
Special query prefixes (like site: or intitle:) that filter Google results so you can audit indexing, find content gaps, and research competitors faster than browsing alone.
Yes. site:example.com still shows indexed URLs Google is willing to surface. It is not a complete index dump, but it is the fastest indexing sanity check.
Start with site:, then intitle:, inurl:, filetype:pdf, and minus (-) exclusions. Combine them to find thin pages, duplicate titles, and indexed PDFs you forgot about.
No. Operators are for discovery and spot checks. Use Search Console for clicks, impressions, position, and coverage decisions - especially on commercial tourism queries.
Treat intext:, public link:, and some related: behaviors as unstable or retired. Prefer Search Console, server logs, and documented operators for decisions.