Whenever we open our browser, we usually see “Search Google or Type a URL” as a message that is already mentioned on the web browser’s new tab page. These terms form two main functionalities of the browser, that is, navigation and exploration. With the help of these functions, users can easily search for whatever they want. And, if they have a link of the specific website, they can also reach to that page effectively.
In this guide, you will get to know about the integration with these functions that enhance usability. By the end of this comprehensive blog, you will discover how you can use these features as per your requirements.
Summary at a Glance!
- Default browser prompt that combines exploration and navigation.
- Enter any keyword for informative purposes or paste the URL of the specific website.
- The latest browsers are designed with an omnibox for better results.
- Type a URL; understand your query first. Then, it connects with the IP address and subsequently opens the website.
- Search Google; when you’ve typed anything in the search bar, the command is automatically sent to Google. Next, you’ll get all the results you want to look for.
- Individuals have access to change their search engine, configure multiple devices, and handle autocomplete.
- Use keywords to find bookmarking sites or get the best results.
- Make sure to check each URL for security purposes.
What is an Omnibox?
Omnibox is the merged search bar and address bar at the top of the latest web browsers. It is a strong address bar where you can directly get access to calculations, search queries, and much more. By having a browser bar, you can gain smart recommendations and various shortcuts to enjoy a faster browser experience.
Now, let’s take a look at the functions of Omnibox.
- Direct Searching: Enter your specific keywords to get the best and most relevant results immediately.
- Access to URL Directly: Type down the website addresses to navigate to the particular site straightforwardly.
- Calculations: Execute mathematical calculations and conversions directly in the address bar.
- Definitions and Facts: Get instant results of answers or definitions that you are looking for.
- Extension Shortcuts: Consider using customized keywords to execute commands from the downloaded extensions, such as searching Google Drive.
- Site-Specific Search: Search within the particular site straight from the Tab key, without providing you with browser results.
How Does Omnibox Work?
These are the following instructions that will help you to know about the working of Omnibox.
- First, get the autocomplete queries based on your search history and the suggestions from the browser
- Understands your query whether you have typed a URL or written it down.
- Provide you with immediate results, previews, and fast answers.
What Does “Search Google or Type a URL” Mean?
It is available on all modern browsers, such as Chrome, Safari, and many more. You can easily search for your query in the search bar to learn more about it, or enter the exact URL address to reach its website directly.
These advanced features make your experience more seamless, faster, and more convenient. Without opening the search engine, users can effortlessly get the information that they want to go through directly from the address bar. In short, the browser bar serves as a direct gateway and a search tool. As a result, it gives flexibility to users as per their own convenience.
What Happens When You Search on Google
While using search Google, you should know what the following things can appear.
When you enter down the keywords, the search engine starts finding out the best results on the basis of authority, relevance, and user signals.
Now, let us explain everything in detail.
- Google Autocomplete Your Query: Firstly, Google itself completes your search query by providing you with search suggestions. It delivers the result based on your search history, trending topics, language patterns, and intent matching.
- Understanding Your Queries: Once you’ve typed a term in the search bar, Google starts using natural language processing (NLP). It analyzes content, keywords, as well as intent, and then provides you with autocomplete suggestions.
- Crawling and Indexing: Googlebot’s scan each page very deeply and encounter many new web pages. These crawlers gather all the important information, and this data is stored in the form of an index.
- Ranking Results: Google has stored billions of web pages in its index. Then, it checks its pages to provide you with the accurate, best, and relevant results. Multiple factors are involved before showing you the appropriate results. These are:
- Relevance
- Quality
- User signals
- Speed
- Location
- Links
- Delivering Results: Google shows SERP with organic results, featured snippets, summaries, images, and ads.
What Happens When You Type a URL
Once you’ve entered the URL of the page or a website, your browser starts analyzing the web address. After that, it figures out its server hosting. Subsequently, you will get the targeted page.
In the upcoming section, you will get a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how a URL actually works.
- Breaking Down the URL: URL includes three main elements. These are:
- Protocol
- Domain Name
- Path/Resource
The web browser starts translating all these core parts so that it can understand what your main query is all about.
- DNS Resolution: If the browser finds that the IP address is not cached, it queries the Domain Name System. After that, DNS translates the domain name into the IP address. Then, the IP address will let your browser know which server it should connect to.
- Establishing Connection: If your website uses HTTPS, your site is strongly and securely encrypted by having the safest connection.
- Sending the Request: Next, the browser will send the HTTP/HTTPS request to the particular server to know about the page. And the details are all about browser type, cookies of the page, and requested resources.
- Server Response: After accepting the request from the server, it sends back the different files, such as:
- CSS,
- HTML,
- JavaScript
- And Media Files.
- Rendering the Page: Now, the browser will keep all these files together and then provide you with the final page that you are looking for.
Search Google Vs Type a URL
The following section will let you know the difference between searching Google and typing a URL in a tabular format. However, it will be beneficial for you to know the main variations.
| Aspect | Search Google | Type a URL |
| Method | Type down the key terms or phrases into the search bar of Google. | Mention the exact web address (e.g., www.example.com) in the browser bar. |
| Purpose | To explore information, websites, or answers when you don’t know the exact address. | To directly access a known website quickly. |
| Ease of Use | User-friendly. Moreover, there is no need to know the site’s address. | It requires knowing the appropriate and complete URL. |
| Accuracy | Its results may vary. As a result, Google shows multiple relevant sites. | You will get 100% accurate results if the URL is typed correctly. |
| Speed | Its speed is slightly slower. However, it requires scanning search results. | Speed is faster, and it takes you straight to the site. |
| Common Use Case | Researching topics, finding new sites, troubleshooting, or general browsing. | Visiting familiar sites like Gmail, YouTube, or company portals. |
| Risk of Error | May click on misleading or irrelevant results. | Mistyping the URL can lead to errors or wrong sites. |
| Popularity | Mostly online searches worldwide start with Google. | Used mostly by people who already know the site they want. |
How Does It Work on Mobile (iPhone vs. Android)?
Searching Google or typing a URL works the same for both devices, desktop and mobile-based. But there is a minor difference: the location of the address bar.
For iPhone: The web browser bar is located at the bottom of the device’s screen.
For Android: The address bar is designated at the top of the device’s screen. Also, it combines with the Discovery feed.
When Should You Search Google or Type a URL?
Choosing the best solution between searching Google and typing a URL is totally different. Checking out the upcoming section will let you know when to use it.
When to Use Google Search:
- You don’t know the exact URL or the website address.
- Individuals want to explore the topic for their own motives.
- You are just searching to stay updated.
- Users want to calculate to get the direct answer.
When to Use Type a URL:
- Users know the exact web address of the specific website.
- When you want to visit secure websites by entering their whole web address.
- Most of the time, you’ve opened the particular website’s URL.
- You don’t want any kind of ads or distractions.
Which Method is Better: Searching or Typing a URL?
None of the methods is better. You need to choose the one on the basis of your requirements. Go through the following section to know more about it.
Type a URL:
Best for: Visiting a known or specific website.
Advantages: You will reach the direct website, bypassing the search engine page entirely.
Disadvantages: You must remember the website’s URL properly, and if you’ve written the wrong URL, it may cause errors.
Searching Online:
Best for: Finding information and exploring new topics.
Advantages: You will be able to find out about other websites and gain more information.
Disadvantages: Its speed is slow to provide you with the required results, and sometimes, you may have to watch ads.
How to Choose:
Typing a URL: If you know the correct URL of the website, go for it.
Searching Online: You want to know more about the information, and they want to dive into it.
Different Ways to Search in a Browser
There are multiple ways that will help you to search on any web browser. Let us dive into each type.
- Search a Website on Google: By typing the name of the website on Chrome, you will be able to explore its website thoroughly. Moreover, you will have an option to pick the specific page you want to open.
- Voice Search in the Browser: When you use voice search, it understands your long-tail keywords and then provides you with relevant results based on your search query.
- Direct URL Entry: By pasting the URLs into the web browser, you can directly reach the website. Moreover, this is very beneficial, especially if you’ve already bookmarked the sites.
- Search Within a Website Using the Omnibox: Users can effortlessly perform site-specific searches from the browser bar. For example, if you’ve entered Flipkart.com and then press the Tab key. You’ll get the results of Flipkart only.
- Image Search: You can also ask your query on the browser in any image format, rather than typing. In addition, you need to drag and drop your chosen photo to Google Lens to get the relevant information and resources.
What Are Google Autocomplete Predictions?
Google autocomplete predictions are totally based on the popularity of the search keywords, trendy topics, language, your location, as well as your past activity.
Take a glance at how it works and provides you with results the way you want.
- Real-time data: They opt for real searches that are executed on Google to highlight common and most trending topics related to your search query.
- Personalization: Your chosen location, selected language, and past searches deliver the recommendations that are more appropriate for you.
- Contextual Information: Predictions can consist of:
- Images
- Weather
- Dates
- Direct answers. But all these types of contextual data can only be delivered if Google has a solution to your asked query.
- Saved URLs: If you have entered a URL, browsers can provide you with the reference of past sites that you have mostly visited.
Google’s Hidden & Secret Search Operators
Let’s check out all the secret and hidden Google Search operators that will help you to have a better clarification on Search Google or Type a URL.
- Quotes (“”): You will discover the most appropriate phrase.
- Minus (-): Exclude the phrase.
- Asterisk (*): Represents any term or phrase in a blank space.
- OR (|): Finds websites with either phrase.
- site: Limited results to the particular page or domain.
- intitle: Shows you pages with a specific keyword that is mentioned in the title.
- inurl: You’ll get those websites that have specific keywords in the URL.
- Filetype: Get results for particular file types.
- related: Get websites that are related to a provided URL.
How Do These Secret Search Operators Help in SEO?
Have a look at how these hidden Google Search operators may be beneficial in performing the best practices of SEO.
- Consider using quotation marks to find out the exact keyword result.
- Use related: to find out the result that you’ve searched for.
- Look for guest posting opportunities with the help of the intitle: operator.
- Find out the particular file types via the filetypes: search operator.
- Consider using sites: to know whether the websites are indexed or not.
- Analyze technical issues in your websites through inurl:
Using Google Search: Best Practices
Everyone should be well aware of the following best practices while using Google Search. These are as listed below.
- Tap on Tools to get the results by setting the time frame.
- Type any query related to definitions, weather, or calculations to get the results on the result page.
- Use voice search to get the most accurate and relevant results.
- Be concise and mention only the necessary keyword.
How AI and Predictive Search Are Changing the Experience
Let us jump over the predictive search and AI, how they are changing the experience, and how it is beneficial for users.
Zero-Click and Knowledge Panel Integration:
AI simplifies the development and improvement of Featured Snippets and Knowledge Panels. Moreover, for doing normal calculations or finding definitions, you will instantly get the answer on SERP.
Personalized Snippet Selection (AIO):
First of all, AI doesn’t rank the entire web page. It chooses and shows you the most relevant paragraph and sentence in snippet form. This can only be picked on the basis of high-ranking pages that specifically target the user intent in very clear language.
AI Overviews:
Generative AI crafts summaries and instant answers below your search query. As a result, it saves your time by not clicking on every link.
Intent Prediction:
AI understands location, behavior, and the context of your requirement. After that, it delivers the proactive suggestions for the most trending topics.
Multimodal Search:
Users can easily search with the help of Google Lens and voice to get better and instant results. In simple terms, Google Lens will provide you with the information on the basis of your snapped photo. And Voice feature will allow you to speak your query instead of typing it down.
Troubleshooting and Personalizing Your Search Bar
Users can also make their omnibox feature more personalized. Look over the following troubleshooting and customization tricks that can help you further.
- Set your search engine, such as Google, Yahoo, Yandex, Bing, etc., as your default one in your web address bar settings.
- Turn on predictive search or autocomplete so that you can gain the benefits of AI-driven recommendations.
- Remove the browser’s cache and data to fix the errors.
- You can also add personalized search engines to your Omnibox.
All Questions Are Answered Here!
In the upcoming section, all your doubts will be answered. You just need to read out all the questions that we are going to mention here.
Q1. Should I search Google or type or enter a URL?
Ans. It totally depends on you and what you want to look for. If you are looking for general information, searching Google is the best option for you. Or, if you want to find out the website, just mention its URL.
Q2. What happens when you search for a URL?
Ans. Your device will share a request to the DNS server. This is the server that contains all the data of domain names. After that, it sends back the request to the IP address’s server to the specific website to know about it.
Q3. When should I search Google instead of typing a URL?
Ans. Searching Google will be beneficial when you want to explore or gain additional information, whatever you want to prepare the content.
Q4. What happens when I search for something on Google?
Ans. Google automatically provides you with ranked information from its immersive web index. By doing this, it will allow you to get the most appropriate and relevant data within a few minutes.
Q5. How do I change my URL search to Google?
Ans. Here are the steps to change your URL search to Google. Follow them.
- Open your browser.
- Tap on three vertical dots.
- Go to Settings.
- Look for the Search Engine category.
- Choose Google.
Q6. How to change the search Google or type a URL?
Ans. If you want to change your search on Google, here are the following instructions.
- Start using your web browser.
- Tap on three dots.
- Navigate to Settings.
- Look for the Search engine.
- Opt for another search engine, such as Bing, under the Search engine used in the address bar.
Q7. How do I change my search settings?
Ans. Changing your Google search settings is easy. You just need to open the Chrome web browser. Navigate to Settings. Look for the Safesearch option.
Time to Sum Up!
Search Google or type a URL; both are advanced and integrated features that make up omnibox functionality. Moreover, using search is beneficial if you want to learn more data on your searched query. On the other hand, typing a URL is worthwhile when you know the exact web address of the website. So, choose the one after understanding your needs.
