Search Google Or Type A URL: Which Option Will Give You Better Results?

There are two ways to access data and information on the internet – search Google or type a  URL.

So, either you can directly enter a particular URL on the address bar of your browser or just use the Google search engine. The benefits and the disadvantages associated with each search alternative impact how any user accesses content on the web.

So, while directly using Google search can offer a wide array of options depending on keywords, entering a URL directly on the address bar will give you instant access to a specific website.

But which one will give you better results?

Let’s find out!

How To Search Google Or Type A URL?

Yes – how? To break it down and further simplify it, let’s look at it in two parts:

Part 1: How To Search On Google?

So, let’s check out how to search on Google:

1. Open your browser

• Navigate to Google’s homepage. Also, go to the address bar of your browser, in case you are not using Chrome, type ‘google.com,’ and press ‘enter.’

• Once you are on Google’s homepage, you will spot the search bar in the middle of the web page. So, you can either type your query in the search button and hit ‘enter,’ or open a new tab for the same. Also, you can click on the search icon (magnifying glass) located on the search bar.

• In addition, include keywords connected directly to your query. Moreover, be concise and concrete while looking up your query for the best results.

• After pressing the ‘enter’ button on your search query, you will land up on the SERP, i.e. search engine result page. Typically, the section on top features the AI-generative search results followed by featured snippets and/or sponsored sections. After these sections, the algorithm positions organic results.

• Every result on a SERP includes a detailed meta description, the link to the whole content, and a title. So, you can tap on any link to visit the complete article before clicking the back arrow to navigate back to the search results.

• Also, you can restrict what you are searching for with the help of advanced search queries or filters if needed.

So, in this context, here’s a reminder about how the Google search algorithm works: the algorithm has been designed in a way that it always comes up with the most ‘likely’ results corresponding to your search query.

As a result, the exact terms you are using to search for something can significantly improve the search results the algorithm throws at you.

Part 2: How To Type A URL?

Finding a website from Google search is different from directly typing the URL of the website on Google search and opening the same. When you type a URL on Google Search, the algorithm will take you to the said website directly.

So, let’s check out how to type a URL:

1. Open your browser

• Go to the address bar of your browser, type in the URL of the website you want to visit, and press ‘enter.’ While entering the website URL, don’t forget to include the ‘https://’ or ‘http://,’ since it indicates a secure connection.

For example, to visit Search Engine Magazine, you have to type in ‘https://www.searchenginemagazine.com/’ on the address bar and press ‘enter.’ The algorithm will take you to the homepage of Search Engine Magazine.

Search Google Or Type A URL: The Difference

While researching LITERALLY anything, there are two things you can do – search Google or type a URL.

Users can easily choose any option that works best for them. But what’s the difference between the two – rather, is there any difference between the two options? Let’s find out!

So, when you are using Google Search, you are interacting with the algorithm of the search engine to obtain results related to the matching keywords. Moreover, considering Google uses a comprehensive database, it displays the most relevant results for your search. In the following step, you get to select which one best answers your query.

Meanwhile, typing a URL for going to a particular website is a relatively more DIRECT approach. Moreover, it also narrows down your search. Instead of going through multiple search results, you will get a relatively more precise result.

In addition, we use Google’s search option to research different topics, discover new websites, or find related topics on a specific subject matter. However, we directly type in a URL to go to a known location on the web without paying any attention to search results.

Search Google Or Type A URL: The Difference At A Glance

While the above section highlights the primary differences between searching Google and typing a URL, I have also created a table below to point out the key differences between the two at a glance:

Search Google Or Type A URL: Which Option Is Better?

Search Google or type a URL – which is the better option?

To be honest, the answer depends on the kind of information you have been seeking. So, Google Search is used for finding information quickly, especially when you are looking up some specific topic or questions.

Moreover, you get options for your query – you can read up and decide which content best answers your question. Also, you can get help from Google’s generative AI or featured snippets if you don’t have time to go through the whole content.

So, it is obvious that using Google search is an effective option when you are searching for extra information or trying to obtain multiple perspectives on a specific topic. Also, you can use this search option when you don’t know anything about a particular topic. As a result, it is a dynamic and adaptive search alternative ideal for broad topics.

In contrast, if you already know which website has the information you have been looking for then you can directly type in the URL of the same. In such cases, you can eliminate going through multiple search results because you already know what you want to read – you don’t need options.

Moreover, it is faster to type URLs than to go through multiple search results, especially if you know which website (or source of information) you want to visit. In addition, typing a URL is also ideal for situations when you are working on sensitive data or logging into a secure platform where privacy and security are crucial.

Which Option Is Better?

Thus, it ALWAYS depends on what kind of research you are doing:

1. If you already know what is your source of information and where you want to go then typing the URL of the same is the best option for you.
2. If you don’t know anything about a topic and see what the algorithm throws at you then Google search is the best option for you.

So, Google Search is best for any intensive research but typing in URLs is ideal for accessing any known resource directly. Also, you can blend both search options and choose based on the nature of your research.

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