Search or Type Web Address: How It Works

Google remains the world’s most popular search engine, trusted for web surfing due to its steady speed and accuracy, along with user-friendly features. According to the latest Google update, the search engine has introduced an enhanced way to navigate the web directly from the search results page. This update brings the “ Search Google or Type Web Address” feature to the forefront. From the browser’s search bar, you can open the direct website or open the website by typing the URL in Google searches.

In both ways, you can access the information from the web. Both methods are quite easy to design, keeping non-technical users in mind. learn new methods, how AI searchGPT works, and how to make information more accessible. 

✅What is “Search Google or Type a URL”?

“What is Search Google or type a URL?” are the two primary ways to access information or open a website. When you search for any information by typing a query on the search engine, you get a list of websites. By opening the websites, you will find the answers to your query. However, typing a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) will directly take the user to the website. The user will be taken directly to the home page of the requested website.

Beginner’s Guide: What Are Search Engines? These days, nearly every browser —Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Google Chrome, and others —has some form of dual browsing. By implementing a browser in both options, you can create a seamless experience for the user, and they will receive satisfying answers to their questions in a timely manner.

✅What is an Omnibox?

The Omnibox is Google Chrome’s multifunctional address bar, combining search and URL type options. A search field is used for direct URL typing and another one for web browsing. This will help in better navigating the search results. Users can experience a less cluttered, quicker, and more natural web browsing experience. The omnibox  provides various new options, such as :

• Perform quick math calculations. 
• Convert units  and currency
• Provide instant answers to simple queries
• Autocomplete website addresses based on history and bookmarks

When you open Chrome, the search option is opened by default. The user can search via a query or open a URL directly. Omnibox is a faster way to access information from the web.

✅How to Search for a Specific Word or Phrase in Google

Websurfing is very easy, yet various tactics make the search more refined. Here are the tips for making your search effective. For example, keeping the Google Search Generative query in quotes will help you find better results. If you type “best shoe stores near me,” it will return local results that track your location and ensure accuracy. On the other hand, if you just type the direct query, for example Shoes- the results will show all the websites selling online shoes. This means that a user must know and be precise in queries while searching on the internet. The same type of search options is available for mobile users.

✅Difference Between Search and Type Web Address

It’s better to understand the distinction between inputting a URL and conducting a straight Google search to focus your searches. 

Searching on Google

Google is recognized as one of the largest search engines, processing over 3.5 billion queries daily. When you type a phrase or query in the Google search bar, the search engine provides a list of websites containing the information. learn how search engines work.

Example: If you type best digital marketing company in India, you’ll see a list of companies offering the services. You have the option to compare and choose the company based on your choices.

Advantages:

• Comprehensive Results: Google pulls information from numerous sources, providing diverse viewpoints on a topic, providing a wide information. 
• Smart Refinement: Google now utilizes advanced AI and NLP tools to deliver accurate results.

Entering a URL Directly

Typing a website’s exact URL (e.g., www.indeedseo.com) takes you straight to that site. This method will not allow you to browse any other website. It is a straightforward way of browsing a website.

Example: If a user likes to open a website like indeedseo.com, then why would they browse for several other websites? 

Advantages:

• Instant Access: For direct purchases and queries, bypassing the search engine is a good choice.
• Faster Load Times: Direct access to websites will help you load the website faster than going through a search engine.

Pro Tip: According to Google Analytics benchmarks, direct traffic is less than 20% while fetching the information.

✅Effective Ways to Search On Google 

1. Open Your Browser to Enter a Query– By opening the default page of Google, you can type your query. Be specific while typing to get better results. Google asks you to personalize your browser by setting the location, language, and customization.
2. Review Results – Browse through Google’s list of web pages, news, videos, and more. You can check the generative AI answer to your query.
3. Refine Your Search – Add specific terms or use search operators to find the most relevant answers.

Customizing Your Google Search Settings

Google allows you to fine-tune your search experience:

• SafeSearch Filters – Block explicit results.
• Language Preferences – Get multilingual results.
• Location Settings – See local and relevant content.
• Autocomplete Control – Adjust predictive suggestions.
• Results per Page – Decide how many appear at once.
  

Go to Settings on the Google homepage to start customizing and boost your search efficiency.

How to Enter a URL Directly

1. Open Your Browser
   
2. Click on the Address Bar
   
3. Type the Full URL
   
4. Press Enter – Your browser loads the site instantly.
   
5. Navigate or Search Internally – Use the site’s search feature for specific content.

✅Using Google Search Operators Like a Pro

Search operators help you filter, target, and refine results.

Common Operators:

• Quotation Marks (” “) – Search for exact phrases: “best digital marketing strategies”
• Minus Sign (-) – Exclude terms: apple -fruit.
• Site: – Search within a website: site:nytimes.com climate change
• Asterisk (*) – Wildcard for unknown words: best * apps 2024
• Filetype: – Find specific formats: climate change filetype: pdf
  

These tools are favorites among SEO professionals and researchers who need precise results.

✅Direct Search or Type web address– When to Use Which

Direct URL Entry – Useful when you want to open a direct website.

Google Search – Useful when you want to refer to different websites to explore the information, or when trying to look for a service.

Google Autocomplete Predictions

As you type in the search bar, Google suggests possible queries based on:

• Popular searches
• Your previous search history
• Trending topics
  

These predictions save time and spark new search ideas—but they’re suggestions, not final answers. You can adjust or disable them in search settings.

✅Evolution of Google’s Search Algorithms

Google, as a search engine, has come a long way and has continually updated its search algorithms to keep pace with the changing times. Here are the stages Google has crossed and emerged as the no#1 search engine in the world. 

• Early Days: Keyword matching results often displayed mismatched results. 
• PageRank (1996): Gave preference to high authority websites.
• Hummingbird (2013): Focused on understanding the context of searches.
• RankBrain (2015) & BERT (2019): Leveraged AI and NLP to interpret queries more naturally.
• 2025- About Voice Search and generative AI searches are added with intent-based search keeping as a priority.

Key Takeaways

Your surfing performance can be significantly increased by learning when to search and when to type a URL directly. Use sophisticated technologies to integrate both search approaches for better results. You will get faster, more precise results than ever before by utilizing the search operators, omnibox, and custom settings. Keep an eye on IndeedSEO’s most recent blog section if you still feel the need to learn more strategies for improving your searches.