We’ve all been there, wasting half a morning trawling Google trying to figure out:
Where did that piece of coverage go?
What are our competitors up to?
Where can I find credible data for a new hook?
Here’s the good news: you don’t need fancy tools to answer any of those questions.
You just need smarter search habits.
At Cupid PR, these are the 9 Google search operators we use every week to stay ahead.
1. Find Exact Brand Mentions (not on their own site)
"Brand Name" -site:brandwebsite.com
➡️ Use this to spot press mentions, reviews, or quotes that might’ve gone under the radar.
2. Dig Up Interview, Quote & Feature Mentions
"Brand Name" AND ("interview" OR "featured" OR "quoted")
➡️ Perfect for tracking coverage that includes expert commentary.
3. Show Media Pages Only
"Brand Name" inurl:news
➡️ Filters for mentions inside online news sections.
4. Check Specific Sites for Mentions
site:bbc.co.uk "Competitor Name"
➡️ Want to know if a brand’s been picked up by a specific outlet? This gets it done in seconds.
5. Catch Resource Mentions & Trust Signals
"Competitor Name" + "as seen in" OR "trusted by"
➡️ Great for catching placement on roundups, affiliate lists, and credibility-builder pages.
6. Track Down Guest Posts & Thought Leadership
"Competitor Name" + "guest post by" OR "written for"
➡️ Spot where they’re publishing insights and positioning themselves as experts.
7. Reclaim Unlinked Brand Mentions
"Brand Name" -site:brandwebsite.com -inurl:brandwebsite.com
➡️ If your name’s there but there’s no link — that’s your opportunity.
8. Find Government Reports, Stats & Data Sets
This is the one we use when we need reliable, media-grade data in a pinch.
"football banning orders" site:.gov.uk filetype:pdf "cost of living 2024" site:ons.gov.uk filetype:pdf "youth crime statistics" site:.gov.uk filetype:xls "mental health survey UK" filetype:pdf
➡️ Swap in any topic you're working on. Want to build a hook around loneliness, phone addiction, housing costs, or rising retail crime? The gold is in these PDFs.
9. Filter by Date to Find Fresh Coverage
After any Google search, click:
Tools > Any Time > Past Month / Custom Range
➡️ Keeps your search results recent — and relevant.
The takeaway?
A super easy way how we actually find stories, audit competitor Digital PR, spot gaps, and build credible link-worthy campaigns — without relying on expensive tools or huge databases.
🔓 Free Downloads That Actually Deliver Links
Not just another checklist. These are the exact playbooks, templates and industry-specific tools I use with clients to land national coverage and follow links — without fluff, AI-generated filler, or made-up metrics.
What’s inside:
The Small Business Digital PR Playbook – tailored advice for fitness, beauty and wellness brands
Cupid PR’s Link-Winning Pitch Template – steal my email that gets journalists to bite
The Digital PR Strategy Deck – if you’re pitching to your boss or clients, this is your weapon
💾 All available here: cupidpr.sellfy.store
No catch. Just practical tools for people who want to actually get links, not just talk about them.
