# Search Cheat Sheet: where to run each query One page per surface: the syntax that works, a link you can edit, and what each surface is best for. Last verified: October 2026. Platforms change search behavior without notice. If an operator stops working, drop it and use the site's filter menus. **URL-encoding in 10 seconds:** space = `%20`, `"` = `%22`, `:` = `%3A`, `>` = `%3E`, `(` = `%28`, `)` = `%29`. Or paste the query in the site's search bar and skip encoding. --- ## Reddit (native search) **Operators** (no space after the colon; field names are lowercase): | Operator | Does | Example | |---|---|---| | `title:` | match in post title | `title:"alternative to notion"` | | `selftext:` | match in post body | `selftext:"looking for a tool"` | | `subreddit:` | one community | `subreddit:freelance` | | `author:` | one user | `author:spez` | | `self:yes` | text posts only (no links, no images) | `self:yes "is there an app"` | | `AND` `OR` `NOT` `( )` | boolean, must be uppercase | `(invoice OR invoicing) NOT template` | **Links** - Sitewide, newest, past month: `https://www.reddit.com/search/?q=QUERY&sort=new&t=month` - One subreddit: `https://www.reddit.com/r/SUB/search/?q=QUERY&restrict_sr=1&sort=new&t=month` - Time values: `hour`, `day`, `week`, `month`, `year`, `all`. **Tips** - Check the **Comments** tab too. Many "what do you use for X?" answers and requests are in comments. - Reddit's own search misses things. Run your top 5 queries through Google too (next section). - Before replying in any subreddit: read the sidebar rules and the pinned posts. Look for "no self-promotion", "no links", karma or account-age minimums, and weekly promo threads. --- ## Google (Reddit, forums, Indie Hackers, anything indexed) | Operator | Works in 2026 | Example | |---|---|---| | `site:` | yes, most reliable | `site:reddit.com "alternative to calendly"` | | `"exact phrase"` | yes | `"is there an app"` | | `OR` (uppercase) | yes | `(expensive OR "price increase")` | | `-word` | yes | `-jobs` | | `intitle:` | yes | `intitle:"looking for"` | | `inurl:` | yes | `inurl:forum` | | `before:` / `after:` | yes | `after:2026-09-01` | | `cache:`, `related:` | **removed** | do not use | **Copy-paste shapes** - `site:reddit.com "alternative to [COMPETITOR]" after:2026-07-01` - `site:reddit.com/r/[SUB] "looking for a tool" [TASK]` - `site:reddit.com intitle:"[COMPETITOR]" (expensive OR alternative OR cancel)` - `site:indiehackers.com "[PROBLEM]"` - `site:news.ycombinator.com "Ask HN" [PROBLEM]` - `inurl:forum OR inurl:community "is there a way to" [TASK]` - `site:community.shopify.com "[PROBLEM]"` (swap for your niche's forum) **Recency:** Tools > Any time > Past week / Past month, or the `after:` operator. --- ## Hacker News (Algolia search, free, no login) - **Web:** `https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=pastMonth&page=0&prefix=false&query=QUERY&sort=byDate&type=all` - `dateRange`: `last24h`, `pastWeek`, `pastMonth`, `pastYear`, `all` - `type`: `all`, `story`, `comment` - **API** (JSON, for your own scripts): `https://hn.algolia.com/api/v1/search_by_date?query=QUERY&tags=(story,comment)` - `tags=ask_hn` only Ask HN, `tags=show_hn` only Show HN, `tags=author_USERNAME` one user - `numericFilters=created_at_i%3E1788000000` newer than a Unix timestamp; `points%3E10` popular only - Quotes work for exact phrases. Boolean `OR` does not; run separate queries instead. - **Freelancers:** the first weekday of each month the account `whoishiring` posts "Ask HN: Who is hiring?" and "Ask HN: Who wants to be hired?". Verified: October 2026 threads are live. Best for: dev tools, APIs, infra, privacy, self-hosted, technical B2B. Weak for consumer apps. --- ## X (logged in, Latest tab) **Link:** `https://x.com/search?q=QUERY&f=live` (the `f=live` part opens the Latest tab). | Operator | Does | |---|---| | `"exact phrase"`, `OR`, `-word` | basics | | `lang:en` | language | | `since:2026-09-01` `until:2026-10-01` | date range | | `min_faves:5` `min_replies:2` `min_retweets:2` | engagement floor | | `-filter:replies` / `filter:replies` | exclude / only replies | | `-filter:links` | drop posts with links (removes most promo) | | `-filter:retweets` | drop reposts | | `to:handle` | posts sent to an account (complaints to a competitor) | | `?` | a bare question mark favors questions | **Copy-paste shapes** - `"alternative to [COMPETITOR]" lang:en -filter:links` - `to:[COMPETITOR_HANDLE] (cancel OR refund OR broken) -filter:links` - `"is there an app" [TASK] ? lang:en min_faves:2` - `"I'd pay for" [PRODUCT] lang:en` Warning: X operator behavior drifts and search depth differs by account. Test each query once and keep what returns results. --- ## LinkedIn (posts) - Search bar > **Posts** > **Date posted: Past week** > optional **Author industry/Author company** filters. - Supports `"quotes"`, `AND`, `OR`, `NOT` (uppercase) and parentheses. Keep it short; long boolean strings fail silently. - Link form (falls back to the UI if it doesn't load): `https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/content/?keywords=QUERY&sortBy=%22date_posted%22` - Shapes: `"looking for a tool" AND [TASK]`, `"any recommendations" AND [PRODUCT]`, `"looking to hire" AND [TASK] NOT recruiter` Best for: B2B, agencies, consultants, ops, finance, HR, recruiting tools. People post with their real name and job title, so fit is easy to judge. --- ## G2 and Capterra (competitor pain) - Open the competitor's reviews, filter to **1 to 3 stars**, read 20. Write down repeated complaints, word for word. - Open the "alternatives" or "competitors" page for the competitor. Note which products sit next to it and how they are described. - Typical paths: `g2.com/products//reviews`, `g2.com/products//competitors/alternatives`. Capterra product pages have an "Alternatives" tab. If a path changes, search the site for the competitor. - Use this for **positioning and query ideas**, not to contact individual reviewers. - Context: G2 acquired Capterra, GetApp and Software Advice in early 2026; the sites still run separately. Both offer a free vendor profile (more in `launch/launch-directories.md`). --- ## Niche forums and communities - Find them: `[AUDIENCE] forum`, `[AUDIENCE] community`, `[TOOL] community forum`, `[AUDIENCE] discord`, `[AUDIENCE] slack group`. - Common ones: Shopify Community, Webflow Forum, WordPress.org support forums, Notion and Obsidian forums, Stack Exchange sites, Discourse-based product forums, Indie Hackers, Dev.to. - Rules first. Many forums ban vendors or require a "vendor" flair. When in doubt, ask a moderator. --- ## Put it on autopilot (alerts) | Tool | Covers | Cost | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | F5Bot | Reddit, Hacker News, Lobsters | Free (paid plans exist) | Email alerts. Use quoted phrases, not single words. | | Syften | Reddit, HN, X, Bluesky, Mastodon, Indie Hackers, Stack Overflow, GitHub, Dev.to, more | Paid, 14-day free trial | Filters and integrations. | | Google Alerts | Indexed web | Free | Slow, noisy; useful for forum phrases. | | GummySearch | — | Closed Nov 30, 2025 | Shut down citing Reddit's API policy. | Rule of thumb: alerts find posts, they don't reply. Replies stay human (see `playbook/`).