There are some “advanced” Google searches that web developers and search engine experts often use to get a better picture of the true competition for various keywords. One of these is using intitle: to find out how many web pages are targeting a particular word or phrase in the title of the page. The syntax is intitle:keyword or intitle:”keyword phrase”.

Google apparently thinks that anyone who includes the word “design” in such a search is infested with a virus or other malware.

Go ahead and try it. Go to Google and type intitle:”website design” into the search box. Or intitle:”interior design” or intitle:”fashion design.” Bet you get a warning message from Google about having a virus or spyware.

Now try those searches with a different word instead of design. Search for intitle:”website developer” or intitle:”interior decor” or intitle:”fashion clothing.” No problem, you get regular search results of all the pages Google knows about that contain those phrases in the page title.

WTF? “Design” is a virus word? If anyone wonders why search results in Google can be so screwy sometimes, I shall point them to this post.