HTTP Recognise search query

Can the HTTP protocol differenciate between a search query and a URL or does the query have to be passed at the end of the URL like: http://ift.tt/2i6ho6E

I basically need a way to have my web server differenciate from a URL and a search query. Using some way of validating and contatenating the search query to the URL seems like a bad idea as speed is important in this application so was wondering if the HTTP protocol could do it rather then the native language.

Using HTTP POST sounds like a safer and cleaner option over HTTP GET