4 Ways To Use Google AutoSuggest for Marketing Research
Can you imagine today’s world without Google? All that information – lost and scattered in different parts of the world. Can you imagine how much less we would know about Chuck Norris? How hard it would be to conduct research? How many pointless arguments would go on and on, unresolved? Relationships could be ruined waiting for verification of those arguments. In a sense, Google is like a God- all-knowing, all-wise, and a judge who can determine who’s right and who’s wrong. Unlike God, though, Google has some flaws. Take for example, its auto-suggestion algorithm. It usually does exactly what it says, but when it fails, it’s always epic.
1. Auto-Suggest Is Psychic
Of course, calling it auto-suggest is not exactly correct. What the engine actually does is predict what you’re going to write. This foretelling is based on the popularity of topics people in your region already looked for, and your own searches. So upon seeing auto-predictions like “I hate it when a velociraptor throws bananas on me,” one might wonder who and why anyone would search for this. I can see how a velociraptor throwing bananas at you can be an irritating enough problem that you would need to reach out to Google. However, I fail to understand how this would be the biggest concern when meeting a vicious predator for the first time. Some auto-fills reveal some truly inspiring theories, like “I think rhinos are just obese unicorns.” Brilliant! Although, when I think about it, the unicorns grow their horn on the forehead, while rhinos have theirs on the nose, but let’s not quibble over small matters.
2. Researching Reader’s Needs
Even with all its faults, Google is still there to address your needs. Like when you write, “I’m having trouble…,” and the seventh suggestion is “…dealing with the fact that Edward Cullen is a fictional character.” We’ve all been there. To immerse ourselves in a book so much that we want the characters, even pale-faced vampires, to be real. Although I must admit sparkling vampires are not on the top of my list, I can see the appeal. I have a friend who does see the appeal but that’s another story. You might have fallen in love with Edward, but if his love is as passionate in real life as it was in the Twilight saga, there is not much to regret with your search.
3. Finding the Right Keywords
Despite all the nonsensical and funny auto-suggestions, this Google feature is a goldmine in keyword researching. Finding the right keywords is pivotal to your SEO optimization and, consequently, important to your website’s success. Even from the strangest google suggestions, you can still draw some pretty valuable knowledge. “I hate it when a velociraptor throws bananas on me” makes absolutely no sense as a search. Still, for some reason, Google’s algorithm creates a correlation between these words. Keywords feel quality content. That content is an inescapable necessity you will have to manage well if you want to be on Google’s first page. Writing something worth reading and also making sure it is worthy of Google’s algorithms, is almost as hard as understanding why someone would search for “I hate it when Jesus rides dinosaurs in my house.”
4. My Research Tool
There is another use for these strange auto-fills. You can uncover a potential customer need that you may be able to address. The people that search for “I’m having trouble dealing with the fact that Edward Cullen is a fictional character” clearly want another book revolving around this character. Those wondering about velociraptors and bananas may have needs that we can’t even begin to address. Google is both your marketplace and your research lab. This engine is the place your customers will look first for your product. This means that being on top of the relevant search results is as important as building a website or having a product. If you manage to do that, you will be more appealing to your customers than a sparkling vampire to a Twilight fangirl.
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