Improve SEO With Google Autocomplete: [A Quick Guide]

Do you know how you get a list of keyword predictions when you put a term into the search box? That’s Google Autocomplete at work, and its goal is to save you time typing. And today, I’m here to tell you all you need to know about autocomplete to step up your SEO game.

Because Google Autocomplete is frequently disregarded by digital marketers, taking the effort to learn about it might provide you a competitive advantage. So let us try to narrow it down into simple terms.

What’s Google Autocomplete?

Google Autocomplete is a feature of Google Search that predicts and suggests search terms. As an example, if you write “who is the” into the Google search box, you’ll get results like:

1. Who is the real owner of Google
2. Who is the richest person in the world
3. Who is the oldest person in the world

Of course, the suggestions would also depend on your past related searches and other content. As you type, the predictions will alter to match your input until you get the search word you desire.

Instead of spelling it all out, you can click on that choice. The goal of Google Autocomplete is to save you time by finishing the search query you had in mind.

Where are the Google Autocomplete keywords from?

Google search analyzes actual search results and displays the most common and trending ones that are relevant to the characters you input. Those that are connected to your location and past searches are also factors.

Additionally, Google’s public liaison, Danny Sullivan, made a blog that expands on Google Autocomplete. If you want to read more about it, you can check it out here. 

Do search suggestions differ based on country?

The country you’re in also affects Google Autocomplete predictions. Google will “follow” you if you move places, and your autocomplete selections will update appropriately.

What about other languages?

These recommendations vary depending on the language(s) you choose to submit Google queries. If you change your default language to English, you will see English results. But if you add other languages that you are familiar with, your search suggestions will also be in those languages.

Does autocomplete change based on search history?

Google analyzes your search history when making predictions while logged into your Google account. Your previous searches will serve as references for autocomplete recommendations for newer searches, especially if you’ve previously looked for material related to your query.

Know that if you see a prediction with a “Remove” option next to it (it appears as an “X” on the far right), it’s based on your search history. Google detects that you looked for something related to your query, but it might be a one-time search.

Google’s Autocomplete Guidelines

Google has procedures to prohibit predictions that violate Google Search’s overall standards. The autocomplete policies include:

1. Gore and violence
2. Medical and scientific terminology is acceptable, but sexually explicit, vulgar, or profane terms are not
3. Anything to do with hate speech or acceptance of hateful activities is prohibited
4. Identifiable people’s sensitive information or words
5. Dangerous predictions or content that might cause major harm to humans or animals

You can read all about how Google describes and discusses Autocomplete on the help page here.

How is Google Autocomplete beneficial for SEO?

Before you begin evaluating Google Autocomplete predictions for SEO, you must first complete the following three steps:

1. To ensure that your search history does not impact the predictions you receive, log out of Google or utilize incognito mode.

2. You should use a VPN if you are based in a different location than your target audience. If you’re now in Thailand but want to target people in the US, for example, use a VPN to make it look like you’re in the US.

3. Adjust your options to match the language preferences of the individuals in your target audience.

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These settings will allow you to view similar suggestions to those displayed to your target audience. Now that everything is set, here are various methods to use Google Autocomplete for SEO. You can go through these steps in succession to see which one works for you.

1. Type the Keyword, then Analyze it 

Examine the results for a word relating to your specialty. This research is an excellent method for locating valuable long-tail keywords. Answer The Public is another free software that does this.

Then, using an SEO tool such as Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, or Moz Pro, assess those keywords and determine which ones are worth pursuing.

2. Look Into the Alphabet

What if none of your predictions turn out to be accurate? Enter your term, then click on each letter of the alphabet to see what appears. 

Take the term “financial management” as a keyword, and then add the letter “a” after your query in the search field. By putting “financial management a” into your search box, you may use the ideas to help you produce content.

3. Allow Google to Fill the Blanks

Aside from using the alphabet, you may increase your search by including the underscore character (_) in your keyword or key phrase. 

Suppose your query is about survival tips. You could type “survival _ tip” in the search bar, and Google will suggest different things related to these words, taking into account your past searches and other related content.

4. Try Both Singular and Plural Form of the Keyword

Google Autocomplete gives you different results when you type the same keyword in their singular and plural forms. You’ll note that the results differ, so test both variations of the same term.

Different Ways To Utilize Google Autocomplete

Google Autocomplete is a basic feature with a lot of potential. It can help you supercharge your digital marketing efforts, from keyword research to reputation management. In addition to locating popular keywords, Google’s SEO suggestions may be valuable in several other areas.

Showing The Most Popular Categories 

For example, suppose you type “women’s shoes” into Google. In that case, it will return results for “women’s shoes on sale” and “women shoes size 12,” indicating that people frequently search for shoes on sale and by size.

Identify Well-known Brands

A search for common brands reveals which people are looking for the most, such as seller names, brands, suppliers, and so on. You may learn which one your target demographic is likely to buy this way.

Learn What to Put in FAQs

Typing your inquiry into Google may yield a list of frequently asked questions. Answering those commonly asked questions might help your e-commerce business gain more visitors.

Discover keywords to use for local SEO

Google Autocomplete can also offer local SEO queries that you might not have thought about and lists numerous significant landmarks (including the airport). You’ll want to see whether your store is close to any popular destinations, such as a museum or shopping mall. 

It’s easy to think you know what people will search for, but it’s worth taking a few seconds to explore what Google Autocomplete has to offer.

Build a User-Friendly E-commerce Site

Ecommerce is big business; over 2 billion people purchase online each year, according to Oberlo. Despite the enormous number of online shoppers, attracting them to your website is a difficult task.

Using autocomplete to find essential terms to target is one way to improve your e-commerce business and make it more user-friendly.

Manage your Online Reputation

You can also use this tool to search for branded phrases like company, executive, or product names if an unpleasant search phrase surfaces in the predictions using your brand keywords. 

Google Autocomplete might pose major harm to your public image. You have two alternatives when it comes to what you should do in this case:

Solve the Problem

If the unflattering prognosis is accurate, correct the problem. The fix won’t make the autocomplete problem go away right away, but if the problem is fixed, people will eventually forget about it and cease looking for it. 

As the amount of searches for that phrase decreases, you will eventually remove it from the prediction list.

Improve Your Image

If the prediction is about a real event, you may help them forget about it sooner by offering them something good to think about. For example, you may highlight loyal customers on your website, hold a giveaway, or host an event.

Even actively connecting with clients on various social media channels may help you establish a favorable brand image.

Conclusion

Using Google Autocomplete to help you with your SEO query starts with the search bar. You can start by adding the alphabet letters one at a time to help you gain more content related to your query.

If you want more varied results, you can add an underscore character between your keyword and let Google fill in the blanks or use singular and plural forms of your keyword.

Did you find this helpful? Make sure to leave a like and comment. Feel free to check out other articles I made related to SEO.

• How To Write A Blog Post For SEO: Best 10 Tips You Should Know
• How to SEO Like A Pro
• How To Use Surfer SEO? A Complete Guide