What are your potential customers searching for on Google?
Millions of searches take place every minute of every day on Google. But what are those people searching for? And more importantly, what are your potential customers searching for?
Authored by James Crothall [external] - 3 minute read about Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Photo by Scott Graham [external] on Unsplash
Finding out what your potential customers are searching for on Google and other search engines is arguably one of the most important components of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is the process of improving your website so that it ranks higher in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
Why do I need to know what my potential customers are searching for?
Without having a deep understanding of the words and phrases, also known as keywords, that your potential customers are searching for, optimizing your website for search engines will be extremely difficult.
Here’s five ways you can research what your potential customers are searching for, right now:
1. You!
Nobody knows your business better than you do. So start by putting yourself in the shoes of your customer and really think about what their wants, their needs and the problems they’re facing are. Brainstorming with both colleagues or those slightly removed from your business can help you start building a list of keywords that your potential customers might be using to find your website.
2. Use Google Autocomplete
Once you have a list of keywords, take to Google itself to give you further inspiration. Google Autocomplete is a feature on both Mobile and Desktop search that predicts queries based on what the searcher has typed so far. The suggestions are provided in a drop-down menu. Analyzing these suggestions can be extremely helpful for expanding your list of keywords as it shows variations and ‘long-tail’ keywords based on the original keyword.
“A long-tail keyword is a keyword made up of more than one or two words; unlike generic keywords, they address more specific queries giving you the opportunity to make niche content available to the searcher.”
3. Use the Google Ads Keyword Planner
The Keyword Planner tool, available within the Google Ads platform, can help you focus your SEO efforts by understanding which keywords have the most searches each month. This will enable you to prioritize the ones that will drive the most traffic to your website. It's like knowing which streets get the most foot traffic, so you can set up shop in the prime location.
4. Ask AI tools such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini
Once you’ve developed a list(s) of keywords you’d like your website to appear highly in search engines for, AI tools like Chat GPT or Google Gemini can be great tools to use to add to them.
Hint! Provide context to these tools when generating keyword ideas. For example, categorise keywords into smaller lists around more specific areas your potential customers are searching for. This will give the AI tools a deeper understanding of the different areas of your business and in turn richer results.
5. Use Answer The Public
Answer The Public is an online tool that helps brainstorm keywords based on one or two generic keyword phrases. It provides categorised comparisons and questions to give a summary of the types of queries users are using in search engines related to your given topic.
What’s next?
Once you’ve a greater understanding of the keywords your potential customers are searching for and how often they’re searched for, analyzing intent (i.e. informational, navigational and transactional) is the next step to then be able to ultimately create website content that aligns with these keywords.
Authored by James Crothall [external], Managing Director at AMO DIGITAL, with almost two decades of professional marketing experience, including optimizing hundreds of websites for search. Arrange a free demo with James today and he’ll share with you how he’s helped a range of clients generate more business from their online presence.
Did you know that around 6,000,000 searches take place every minute of every day?
And every day you’re not improving your website is a day that’s potentially costing you business. Make sure you get found.