Hey there Sea Changers and welcome to my series of affiliate marketing 101 how tos as we explore how to use Google for keyword research. For many of us starting out, getting our posts and social media content to rank, and hence read by our intended audience, is potentially the one thing that keeps us up at night.
And as you work through this, the one thing you will constantly hear centers around the choice of the right keywords within your posts. This is because these are the words or phrases that people use when looking for content within search engines when looking for information, products, or services.
This means then that the closer you can match these words within your own content, the better then chance you have to match what itis that your potential readers are looking for… which is where this post comes in…
You can of course use a dedicated keyword research tool for this task however many of these cost money – which can be a strain as you start out. And whilst keyword tools offer additional data and advanced capabilities, Google provides real-world insights and user behavior patterns that are are more than substitution.
Google for Keyword Research
There are four methods you can use within Google for keyword research as follows:
1. Start with Google Search Suggestions
One of the easiest ways to begin your keyword research is by simply typing your topic into the Google search bar. Google’s autocomplete feature generates a list of popular search queries related to the term you’ve entered. These suggestions are based on actual searches people make, making them a goldmine for relevant and high-traffic keywords.
How to Do It: – Start with a broad term, like “pellet smoker,” and see what pops up as you type. You might notice suggestions like “pellet smoker recipes,” “pellet smoker tips,” or “pellet smoker brisket.”
These suggestions give you an instant list of phrases people are actively searching for. Each one can serve as a potential blog post topic or guide your content creation.
2. Explore the “People Also Ask” Section
Once you have undertaken your search as per above, you may have noticed the expandable questions box titled “People Also Ask” on Google’s search results page (you may need to scroll down a little).
This section offers a glimpse into the common questions users have related to your topic. It’s a fantastic way to see what people really want to know about as well as understanding the intent behind their searches.
How to Do It – Assuming you clicked on the “pellet smoker tips” option above, as you look through the “People Also Ask” section, you might find questions like:
- “How do you use a pellet smoker for beginners?”
- “Is it safe to leave a pellet smoker overnight?”
- “What is the easiest thing to smoke on a pellet smoker?”
So again, these are the questions that people are asking online at this point in time. This means that you can use these question to not only refine your keywords, but also to ensure that you have this information within your posts as well. Additionally, you can use this as a list for your next content ideas too.
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3. Look at the “People Also Search for” Section
As with the “People Also Ask” section as discussed above, the “People also search for” section at the bottom of the page provides for another searches that are similar or related to the results on this page. So as the section above relates directly to the search, this area gives a little more latitude to the niche or subject as well.
Essentially, it’s a quick way to gather additional keyword ideas and discover variations you might not have considered.
How to Do It: After searching for “pellet smoker tips,” as above, scroll to the bottom to see suggestions like:
- “Electric pellet smoker tips”
- “How to get more smoke from a pellet grill”
- “Using a pellet smoker for the first time”
As above, this section will often point you toward less competitive keywords or new angles to explore, helping you flesh out your posts or identify new ideas for blog posts, guides, or product reviews.
4. Leverage Google Trends
Our last option is not a search result as such rather more of a tool found within the Google suite. Google Trends is a powerful, free tool that helps you track the popularity of a keyword over time.
It provides a visual representation of search interest, making it easier to determine whether a keyword is gaining or losing traction. It also highlights related queries, fads and regional trends.
How to Do It: Head to Google Trends and enter your keyword and adjust the filters for location, time frame, and category to get tailored insights.
For example, if you search for “pellet smoker,” you might see that interest spikes during certain seasons, such as summer or the holiday period.
As you scroll down the page, Google Trends also helps you identify seasonal keywords and topics with growing interest, country specific interest as related topics. This information can not only guide you in regards to content suggestions, but also highlight when to promote certain content ideas as well – e.g. seasonal recipes etc.
Conclusion
And there you have it – how to use Google for keyword research. I hope it has been helpful and as usual, please do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions, need some advice or have any experiences to share.
Do you want further assistance with any of the above or need help to build your own affiliate website?
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Until next time
Have fun
Paul