Last week, Google officially rolled out a new feature that it calls Google Suggest. It’s actually a part of the Google search engine that’s been around for a while in the testing stages, but its official debut could have a huge and positive affect on search engine optimization techniques and in increased Web site traffic if businesses choose to utilize it.
But what is Google Suggest? Simply, Google Suggest is implemented in order to add suggestions to your search query. You may have seen it already. When you begin typing something in a search bar and a drop down menu will add suggestions as to what you are searching for. For example, begin typing “London” into Google’s search box, and a drop-down menu will appear that lists the most popular searches that begin with London. You’ll see “London underground,” “London weather,” and “London zoo.”
OK. Neat, right? But how can this feature change search engine optimization techniques and add help your Web site get traffic? Google Suggest could have an effect on the way Web users search for keywords. It might make them use less keywords. As Google can list several of the most popular options, it probably results in more uniform searches, which may cause a sea change in search engine optimization techniques.
Google Suggest may cause Web users to become less creative in what they search for. Once people become familiar with the service, they will depend on Google Suggest to direct them to the most popular search terms, thereby further solidifying those search terms as the most popular.
For search engine optimization techniques based on Google’s AdWords, Google Suggest’s expanded service may also make certain keywords shoot up in price. If the same suggested keywords are searched for over and over, then, in line with the AdWords pricing guidelines, the keywords will go up in price as competition increases for those most popular suggested keywords.
Since Google Suggest rarely lists phrases longer then three words, it may affect those “Long Tail” search engine optimization techniques, where businesses and Web sites are able to target people searching for very specific things that consist of several keywords. This may reduce the overall amount of keywords Web searchers use.
But there’s also a chance that Google Suggest may be good for long tail search engine optimization techniques and Web sites that are tailored to those longer keyword searches. By using the suggested as a jumping off point, this may let users more accurately refine long keyword searches by starting with the most popular keywords, then adding more specific keywords to them.
But however Google Suggest changes the way people search online, it should be something anyone interested in new search engine optimization techniques that generate more Web site traffic from search to watch closely. Are the keywords that bring people to your Web site changing? If you notice some new words sneaking in there, then you may want to re-tailor the search engine optimization techniques on your Web site to include these new, popular words.
Search technology and the search engine optimization techniques industry is constantly changing. In order to keep on top, it requires that Web sites constantly polish their search marketing strategy in order to stay ahead of the competition.
