What are related keywords? : Exploring Methods to Utilize Them for SEO
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In the operation of web media, understanding user needs through search keywords is extremely important. Indeed, Google prioritizes user-centric search engine operations, tending to rank content that meets user needs higher in search results.
There are several methods to grasp user needs, and related keywords offer insights into these needs as well.
I’ll introduce the basics about related keywords and how to leverage them for SEO.
What Are Related Keywords?
Related keywords are those suggested by search engines like Google and Yahoo! when conducting a search. These keywords are related or associated with the search terms used.
For example, if you search for “Tokyo” on Google, related keywords such as “Tokyo events” and “Tokyo hotels” might appear.
These related keywords also represent frequently searched terms by users, providing a clue to predict user needs. This can be valuable in crafting content for web media.
Why Google Displays Related Keywords
Google displays related keywords to enhance the search experience, focusing on improving user convenience.
In fact, one of Google’s stated principles is: “Google aims to save users’ precious time and instantly provide the needed information through web searches.
By displaying related keywords, Google helps users quickly find the information they are looking for.
How Related Keywords Are Displayed
Google’s unique algorithm analyzes the frequency and similarity of related searches, extracting information from past searched keywords, related sites, and co-occurring terms to display as related keywords.
Additionally, due to ongoing analysis of internet content, related keywords that are highly topical might also be shown.
Difference Between Suggest Keywords and Related Keywords
Suggest keywords appear in the search bar as you type, proposing possible searches based on other users’ search activities.
These suggest keywords, like related keywords, help reduce the effort of typing and enable users to quickly reach the desired information.
However, while related keywords include synonyms and related terms, suggest keywords display search suggestions that include the entered terms.
Both features enhance user convenience, but they serve slightly different purposes and should be used accordingly depending on the need.
How to Research Related Keywords
Researching related keywords can predict the needs of users searching for those terms. It’s essential for web media to align content with user needs by understanding these keywords.
Here, I will share some simple methods for researching related keywords.
Check the bottom of SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages)
One of the easiest ways to find related keywords is to check the bottom part of the SERPs, or search engine result pages. As mentioned earlier, when you enter a keyword into the search box and perform a search, related keywords are displayed at the bottom.
For example, searching for “Tokyo gourmet” displayed related keywords like those shown in the image.
From this, you can see that people searching for “Tokyo gourmet” are interested in trendy menus and want to know about good meat restaurants.
Additionally, keywords like “Tabelog over 4, Tokyo, cost-performance, lunch” were displayed, indicating a comprehensive analysis of user search behavior.
There is information that could not have been known unless these related keywords were displayed.
For specific keywords like “novel coronavirus,” there are cases where related keywords are set not to be displayed at all.
In fact, when searching for “novel coronavirus,” no related keywords appeared at the bottom of the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).
This may be because settings are deliberately made to not display them, out of concern that “negative keywords” listed among related keywords could provide users with unreliable information.
However, generally, there is no need to be aware of negative search keywords in everyday life, and in fact, there can be a beneficial aspect in terms of improving convenience.
If you are interested in finding out about negative related keywords, it is recommended to search using a different method.
Once you’ve identified related keywords, it’s also good to check how much search volume they have.
Even if keywords are listed as related, if they have low search volume, meaning they meet fewer user needs, there may be less need to address these keywords in your content.
Knowing the search volume in advance allows you to work more efficiently on content creation.
Using Google’s “Keyword Planner”
Google’s Keyword Planner is a free keyword research tool that anyone can use. If you work with web media, it’s a good idea to make use of this tool.
Once you open the Keyword Planner, click on “Get search volume and forecasts” on the right side.
Enter the search keywords you want to check into the search box, and you can easily find out the data.
While it’s a free tool and may not provide exact search volumes, it is sufficient to understand the general size of user needs.
You can do the same for other related keywords to extract those with high user demand.
Using the paid version of “Rakko Keywords”
Rakko Keywords is a browser-based keyword search tool.
It offers both a free and a paid version. The free version allows you to comprehensively search for suggested keywords a few times per day.
The paid version not only removes the limit on the number of searches for suggested keywords but also allows you to check the search volume of related keywords.
Unlike the Keyword Planner, it provides specific metrics such as monthly search counts, giving you more useful data.
Using “Mogura Keywords”
Mogura Keywords, like Rakko Keywords, is another browser-based keyword search tool.
Unlike the other two tools, it allows you to explore the popularity trends of keywords.
Since related keywords can closely involve elements like current events and trends, it’s also useful to check the search volume over time.
By effectively using related keywords, you can potentially achieve higher rankings for your web content.
To aim for top rankings on Google, you need to create content that meets the user’s search needs.
Identify user needs from related keywords and leverage them in your content creation.
Start by searching for the keyword you want to target with your web content on Google, and extract related keywords from the SERPs.
For example, searching for the keyword “MEO” will display related keywords as follows.
People searching for MEO have varied levels of interest. Some want a straightforward explanation starting from the basics, as indicated by searches for “MEO explained simply,” while others seek deeper insights, like those searching for “MEO algorithms.”
First, let’s examine the search volumes to identify which information is most sought after.
Grouping Similar Needs
While checking the search volumes, also try to infer user needs for each keyword and group them accordingly.
For instance, “MEO explained simply” targets those wanting basic knowledge, “MEO service providers” focuses on introducing providers, and searches like “MEO is pointless” fall into a negative category.
Key focus should be on ” MEO Measures Do it yourself” and “What are MEO tactics?”
These keywords yield similar search results, grouping them together as users wanting to understand MEO tactics.
Reflecting this in Article Headlines
Once you understand user needs using related keywords and create your content, pay attention to your article headlines.
As you can see from examples, articles ranking higher often have similar headlines.
This isn’t coincidence; it’s a result of adjusting the headlines to catch both related keywords, leading to similar titles.
Especially for keywords in the same group, the user needs are often similar, and consequently, the content becomes similar as well.
Thus, instead of splitting the content into two separate pieces just because the anticipated keywords differ, adjust the headlines to rank for both keywords if they have similar user needs.
Handling Differing Needs with Separate Articles
While it’s effective to consider multiple keywords for the content and headlines, it’s crucial to address them in separate articles if their needs significantly differ.
Trying to incorporate all needs and grouped content in one article could not only increase the volume excessively but also risk diluting the main topic.
For example, it would be challenging to integrate negative views like “MEO is pointless” into content meant for comparing “MEO companies,” which requires a different approach.
While checking search volumes of related keywords, it’s necessary to devise strategies such as addressing high-information keywords in separate articles.
How to Remove or Hide Negative Related Keywords
Sometimes negative keywords like “MEO is pointless” appear among related keywords.
Even keywords related to your company, such as “Company Name Black” or “Company Name Harassment,” may appear unexpectedly in related suggestions, a phenomenon known as “suggest pollution.”
Google selects related and suggested keywords based on user searches. Thus, if many are searching “Company Name Black,” Google interprets it as relevant information.
Leaving these keywords unaddressed can lead to misunderstandings, with people wondering if your company really has these negative attributes. Act quickly once you find such instances.
Using Search Engine Removal Request Forms
The most straightforward method is to apply for removal with the search engine operator.
For Google, you can submit a removal request via the “Report a legal issue” page.
After filling in the necessary information, specify in the “Content you believe infringes your rights” section the predicted keywords you consider inappropriate, and why you believe they infringe on your rights.
Be specific about why you believe there’s an infringement, as unclear applications may not be accepted.
Sending Removal Requests to Article Creators
Suggest pollution isn’t just caused by user searches; it might be due to content related to the polluted suggestions.
If you identify the source website or article causing the suggest pollution, contact the content creator directly for removal.
As before, explain what the article is, how it’s causing suggest pollution, and how it constitutes an infringement.
Consulting a Lawyer
If you want to resolve suggest pollution definitively, consider consulting a lawyer experienced in online defamation.
Since the standards for infringing rights through suggest pollution are not always clear, your reason for removal might be deemed insufficient.
However, leaving polluted suggestions unaddressed is not an option, as they can continuously tarnish your image to all users seeing the related keywords or suggestions.
Moreover, the impact of suggest pollution goes beyond reputation damage—it could affect hiring and actual business transactions.
Due to these potential risks, seek legal advice if you discover suggest pollution.
An internet-savvy lawyer with a legal approach can significantly increase your chances of successfully removing negative related keywords.
Summary
No matter how high-quality your content, it’s meaningless if it isn’t seen by users. To be seen, it must rank high in search engines, which requires fulfilling user needs. Managing a web media thus heavily depends on understanding user needs, and related keywords are direct reflections of user behavior. Master various tools to leverage related keywords in managing web media and creating content.
Author Profile
Mr. Takeshi Amano is a graduate of the Faculty of Law at Nihon University. With 12 years of experience working in the advertising agency industry, he discovered SEO and began his research during the early days of SEO. He self-taught and conducted experiments and verifications on over 100 websites. Using this expertise, he founded Admano Co., Ltd., which is currently in its 11th year of operation. Mr. Amano handles sales, SEO consulting, web analytics (holding the Google Analytics Individual Qualification certification), coding, and website development. The company has successfully managed SEO strategies for over 2000 websites to date.
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