Related searches are suggested queries that appear at the bottom of a search engine results page (SERP). These terms are also known as "people also search for," "people search next," or "refine this search." They help marketers understand user intent and discover keywords with immediate organic traffic potential.
What are Related Searches?
Related searches are a series of queries determined by search algorithms to be relevant to your original term. On desktop results, Google typically displays eight suggestions at the bottom of the page. Clicking one of these suggestions immediately triggers a new search for that specific term.
In a Google Trends context, these are split into two categories: * Top searches: Frequent terms searched with your keyword in the same session. * Rising searches: Terms with the most significant volume growth in a set period.
Why Related Searches matter
These suggestions provide a direct look at the user journey and common search obstacles. They help you build content that answers the specific questions users ask after their initial search.
- Identifies intent: You can see if users are looking for tutorials, specific products, or general definitions.
- Reduces friction: For e-commerce, these tools help shoppers find accurate results. Features like these can lead to a [7% decrease in the Zero Result Search Rate] (Prefixbox).
- Captures reformulations: Research indicates [30% of search queries are reformulated during a session] (Prefixbox).
- Drives engagement: Insights show that [50% of search reformulations are made using Related Searches] (Prefixbox).
- Discovers trends: Google Trends labels terms that have grown by more than 5000% as [“Breakout” searches] (Google Trends Help).
How Related Searches works
The process uses data mining and semantic analysis to predict what a user might need next. In e-commerce settings, semantic matching deciphers intent by looking at previous shopping behavior rather than just matching text.
Search engines like Google track common session behavior. If many users search for "pen drive" and then immediately search for "32GB pen drive," the algorithm will link these terms. On mobile devices, tapping a related result might redirect you to a page with a specific featured snippet, whereas desktop users usually see a standard new SERP.
Variations of Related Searches
The format of these suggestions changes based on the platform and user behavior.
| Type | Description | Trigger/Placement |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Bottom List | Eight text links related to the query. | Bottom of the SERP. |
| People Also Search For | A block of keyword suggestions. | Appears after you click a search result and then click "back" to the SERP. |
| Advanced Blocks | Image-heavy or categorized blocks. | Appears for specific queries like fashion or cars. |
| Autocomplete suggestions | Terms provided within the search box. | Appears while the user is typing. |
Best practices
Map the user journey. Use suggestions to see the steps a user takes. If a search for "handbook cards" shows "birthday cards" and "how to make cards," create content for both the inspiration and the instructional phase.
Perform recursive keyword research. Take a related search term and search for it. Look at the new set of related searches that appear. This creates an endless loop of relevant, long-tail keyword ideas.
Improve site navigation. If you run an e-commerce site, use automated mining to update your own internal related searches daily. This ensures synonyms like "notebook" and "laptop" lead to the same results.
Include suggestions in your content. Mention related terms within your articles. If Google sees these terms as related, including them helps the algorithm understand that your content is a comprehensive resource for the topic.
Common mistakes
Mistake: Trying to "rank" for the related search feature itself. Fix: Understand that you cannot rank for the feature because it links to other SERPs, not specific domains. Use it for keyword insights instead.
Mistake: Treating plural and singular keywords the same. Fix: Search for both versions. Google often provides different related results for singular vs. plural terms, which can reveal different user intents.
Mistake: Ignoring "People Also Search For" (PASF). Fix: Manually trigger PASF by clicking a result and hitting the back button. This provides a different list of keywords than the standard bottom-of-page list.
Related Searches vs. People Also Ask
While both find new keywords, they serve different functions.
| Feature | Primary Goal | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Related Searches | Refine or pivot the search query. | Keyword phrases or links. |
| People Also Ask | Answer specific questions directly. | Drop-down questions and snippets. |
FAQ
Can I remove offensive related searches?
Google Trends removes explicitly sexual terms automatically. If inappropriate content appears elsewhere, you can manually use a "Send feedback" link at the bottom of the page to report it. Google does not filter controversial topics.
How do I measure the growth of these terms?
In Google Trends, "Rising" searches show a percentage of growth compared to the previous period. If the growth exceeds 5000%, the term receives a "Breakout" label.
Is there a tool to see these keywords at scale?
SEO toolbars and keyword explorers often pull data from related searches. These tools show keyword ideas that might not be immediately visible on the SERP, along with metrics like search volume and competitiveness.
Can related searches help with zero-result pages?
Yes. On e-commerce sites, placing related search suggestions on a "no results found" page helps users find alternatives without leaving the site. This keeps them in the purchase flow.
Why do mobile related searches look different?
Mobile results are optimized for quick navigation. Tapping a mobile suggestion often leads to a result page featuring a snippet that answers the query immediately, reducing the need for further scrolling.
