How to Use Google’s Autocomplete Feature to Generate an Avalanche of Keywords

Are you aware that you can use the wildcard asterisk * symbol to deal yourself a winning hand and widen your keyword searches in Google? This had escaped me until now, and when I found this, suddenly lights went on in my mind. All you need to do is to insert the asterisk just where you want Google to fill in the blanks. It can be inserted before or after your basic phrase, and you can even use more than one * in different places.

Here’s an example: You have a blog about gardening (I do), and want to write a series of articles about composting that you can later make into an ebook. Start by entering the word “composting”.  Surround it with quotes like I just did so Google knows you’re looking for phrases. In front and behind the word add asterisks, so you now have “*composting*” in the search bar.

Back a quick step – before you hit the search button, you will have noticed Google drops down several terms people have been searching for already. Make a note of the ones that interest you, or that correspond with your goal. As I just said, these are ones that have already come up in searches, so they are great keywords

Now, hit that search button. Take note of the bolded phrases that jump out at you in the search results. Wow – here are the results, just from the first page:

You’ve got: composting wood waste, worm composting trench, composting supplies, composting can divert waste, start composting at home, recycle-composting, efficient composting, composting and compost bins, home composting guide, composting fundamentals.

How’s that for a list to get started on your article series?  Rinse and repeat from that list, using some of your new keywords as your basic search term, with those wildcard asterisks added in strategic places.

Now, go fire up your internet, deal yourself a winning hand, and get busy!