Use the following prompt to make them more readable:
“Reword the following Reddit questions and reword them into a simple question. Please present the results in a table”
Screenshot from ChatGPT, May 2023
This particular example isn’t the most exciting I’ve ever encountered, as all the questions sort of made sense in their original state without the AI.
Reflecting back again on the time we did this exercise for the condom brand, the quirks were countless. We had a plethora of strange abbreviations and peculiar phrasings, and the AI’s knack for “translating” these into coherent questions was incredibly beneficial.
Step 7 (Optional): Get All The Related Questions, Too
Once I’ve got all my forum questions, normalized or not (this step still works without using AI to make the questions more “sensical”), I like to get all the related questions too.
Screenshot from People Also Asked May 2023
There are plenty of tools and ways to scrape these for every keyword in your dataset. I personally like to use People Also Asked, as you can bulk upload to it.
Step 8: Get The Search Volumes For All Your New Queries
The keyword data you’ve downloaded from your go-to SEO tools like Ahrefs and Semrush will already include search volumes, so there’s no need to fuss over those.
However, all the fresh queries that you’ve discovered should also be plugged into an SEO tool to check if they hold any search volume.
This batch includes any of the keywords you extracted (and potentially standardized using AI), as well as any related People Also Ask questions that surfaced during your research.
Don’t worry if many of the queries show no volume; in fact, that’s to be expected. As we’ve already touched on, you’ll notice the same question is frequently asked, just worded in a variety of different ways.
Pair that with the fact that many of these questions tend to gather significant engagement on social platforms, and you’ll realize these so-called “zero volume” keywords aren’t truly “zero volume.”
To spot these repeating questions, we need a quick way to group similar queries together.
Step 9: Cluster Your Keywords
Grouping keywords together, or clustering, helps us organize our data. It turns a potentially overwhelming list of keywords into smaller, more manageable groups.
By clustering keywords, we can better understand which pages to create and pinpoint recurring questions within those elusive “zero volume” keywords.
There are many keyword clustering tools out there, but ensure you use one which clusters keywords by the search engine results and not natural language processing.
The former ensures you’re grouping keywords based on how a search engine understands them, not a language model.
Most clustering tools require you to upload a single CSV, meaning you may have to go through and combine all your reports at this stage. If all the columns match up, you could use an online CSV merging tool like this.
Remember to de-duplicate the keywords, too, so that you don’t have double data in there.
If you opt for Keyword Insights as your clustering tool, it offers you the freedom to upload any number of CSVs, regardless of whether the columns align.
The tool will guide you in mapping out the columns. Additionally, it conveniently de-duplicates the keywords for you.
(Disclosure: I am one of the co-founders of Keyword Insights, but there are many other great clustering tools out there).
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
Once you have your clustering report ready, you’ll start noticing the trends I mentioned earlier. For instance, observe the number of queries around variations of “Can you recycle razor blades?”
Traditional keyword research might overlook this term because other SEO tools reported it as having only “60 monthly searches.” However, the total sum of all similar questions asked is likely much higher.
Also, keep in mind these “zero volume” queries were selected based on the engagement they garnered (likes, shares, comments, etc.). So, they’re undoubtedly relevant topics to address.
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
Example Insights
After following the above steps for a hypothetical hair removal company, I found myself with a pool of 12,590 keywords, which could be organized into 975 clusters.
Below are some insights we could potentially highlight, confident in the knowledge that it’s likely our competitors haven’t addressed some, if not most, of these topics.
Pre-Purchase
There were many obvious clusters of questions that hadn’t been answered about what potential users were asking before they waxed or around alternative methods of waxing. For example:
Screenshot from Keywords Insights May 2023
Here’s another example:
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
Look at how diverse the wording of the same question is. There’s likely a lot more search volume to the query “what to do before waxing” than SEO tools are reporting.
Post-Purchase
It’s quite uncommon to see brands excel in creating “post-purchase” content. “Post-purchase content” refers to valuable materials designed to assist their customers after they’ve already utilized their products (or similar ones).
Creating high-quality post-purchase content is a valuable strategy for any business. It demonstrates a sustained commitment to your customers beyond the point of purchase.
By providing this kind of support, you’re nurturing a relationship that extends beyond the transaction, reinforcing that your brand truly cares about their experience.
Moreover, this approach can potentially decrease the volume of customer service queries as you’re proactively addressing common questions and concerns. This not only streamlines your operations but also enhances the customer’s experience with your brand.
One such large cluster I came across that a hair removal company might wish to cover is this one:
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
Investigating the issue of “ingrown hair after waxing” can bring significant advantages for a hair removal brand.
Let’s explore why.
Firstly, individuals are continuously in search of solutions. The aftermath of waxing isn’t always smooth; dealing with ingrown hairs can be challenging. If your brand can offer relevant and effective advice, it positions you as a trusted expert in the field.
Moreover, consider those online users who are seeking advice for their ingrown hairs. While they may not be actively searching for hair removal products at the moment, if they come across an informative article from your brand, they’ve just made a connection with you.
Essentially, you’ve expanded your reach to prospective customers who were previously unknown.
For your existing customers, providing such value-added content strengthens your relationship. You’re not just a vendor selling them products, but a trusted adviser, enhancing their loyalty to your brand.
From a technical standpoint, producing consistent, quality content increases your visibility to search engines, potentially improving your search rankings. Furthermore, you may gain additional backlinks and social shares, furthering your reach and visibility.
Lastly, offering knowledgeable advice on a topic that is indirectly related to your product underscores your understanding and expertise in the broader field.
You’re not just a product seller; you’re an active participant in the ongoing dialogue, which can enhance your brand’s credibility and influence.
Lifestyle And Advice
The research found a ton of ideas that would resonate with our target audience’s lifestyle needs.
Remember, we’re selling products to real people with real problems. If there’s any content that can help them, even if it’s only “tangentially related” to what we sell, it’s in our best interest to produce it.
Here are some examples:
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
Promoting body positivity can offer a strategic advantage for a hair removal brand. From a psychological perspective, it fosters self-acceptance and challenges negative beauty norms, reducing body-related anxiety among consumers. This approach can encourage healthier behaviors, reduce harmful social comparisons, and cultivate resilience against societal pressures, all while promoting inclusivity and a sense of value regardless of physical appearance. The indirect influence on sales could be substantial: by aligning the brand with a cause that resonates with many consumers, it may enhance brand perception and customer loyalty. Consequently, customers may prefer to buy from a brand that genuinely aligns with their values, leading to increased sales and stronger brand loyalty. Nevertheless, the brand’s values must be communicated authentically for the impact to be truly meaningful.
Similar ideas include:
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
And:
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
Along with:
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
By engaging in this broader conversation about attractiveness, the brand can connect more deeply with its audience and demonstrate an understanding of their concerns, thus building trust and strengthening customer relationships.
New Product Ideas
As I mentioned at the beginning, when you explore various topics for your tangential content, it’s more than just collecting ideas for upcoming posts.
You’re actually delving deeper into your customers’ needs and interests that haven’t been addressed yet. This valuable insight can potentially steer the direction for the creation of new products.
We’ve already seen numerous examples of questions people were asking about societal expectations and beauty standards surrounding body hair. It’s natural, therefore, for men to seek out suitable products for addressing these concerns:
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
Including:
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
Cast your mind back to the buyer persona we created. One of the key values our person has is being “environmentally friendly.”
It’s great, therefore, that our research has surfaced many potential new product ideas that align with this:
Screenshot from Keyword Insights, May 2023
Of course, these are just a few samples of what I found. Across the 975 clusters in my research, there were loads of new content and product ideas.
Conclusion
It’s crucial for brands to incorporate tangential keyword research into their strategies in order to stay relevant and connect with a wider audience.
By exploring related topics and keywords, brands can uncover new opportunities, engage diverse audiences, and establish themselves as industry leaders.
Tangential keyword research enables brands to identify emerging trends, understand unique customer needs, and develop innovative content and products that resonate with their target market.
Embracing tangents allows brands to outshine competitors, foster customer loyalty, and achieve long-term success in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.
To discover tangential ideas, follow these steps:
Understand your target consumer: Put yourself in their shoes and identify the type of content and questions they may have that are tangentially relevant to your business.
Explore existing content: Check if any content already addresses these concerns. Use your preferred SEO tool to extract ranking keywords by entering relevant URLs.
Enrich your tangential content ideas: Uncover unique keywords that your competitors may not have discovered. Seek inspiration beyond traditional sources of keyword research on forums or social media platforms where people ask questions that aren’t adequately answered elsewhere online.
Cluster your keywords: So that you more easily spot patterns and add “volume” to these technically “zero volume” keywords, the keywords need to be grouped together.
Analyze clusters for trends: Categorize your insights into main categories, such as pre-purchase, post-purchase, new product ideas, lifestyle, and advice. This will help you identify interesting trends and capitalize on them effectively.
In the practical example, we gathered a significant portion of our keyword ideas by scraping Reddit and Quora.
It’s important to note that not all niches can benefit from these channels (for instance, a website selling broadband cables is unlikely to find much insight there).
However, rest assured that there is always a forum or social channel available for every niche; the key lies in discovering it.
Happy keyword hunting.
More resources:
Featured Image: REDPIXEL.PL/Shutterstock