We’re excited to roll out Suggestable v2.22, packed with new browser functionality, customization options, and a critical bug fix to enhance your experience. Here’s what’s new in this update:
New Features & Enhancements
User-Agent Customization – You can now set a custom user agent in the options menu, allowing greater control over how suggestion requests are made.
Custom Homepage for Embedded Browser – Set your preferred homepage in the embedded Chromium browser for a more streamlined workflow.
Startup Tab Selection – Choose which tab loads first when Suggestable starts, helping you jump right into the action.
Browser Shortcuts & Navigation Improvements
We’ve added new key commands to make browser interactions smoother:
Refreshing the Page:
F5 – Standard refresh
Ctrl+F5 / Shift+F5 – Refresh without cache
Navigation:
Alt+Left or Z – Go back
Alt+Right or X – Go forward
Zoom Controls:
+ – Zoom in
- – Zoom out
0 – Reset zoom
Quick Access to the Address Bar:
F2 or F8 – Focus the address bar
History and Search:
Alt+H – View browsing history in a clickable popup
Ctrl+F – Open the Find box to search the current page
Bug Fix
Fixed a crash issue when processing more than 50,000 keywords. Suggestable is now more stable when handling large keyword lists.
Ready to Upgrade?
Download v2.22 now and take advantage of these new features and improvements!
Let us know how the update works for you, and as always, happy keyword hunting!
We’re excited to unveil the latest update to Suggestable, packed with new features designed to make your keyword research even more powerful and accessible. Here’s what’s new:
Introducing the Free Edition
Introducing Suggestable Lite, a free edition tailored for essential tasks. Enjoy core functionalities and access to key services like Etsy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart, perfect for users seeking basic features without the premium cost.
V2.20 Interface
🛠 Expanded Service Coverage
We’ve added Etsy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart to our lineup of supported services. This expansion helps you access valuable keyword suggestions across even more retail platforms, broadening your reach and insights.
Enhanced Interface
Inspired by user feedback, we’ve revamped the interface with intuitive button controls, replacing dropdown checkboxes for a more streamlined and user-friendly experience.
🔍 Simplified Keyword Exclusions
Refining your searches is simpler than ever with our new exclusion feature, which uses search engine-standard “-” notation. Want to filter out unwanted terms? Just add a minus sign before the keyword, and you’re good to go!
Convenient Controls
Managing your searches is now more efficient with the new “Set” and “Clear” buttons for all services. Switching between configurations is seamless, saving you time and effort.
Feature and Fix Updates:
In addition to the latest features, here are some improvements introduced since (v2.11):
Proxy Support: Introduced proxy server support in Chromium, with plans for future authentication capabilities. This feature is ideal for users requiring privacy and specific network configurations.
Persistent Window Positioning: Suggestable now saves window states between sessions, offering a consistent and personalized user experience.
Device Authorization Transfer: Added “deauthorize this device” functionality for seamless transfers of authorization, accommodating shared use cases.
Automated Reporting: A “save report directory” option automates the storage of HTML reports, streamlining your workflow.
UI Enhancements: Static dialogs have been replaced with modal popups that automatically dismiss after a set time, improving flow and reducing clutter.
Reliability Fixes: Addressed issues such as PDF saving, proxy validation, and screen loading to ensure smoother operation.
Security Improvements: Enhanced email password storage for better data protection.
Performance Optimizations: Improved handling of single vs. multiple instances for faster response times.
Bug Fixes: Resolved display errors, OleDB requirements, and issues affecting tracker reports, ensuring a polished user experience.
With Suggestable’s ongoing enhancements, we’re committed to delivering a powerful, user-friendly platform for all your keyword research needs. Try the free version today or upgrade to unlock even more features.
I’m thrilled to announce the public launch of Suggestable.pro—a desktop app built to revolutionize how we discover and leverage keywords through search suggestions. While this is officially v2, it’s the culmination of work that began with internal development back in 2015. For me, this project was undertaken as a COVID programming experiment as I wanted to track peoples searches about the pandemic. That curiosity has turned into something much bigger: a tool that unlocks the most real-time, actionable keyword data available today.
Demo v2.12 Beta
Why Search Suggestions Are the “Keys to the Castle”
Over the years, I’ve explored just about every tool and SaaS cloud platform for keyword research:
AHREFs, Moz, Keyword Discovery, SemRush—all incredible tools with deep capabilities – the ocean of data they deal with is mind blowing to this programmer. But there’s one most of them can’t show you: What people are searching for right now!
That’s where search suggestions come in.
When you type a word into a search box—whether on Google, Bing, YouTube, DuckDuckGo, or any other platform—you’re seeing what those engines believe is trending and relevant in that exact moment. Search suggestions are powered by:
Real-time user activity
Emerging trends
Fresh topics
We also wanted to support as many valid suggestions services as possible. So we baked in 10 to start and we are experimenting with others – we’ll see how that pans out.
By mining these suggestions, you’re not just uncovering keywords—you’re tapping into what’s hot this minute and discovering insights no other tool can provide. It’s like being handed the keys to the castle for search intent, trending content, and marketing opportunities.
Brett Tabke, Pubcon
The Story Behind Suggestable.pro
I’ve been in the search and SEO world for 25+ years. Search suggestion mining has always fascinated me, and I realized early on that its power was unmatched. That curiosity turned into action during the early days of the COVID pandemic, when I had time to focus on what became Suggestable.
We started small, but as the tool grew, it took on a life of its own:
250 million+ keywords mined during development
Mapping relationships across keywords to uncover intent and connections
Building a system that runs faster, deeper, and with more flexibility than anything out there
Why a Desktop App?
Suggestable.pro is built as a desktop application, and for good reason:
Speed: It runs faster than cloud-based tools because there’s no waiting on intermediaries.
Data Privacy: Everything stays on your machine—your keywords, your data, your work.
Cost-Effective: No recurring SaaS fees. A one-time investment saves you money.
Real-Time Insights: Pull from multiple suggestion services to see what’s trending now.
Broader Service Support: Access search engines, retail sites, and other platforms all in one place.
If you’re a Mac user, Suggestable is so affordable that it’s worth picking up a budget-friendly Windows machine, Windows as a virtual machine, or setting up a small Azure Windows instance to run it.
Even with that cost, you’ll save over most cloud services—and you’ll gain complete control over your data. (note, Mac dedicated app is in the works, but at least it is a year away from release)
Whether you’re a site owner, marketer, or SEO professional, Suggestable gives you the tools to:
Discover hidden trends before your competitors see them.
Uncover search intent at scale.
Power your PPC and SEO strategies with real-time data.
Track brand names, trademarks, and keywords with precision.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s trending today, what people are searching for this very second, or how to find the hottest content topics, this tool was built for you.
The Bottom Line
Search suggestions are the most powerful form of keyword discovery we’ve ever had, and Suggestable.pro makes it easier, faster, and more insightful than ever before. This isn’t just about finding keywords—it’s about unlocking real-time opportunities that drive traffic, revenue, and results.
It’s been an incredible journey to bring Suggestable to life, and I can’t wait for you to experience the power of suggestion mining for yourself.
👉 Try Suggestable.pro today and take the keys to the castle.
In the world of keyword research and search intent discovery, mining autocomplete suggestions can unlock valuable insights for marketers and site owners. However, the process raises valid concerns: Could repeated queries flag your IP? Will services throttle or block access? The key to avoiding these pitfalls lies in using tools like Suggestable responsibly.
This post will explore best practices for suggestion mining—covering IP protection, search rate management, and strategies for staying in compliance with service policies. By implementing these approaches, you can confidently gather data while maintaining ethical and sustainable usage. Let’s dive into the safeguards that keep your research efficient, effective, and risk-free.
Proxy Support: Use proxy servers to mask IP addresses. Suggestable supports proxy settings, allowing users to enter and test proxy configurations to avoid repeated requests from the same IPdocs-page.
Download Delay: Introduce delays between requests. Suggestable allows setting a Download Delay in milliseconds, which helps distribute requests over time and prevents overloading servicesdocs-page.
Maximum Download Limits: Users can configure Maximum Downloads to ensure requests remain within reasonable limits, reducing detection and potential throttlingdocs-page. Probably best to always set this to a few hundred.
Respectful Usage: We want to emphasize that Suggestable is designed with respect for services and includes options like delays and controlled searches to avoid abuse. Suggestable has built-in delays so that we never request of the same service faster than an average human typest.
Multiple Services: Diversify searches across different suggestion services rather than overloading a single one. Suggestable allows users to select specific suggestion sourcesdocs-page.
Transparency and Control: Users are in complete control of how the tool operates—through delays, limits, and custom modes. This ensures compliance with individual policies of the target services.
What it does: Discover trending and long-tail keywords across search engines and marketplaces. Example:
A travel blog wants to rank for “beach vacations”.
Use Seed Mode to get immediate suggestions like:
best beach vacations
family-friendly beach vacations
cheap beach vacations in Florida
Switch to Predictive Mode to expand with queries like:
beach vacations a (affordable)
beach vacations b (best for couples)
beach vacations c (Caribbean deals)
2. Content Strategy Planning
What it does: Develop content calendars based on search intent and user questions. Example:
A fitness website is planning content around “home workouts”.
Use Speculative Mode to find core queries:
how to do home workouts
what equipment for home workouts
home workouts near me
Content titles could include:
The Best Home Workouts for Beginners
5 Essential Pieces of Equipment for Home Workouts
3. E-Commerce Product Optimization
What it does: Discover high-demand product variations and customer search phrases. Example:
An online store selling sneakers optimizes for customer search.
Use Custom Mode with modifiers like Nike, Adidas, Under Armour:
Nike running shoes for men
Adidas running shoes under $50
Under Armour lightweight running shoes
4. Brand & Trademark Monitoring
What it does: Track variations and mentions of your brand online. Example:
A skincare brand, GlowSkin, monitors search suggestions.
Set up a Tracker for GlowSkin and Glow Skin.
Get alerted to suggestions like:
GlowSkin cream reviews
GlowSkin alternatives
GlowSkin complaints
5. Competitive Research
What it does: Identify competitors’ most searched products, services, or content. Example:
A SaaS company wants to analyze Slack’s related search queries.
Use Seed Mode for Slack:
Slack alternatives
Slack integrations for teams
Use Traverse Mode to dig deeper:
Microsoft Teams vs Slack
Slack vs Discord for business
Top free Slack alternatives 2024
6. PPC Campaign Planning
What it does: Generate targeted keyword ideas for pay-per-click campaigns. Example:
A florist targeting “wedding flowers” for Google Ads.
Use Suggestable to generate phrases like:
affordable wedding flowers
wedding flower arrangements near me
wedding flowers for small weddings
Use Keyword Density insights to prioritize high-value terms.
7. Social Media Hashtag Analysis
What it does: Identify trending hashtags and related search terms. Example:
A fashion brand optimizes hashtags for “fall fashion trends”.
Use Word Cloud or Bubble Cloud visualizations to find:
#fallfashion2024
#cozyfalloutfits
#fallfashionhaul
Prioritize high-volume hashtags to boost Instagram engagement.
8. Content Gap Analysis
What it does: Identify unserved or underserved queries to target. Example:
A food blog identifies content gaps for “chicken recipes”.
Use Speculative Mode to surface queries like:
easy chicken recipes for beginners
chicken recipes under 30 minutes
healthy chicken recipes for weight loss
Develop targeted posts that fill these gaps and attract traffic.
9. Localization & Multilingual Marketing
What it does: Research keywords by region and language for global marketing campaigns. Example:
A business expanding into Spain researches “electric scooters”.
Set Localization to Spanish (Spain) and search “patinetes eléctricos”.
Get suggestions like:
patinetes eléctricos baratos (cheap electric scooters)
mejores patinetes eléctricos 2024 (best electric scooters 2024)
patinetes eléctricos opiniones (reviews for electric scooters)
10. Data Visualization for Reporting
What it does: Present keyword research findings visually for clients or teams. Example:
A digital agency analyzes “best hiking gear” and visualizes findings:
Tree Maps to show keyword hierarchy:
hiking shoes, backpacks, hiking poles
Radial Spider Trees to map relationships between search terms.
Tag Clouds to emphasize high-frequency terms like:
When it comes to suggestion mining, desktop apps like Suggestable offer significant advantages over cloud-based SaaS tools. From privacy to cost-effectiveness, here’s why a desktop app is the smarter choice:
1. Data Privacy: Full Control Over Your Data
With a desktop app, all your keyword searches and results stay on your machine—not on someone else’s servers. Unlike cloud platforms, where your data might be logged, analyzed, or even sold, Suggestable ensures complete privacy. This is particularly important for sensitive keywords, brand tracking, or competitive research.
2. Data Portability: It’s Yours to Keep
When you mine keywords with a desktop app, the data is 100% yours—forever. You can export it in multiple formats (List, XML, CSV) and analyze it however you see fit. Cloud tools, on the other hand, often lock data behind subscriptions or limit how much you can export. With Suggestable, there are no such restrictions.
3. Speed: Faster Than Cloud Services
Desktop apps operate without intermediaries. Suggestable sends requests directly to the suggestion services, making it much faster than waiting for cloud-based queues to process results. This is crucial for large-scale projects or when working under tight deadlines.
4. More Services Supported
Unlike most SaaS platforms, which can be limited to a handful of services, Suggestable gives you access to a broad range of suggestion providers—search engines, retail sites, and more. This wider coverage means richer insights and better keyword opportunities.
5. Cost-Effectiveness: Save Big Over Time
Cloud SaaS tools often come with expensive, recurring subscriptions that scale with usage. Desktop apps like Suggestable are a one-time investment—making them far more affordable in the long run.
In fact, Suggestable is so cost-effective that even Mac users could justify purchasing a budget-friendly Windows machine or setting up a small Azure Windows instance just to run it. Even with that added expense, you’d still save money compared to many cloud-based alternatives over time.
6. No Service Downtime or Restrictions
With cloud tools, you’re at the mercy of their infrastructure. If they’re down, you’re stuck. Desktop apps eliminate this issue—you control when and how you work. There’s no unexpected downtime, rate-limiting, or service restrictions to slow you down.
7. Flexibility and Customization
Suggestable gives you advanced control over how it works. You can customize delays, set download limits, configure proxies, or add custom modifiers. This level of fine-tuning isn’t possible with most SaaS tools, which are designed for “one-size-fits-all” usage.
8. Offline Functionality
With a desktop app, you’re not reliant on an internet connection to access your work. You can analyze saved results, generate reports, or review datasets offline, something cloud tools can’t provide.
The Bottom Line
Desktop apps like Suggestable deliver unmatched privacy, speed, and flexibility at a fraction of the cost of cloud-based SaaS tools. With full ownership of your data, broader service support, and no ongoing subscription fees, a desktop solution is not only smarter—it’s more sustainable.
For Mac users, the savings are so significant that purchasing a budget Windows machine or spinning up a small Azure instance just to run Suggestable still comes out ahead of most cloud alternatives. That’s the power of a desktop tool: low cost, high performance, and complete control.
This mode will investigate core adjectives, verbs, and prepositions that people commonly use in searching. This list comprises words and phrases that serve as fundamental building blocks in language. The following is list used.
See also this blog post on Why speculative mode is so powerful for marketers.
Words with “!” are added to the front of the keyword search, whereas those without are added to the end. This allows proper english phrases such as “restaurants near me” instead of “near me restaurants”. The list
This list is integral to search, SEO, and keyword strategy, as it reflects the core of search intent and user behavior online. Here’s a breakdown tailored to those contexts:
Informational Intent: Question Words
These are high-value for informational keywords, targeting users seeking answers, guidance, or explanations.
What, Who, Where, How, How to, When, Why, Which
Intent: These are common in searches with “know” intent (e.g., What is SEO?, How to optimize keywords).
Keyword Use: Often part of long-tail keywords that signal curiosity or learning needs.
Examples:
What are backlinks?
Who uses keyword clustering?
Why is search intent important?
Navigational and Local Intent
Searches indicating where or proximity often reflect navigational intent or local search intent.
Where, Near me
Intent: Users are looking for specific locations or services near their current location (SEO agency near me, best tools near me).
Keyword Use: Essential for local SEO, combining location-based modifiers with intent.
Examples:
SEO consultant near me
Where to find keyword tools
Transactional/Commercial Intent: Instructional or Comparative
These terms often reflect transactional or investigational intent, indicating users ready to act, compare, or make a decision.
How to
Intent: Instructional searches (How to improve website ranking).
Keyword Use: Perfect for how-to guides and tutorials, signaling action-driven users.
Examples:
How to write meta descriptions
How to analyze keyword trends
Versus, vs, or
Intent: Investigational searches for comparisons (Ahrefs vs SEMrush).
Keyword Use: Popular in content targeting product or service comparisons.
Examples:
Google Analytics vs GA4
SEO agency or freelancer
Transactional Intent: Action Words
These words capture actionable keywords signaling readiness to convert or engage.
For, To, With, Without
Intent: Users are searching for specific solutions or tailored results (SEO tools for beginners, Marketing strategies without PPC).
Keyword Use: Useful in niches catering to specialized needs or constraints.
Examples:
SEO strategies for small businesses
Keyword research tools without a subscription
Like
Intent: Suggestive or preference-driven searches (tools like Screaming Frog).
Keyword Use: Useful for alternative-seeking audiences.
Examples:
SEO platforms like Ahrefs
Analytics tools like Google Search Console
Navigational and Broad Search Terms
These terms serve as connectors in search queries or denote broad user intent.
And
Intent: Expansive or combinatory searches (SEO and PPC strategies).
Keyword Use: Found in queries with dual intent.
Examples:
Keyword research and content creation tools
Is, Are
Intent: Found in queries validating concepts (What is SEO?, Are keywords still relevant?).
Keyword Use: Critical in creating definitions or introductory content.
Examples:
Is SEO dead?
Are backlinks important for ranking?
Exploratory Intent: Capabilities and Possibilities
These terms reflect queries investigating the potential or function of something.
Can, Will
Intent: Users explore possibilities or seek advice (Can SEO increase sales?).
Keyword Use: Signals early-stage decision-making.
Examples:
Can SEO work for small businesses?
Will keywords matter in 2025?
These words and phrases are the backbone of SEO, helping marketers uncover search intent, develop targeted keyword strategies, and create content that aligns with user needs at different stages of the search funnel.
When using suggestion software like Suggestable to analyze autocomplete suggestions and keyword data, the approach and benefits can differ significantly depending on whether the focus is on Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns or Search Engine Optimization (SEO). We previously looked at using Suggestable for SEO, so lets flipped the paradigm to the paid side of search and look at PPC usage:
Purpose
Immediate traffic and conversions: PPC campaigns are typically focused on driving immediate, targeted traffic to landing pages.
Precise targeting: Suggestions can help refine keyword targeting to ensure ads appear for specific queries with high intent.
Key Benefits
High-Intent Keywords: Autocomplete suggestions often reveal keywords with transactional intent (e.g., “buy,” “best,” “discount”), which are ideal for PPC ads.
Cost Control: Using long-tail suggestions can result in lower-cost keywords with less competition.
Dynamic Ad Creation: Suggestions provide insights into variations and user phrasing, enabling more effective ad copy tailored to user search behavior.
Geotargeting Opportunities: Suggestions often include location-specific terms (e.g., “near me”), which are valuable for local PPC campaigns.
A/B Testing: Suggestions can be used to generate multiple keyword sets to test ad performance and refine campaigns based on real-world data.
Challenges
Cost Dependency: High-volume or competitive keywords identified through suggestions may be expensive in PPC. Compare output via search engine utilities that feature cost and keyword volumn.
Limited Organic Benefits: PPC campaigns based on suggestions do not inherently build long-term SEO authority.
What if you could walk in SEO blind to a new business and find the top keywords and phrases that actually produce an outcome within a few minutes? They’d think you are some sort of SEO Jedi. Welcome to Suggestables Speculative mode.
SEO and PPC professionals can leverage Speculative Mode in Suggestable.pro by strategically pairing this curated list of core words and phrases with their target keywords to extract nuanced and intent-driven autocomplete suggestions. This are keywords, phrases, and questions that people are actually using. Almost more-importantly, these are what what search engines are suggesting to people. So you have to assume there is some sort of good outcome associated with these keywords. This is the SEO Gold standard that just skips the top part of the funnel.
User Intent + Targeting + Outcome = ROI and Conversion success.
Speculative mode can amplify keyword research and refine content strategy. We looked at over ten million autocomplete suggestions while building Suggestable, and we built Speculative Mode to target those results.
1. Combining Core Words with Target Keywords
The mode’s design allows prepositions, conjunctions, verbs, and question words to adapt dynamically with any niche keyword. By appending or prepending the list items, SEOs can systematically explore search intents aligned with their target audience.
Example Workflow:
Target Keyword:“vegan recipes”
Using Speculative Mode:
Prepended words (!what vegan recipes):
“What vegan recipes are best for weight loss?”
Appended words (vegan recipes near me):
“Vegan recipes near me for quick meals.”
This approach broadens the scope of query discovery, revealing search intents ranging from informational to transactional.
2. Segmenting Search Intent Using Core Words
The list inherently aligns with different types of search intent, enabling SEOs to categorize and prioritize keywords for specific stages of the funnel:
Informational Intent: Words like !how to, !what, !why, !when help identify users seeking guides or explanations.
“How to create vegan recipes”
“Why are vegan recipes healthy?”
Transactional Intent: Words like for, with, near me, and without target actionable or location-based queries.
“Vegan recipes for kids”
“Vegan recipes near me with simple ingredients”
Investigational Intent: Words like versus, vs, or support comparison-based searches.
“Vegan recipes versus vegetarian dishes”
“Vegan recipes or gluten-free meals?”
3. Mining Autocomplete Data for Content Gaps
By feeding these core words into search engine autocompletes, SEOs can uncover high-volume, low-competition search terms that indicate underserved content areas.
Steps to Use Speculative Mode for Mining:
Start with a Broad Seed Keyword: Input “exercise routines” or “smart home devices” with prepended and appended core words.
Capture Autocomplete Suggestions: Suggestable.pro will mine autocomplete results like:
“What exercise routines are effective for beginners?”
“Smart home devices near me.”
Analyze Results for Gaps: Use the autocomplete results to identify niche queries not addressed in existing content.
4. Optimizing for Conversational and Voice Search
With the rise of voice search, Speculative Mode becomes particularly powerful. Autocomplete queries generated using words like !who, !can, !where, and !how mirror the natural, conversational language used in voice queries.
Example:
Traditional Search: “SEO tips 2024”
Voice Search Style: “How can I improve my SEO in 2024?”
Using Speculative Mode ensures content aligns with both typed and spoken query formats.
5. Automating Content Ideation
Pairing Speculative Mode results with the SEO’s niche keywords provides a steady stream of content ideas. For example:
Target Keyword: “email marketing”
Autocomplete Query: “Why is email marketing effective?”
Content Idea: Write a blog addressing “Top 5 Reasons Email Marketing Outperforms Social Media.”
6. Refining PPC and Paid Search Strategies
By mining these autocomplete suggestions, SEOs can develop keyword lists not only for organic efforts but also for highly targeted paid campaigns. Speculative Mode ensures ads align with user intent, improving click-through rates and ROI.
7. Scaling Research for Industry Niches
SEOs can apply this approach across industries, systematically tailoring the core words to their niche. Whether focusing on health, tech, or lifestyle, Speculative Mode offers flexibility for broad and granular keyword targeting.
Practical Scaling Example:
Healthcare Keyword:“telemedicine”
Queries: “Who uses telemedicine?”, “Telemedicine for mental health.”
E-commerce Keyword:“sustainable clothing”
Queries: “Sustainable clothing near me”, “How to choose sustainable clothing.”
By combining Speculative Mode with targeted keywords, you can gain a comprehensive, intent-driven map of what users are searching for, enabling them to craft optimized, high-ranking content and strategies. This mode transforms raw autocomplete data into actionable insights tailored for both content and marketing campaigns.
When using suggestion software like Suggestable to analyze autocomplete suggestions and keyword data, the approach and benefits can differ significantly depending on whether the focus is on Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns or Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Using Suggestions for SEO
Purpose
Content strategy and organic growth: SEO leverages suggestions to align content with user queries for higher organic rankings over time.
Understanding search intent: Insights from suggestions help optimize content to address informational, navigational, or transactional intent.
Key Benefits
Content Ideation: Suggestions offer natural phrases and questions that guide blog posts, FAQs, and landing page content.
Keyword Clustering: SEO focuses on grouping related keywords into themes, enabling content to rank for a broader range of queries.
Long-Term Value: Keywords identified and optimized for SEO provide ongoing traffic without direct costs per click.
Rich Snippets: Optimizing content for question-based suggestions can help secure featured snippets in search results.
Voice Search Optimization: Autocomplete often reflects how people naturally speak, aiding in content tailored for voice search.
Challenges
Delayed Results: SEO improvements take time to materialize, as opposed to the instant visibility of PPC campaigns.
Algorithm Dependence: Relying on suggestions for content requires alignment with ever-changing search engine algorithms.
Key Differences
Aspect
PPC
SEO
Goal
Immediate traffic and ROI
Long-term organic visibility and authority
Focus
High-intent, transactional keywords
Broad thematic relevance, including informational and navigational keywords
Cost
Paid per click; costs vary by competition
Free traffic; upfront investment in content
Timeframe
Immediate visibility
Gradual improvement in rankings
Customization
Dynamic ad targeting and personalization
Static content optimized for broader search trends
Keyword Discovery: Suggestions reveal opportunities for both PPC and SEO, though the approach to implementation differs.
Testing and Refinement: PPC campaigns can validate the performance of keywords before using them in long-term SEO strategies.
Branding and Visibility: Using suggestions effectively in both PPC and SEO ensures comprehensive search presence across paid and organic channels.
By understanding the unique attributes and complementary nature of PPC and SEO, marketers can use suggestion software like Suggestable to optimize both strategies for maximum impact.
Mac users can run Suggestable (a Windows program) on their machines through several methods, leveraging software or hardware setups. Each method comes with its pros and cons, so the choice depends on the user’s needs. Here are the primary options:
1. Boot Camp (Dual Booting)
Apple’s Boot Camp Assistant allows users to install Windows as a separate operating system on a Mac. This method provides the best performance for Windows applications because the system dedicates all hardware resources to the active OS.
Steps:
Open Boot Camp Assistant from the Utilities folder in Applications.
Partition the Mac’s storage for Windows.
Install Windows using an ISO file and follow the setup prompts.
Reboot into Windows or macOS by holding the Option key during startup.
Pros: Full hardware performance, ideal for gaming or resource-intensive applications.
Cons: Requires rebooting to switch OS. Storage is split between macOS and Windows.
2. Virtualization Software
Virtualization allows you to run Windows within macOS, creating a virtual machine (VM) where Windows operates as if it’s a separate computer inside your Mac.
Popular Options:
Parallels Desktop (user-friendly, high performance)
VMware Fusion (robust, professional use)
VirtualBox (free but less polished)
Pros:
No need to reboot.
Easy switching between macOS and Windows.
Suitable for light to moderate Windows tasks.
Cons:
Reduced performance compared to Boot Camp, especially for gaming or intensive software.
Requires significant system resources (RAM and CPU).
3. Cloud-Based Windows Access
For users needing Windows sparingly or on low-powered Macs, cloud-based services provide remote access to a Windows machine.
Options:
Microsoft’s Windows 365 or Azure Virtual Desktop.
Third-party services like Amazon WorkSpaces or Shadow.
Pros: No local installation required, accessible from almost any Mac.
Cons: Requires a stable internet connection. Performance depends on server latency.
4. CrossOver for Windows Apps
CrossOver is software that allows you to run certain Windows applications directly on macOS without installing Windows. It uses a compatibility layer to translate Windows calls into macOS ones.
Pros: Lightweight, no need for Windows installation.
Cons: Limited compatibility; not all Windows applications are supported.
5. Windows on ARM for M1/M2 Macs
For Macs with Apple Silicon (M1/M2 chips), Boot Camp is not available, but virtualization software like Parallels Desktop supports running Windows on ARM. Microsoft has also optimized Windows for ARM-based systems.
Steps for M1/M2:
Acquire a Windows ARM ISO.
Use Parallels Desktop (or similar software) to create a VM.
Install and run Windows ARM within macOS.
Note: Not all traditional Windows apps are compatible with Windows ARM.
Recommendations
Heavy Users: Go with Boot Camp for dedicated Windows performance, if using an Intel Mac.
Convenience: Virtualization like Parallels Desktop for easy switching and multitasking.
Occasional Use: Cloud services or CrossOver.
Apple Silicon Users: Parallels Desktop with Windows ARM is currently the best solution.
Choose based on your workload, hardware, and level of comfort with setup processes.
User Intent refers to the users motivations or goals for performing a search query. Some traditional intents:
Navigation or Website query: searching for a website based on keyword
Spelling queries: often misspelled
Information or Know query: Searching for information or research for any topic
Shopping or Do query: Both for product information
News: What is new
Discovery: Looking for something fun and new
Transactional: “best deals on tvs”
You can find more about User Intent with relation to Google, by reading their “Raters Guidelines” that are sent to Google website raters. Section 12.7 Understanding User Intent.
When we first started building Suggestable, we knew we were tapping into something powerful—something that could help marketers uncover the exact keywords driving search behavior. But along the way, we heard the concerns: “Is this risky? Will search engines block my IP? Are we crossing a line here?”
Here’s the truth: suggestion mining isn’t just a valuable practice—it’s a responsible one. Auto-suggestion services are designed for massive, real-time use by millions of people. The data we’re pulling is incredibly lightweight (most often less than 200bytes per request and compressed further), and the very platforms we’re querying want advertisers to discover these keywords. After all, they rely on this data to power their PPC models.
In this post, I’ll lay out why suggestion mining is not only sustainable but essential for anyone serious about keyword research. If you’ve ever worried about the impact of this process, let me show you why it’s time to put those fears to rest.
AutoComplete Suggestions On Bing
1. Suggestion Services Are Built for High Volume
Auto-suggestion services are specifically designed to handle massive, simultaneous usage. Millions of users worldwide generate suggestion requests every second. As a result, search engines and other platforms have robust systems in place to manage this constant traffic effortlessly.
JSON Suggestion Packet
2. Minimal Bandwidth Usage
Unlike traditional web crawling or SERP scraping, which can consume significant bandwidth, suggestion mining is exceptionally lightweight. Just imagine, every keystroke into the Chrome URL box generates a Json suggestion packet sent from the search engine. The data packets returned by suggestion services are typically under 1KB and then compressed down to near 100 hundred bytes. This means suggestion mining generates a negligible load compared to other forms of data extraction.
3. Search Engines Are Incentivized to Support This Activity
The keywords uncovered through suggestion services directly fuel PPC (pay-per-click) advertising strategies. By identifying high-value keywords, marketers help drive campaigns that align with the search engine’s own revenue model. Suggestion mining, in essence, supports the ecosystem by helping advertisers succeed.
4. Historical Precedent
Real-world examples show that search engines rarely take action against suggestion pulls, even at massive scale. One suggestion cloud service, for instance, successfully pulled over 250 million suggestions before being asked to transition to an official API. This demonstrates that platforms understand and accommodate such usage within reason.
5. Proof of Feasibility: Suggestable’s Scale
During the development of Suggestable, we accumulated a 150-million-keyword database over 3 years. Not only did this process run smoothly, but it allowed us to build meaningful keyword relationships and insights without any system interruptions or pushback from services.
Suggestable v2.20 Options
6. Suggestable Respects the Resources
Not only does Suggestable offer options for “max downloads” and “download delay”, it has built-in limits that reduce load on the suggestion service. This includes built-in per-service delays and support for both uncompressed, as well as compressed Gzip and Brotli compression optimization. Then we default to showing the SERP that is generated by the suggestion service, allowing you to view and click the serp in the built-in browser. Additionally, when running more in-depth reports, Suggestable will pause more often and cause less load.
For example, we delay a minimum of 170 milliseconds between typing. To get to that figure we calculated:
That an average type types at a average time between at 60 words per minute as a rule of thumb. Thus:
Assume an average word length: Typically, the average word length in English is about 5 characters, plus 1 space for separation, making 6 keystrokes per word –Source
Calculate total keystrokes per minute: 60 words/min×6 keystrokes/word=360 keystrokes/min60 \, \text{words/min} \times 6 \, \text{keystrokes/word} = 360 \, \text{keystrokes/min}60words/min×6keystrokes/word=360keystrokes/min
Convert keystrokes per minute to keystrokes per second: 360 keystrokes60 seconds=6 keystrokes/second\frac{360 \, \text{keystrokes}}{60 \, \text{seconds}} = 6 \, \text{keystrokes/second}60seconds360keystrokes=6keystrokes/second
Calculate the time between each keystroke: 16 keystrokes/second≈0.167 seconds/keystroke\frac{1}{6 \, \text{keystrokes/second}} \approx 0.167 \, \text{seconds/keystroke}6keystrokes/second1≈0.167seconds/keystroke
Final Answer:
At 60 words per minute, there is approximately 167 milliseconds (ms) between each keypress. Which is why we rounded to 170 milliseconds minimum between pulls from various services. In real world usage with multiple services, the delay is often higher than that.
Conclusion
Suggestion mining, when done responsibly, is not only feasible but also aligns with the goals of search engines and advertisers alike. With minimal bandwidth consumption and systems designed for heavy traffic, leveraging auto-suggestions is a sustainable, low-impact practice that delivers immense value to marketers, site owners, and the search ecosystem as a whole.
