There's a nice Ajax-powered feature Google gives their search engine users, it's called search suggestion and it's available (correct me if I'm wrong here) either using the Google Toolbar for either Internet Explorer or Firefox. or visiting the relevant Google Suggest page on Google Labs.

Search smarter with instant suggestions
as you type in the search box

What it does is suggesting a term after you type a character in the search text input area, just one character is enough to activate this feature.

And the Google Suggestions are...

What exactly are the suggestions Google push you? Let's have a look in alphabetical order.

Google Suggestions for A

If you enter the a letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• amazon (489,000,000)
• argos (10.700,000)
• aol (136,000,000)
• autotrader (3,850,000)
• aol.com (41,600,000)
• apple (231,000,000)
• american airlines (32,900,000)
• amazon.com (210,000,000)
• auto trader (2,900,000)
• addicting games (1,800,000)

Google Suggestions for B

If you enter the b letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• bebo (8,690,000)
• bbc (90,600,000)
• best buy (581,000,000)
• big brother (77,600,000)
• bank of america (138,000,000)
• bbc news (83,900,000)
• bbc weather (60,600,000)
• bed bath and beyond (2,050,000)
• bbc sport (58,500,000)
• blockbuster (12,200,000)

Google Suggestions for C

If you enter the c letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• craiglist (31,300,000)
• cnn (51,400,000)
• currency converter (29,100,000)
• cingular (35,600,000)
• costco (6,620,000)
• cars (345,000,.000)
• circuit city (46,100,000)
• cheap flights (15,200,000)
• club penguin (2,050,000)

Google Suggestions for D

If you enter the d letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• dictionary (154,000,000)
• dell (332,000,000)
• dictionary.com (1,450,000)
• disney channel (16,500,000)
• disney (124,000,000)
• delta airlines (1,830,000)
• delta (143,000,000)
• dvla (892,000)
• debenhams (1,060,000)
• dhl (19,700,000)

Google Suggestions for E

If you enter the e letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• ebay (330,000,000)
• expedia (58,800,000)
• espn (21,100,000)
• easyjet (4,70,000)
• ebay.com (14,000,000)
• ebay uk (51,900,000)
• earth (232,000,000)
• expedia.com (3,130,000)
• exchange rates (62,500,000)

Google Suggestions for F

If you enter the f letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• facebook (41,400,000)
• firefox (177,000,000)
• fathers day (10,400,000)
• free online games (204,000,000)
• french opens (230,000,000)
• free games (434,000,000)
• friendster (15,300,000)
• facebook.com (1,300,000)
• fedex (23,500,000)
• food network (191,000,000)

Google Suggestions for G

If you enter the g letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• google (720,000,000)
• gmail (139,000,000)
• google earth (146,000,000)
• games (751,000,000)
• google maps (158,000,000)
• gmail.com (83,900,000)
• google.com (78,700,000)
• google map (323,000,000)
• google video (534,000,000)
• game (469,000,000)

Google Suggestions for H

If you enter the h letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• hotmail (224,000,000)
• hotmail.com (74,100,000)
• home depot (33,600,000)
• hsbc (16,800,000)
• harry potter (69,700,000)
• hi5 (5,640,000)
• honda (121,000,000)
• hp (284,000,000)
• hmv (13,100,000)
• halifax (27,300,000)

Google Suggestions for I

If you enter the i letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• imdb (93,900,000)
• ikea (26,500,000)
• iphone (60,600,000)
• itunes (87,000,000)
• ipod (212,000,000)
• ign (18,900,000)
• isohunt (2,810,000)
• indian railways (1,320,000)
• internet explorer (210,000,000)
• imeem (2,000,000)

Google Suggestions for J

If you enter the j letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• jobs (648,000,000)
• john lewis (72,200,000)
• jokes (59,700,000)
• java (278,000,000)
• jessica alba (5,930,000)
• jet blue (31,200,000)
• job search (477,000,000)
• jcpenney (5,170,000)
• job centre (106,000,000)
• jetblue (3,360,000)

Google Suggestions for K

If you enter the k letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• kelly blue book (3,110,000)
• kmart (4,310,000)
• kohls (2,660,000)
• knocked up (9,050,000)
• kelsey smith (1,300,000)
• kayak (24,600,000)
• kim kardashian (1,450,000)
• kelly clarkson (2,760,000)
• klm (12,800,000)
• kinkos (748,000)

Google Suggestions for L

If you enter the l letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• lyrics (145,000,000)
• limewire (14,300,000)
• lowes (4,720,000)
• line rider (3,540,000)
• lotto (42,300,000)
• lottery (39,200,000)
• lost (456,000,000)
• lloyds tsb (1,690,000)
• love (940,000,000)
• lindsay lohan (20,000,000)

Google Suggestions for M

If you enter the m letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• myspace (145,000,000)
• mapquest (15,700,000)
• msn (336,000,000)
• myspace.com (22,400,000)
• maps (277,000,000)
• myspace layouts (22,800,000)
• map quests (56,000,000)
• miniclip (4,170,000)
• map (1,230,000,000)

Google Suggestions for N

If you enter the n letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• next (2,140,000,000)
• news (1,690,000,000)
• netflix (10,000,000)
• nokia (179,000,000)
• nascar (35,900,000)
• nba (101,000,000)
• national lottery (11,200,000)
• nissan (88,700,000)
• natwest (2,010,000)
• neopets (6,080,000)

Google Suggestions for O

If you enter the o letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• orkut (19,500,000)
• orbitz (18,400,000)
• orange (242,000,000)
• office depot (9,920,000)
• online games (452,000,000)
• o2 (69,000,000)
• old navy (18,000,000)
• online dictionary (84,700,000)
• office max (97,200,000)
• oprah (34,000,000)

Google Suggestions for P

If you enter the p letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• paris hilton (73,100,000)
• photobucket (39,600,000)
• paypal (229,000,000)
• pc world (431,000,000)
• pokemon (35,500,000)
• pizza hut (2,010,000)
• people search (1,450,000,000)
• post office (503,000,000)
• passport (46,100,000)
• people (1,130,000,000)

Google Suggestions for Q

If you enter the q letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• quotes (185,000,000)
• qvc (7,340,000)
• quicktime (58,600,000)
• quizzes (32,200,000)
• quiznos (1,080,000)
• qwest (9,100,000)
• quiz (112,000,000)
• quicksilver (10,400,000)
• qantas (5,480,000)

Google Suggestions for R

If you enter the r letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• runescape (9,590,000)
• ryanair (7,530,000)
• rightmove (833,000)
• royal mail (93,100,000)
• rihanna (20,800,000)
• remax (5,290,000)
• real estate (317,000,000)
• radio shack (1,700,000)
• recipes (106,000,000)
• river island (81,600,000)

Google Suggestions for S

If you enter the s letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• sopranos (21,200,000)
• sears (23,000,000)
• southwest airlines (1,540,000)
• skype (194,000,000)
• staples (19,800,000)
• sky news (114,000,000)
• southwest (77,600,000)
• sony (323,000,000)
• sky sports (50,800,000)
• samsung (245,000,000)

Google Suggestions for T

If you enter the t letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• target (312,000,000)
• tesco (17,600,000)
• ticketmaster (7,290,000)
• tv links (767,000,000)
• test (627,000,000)
• tv guide (391,000,000)
• toys r us (27,200,000)
• toyota (106,000,000)
• tmz (5,330,000)
• thesaurus (76,600,000)

Google Suggestions for U

If you enter the u letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• u tube (14,500,000)
• usps (33,300,000)
• ups (206,000,000)
• united airlines (37,100,000)
• us airways (15,800,000)
• bittorrent (35,500,000)
• used cars (70,400,000)
• us open (1,330,000,000)
• urban dictionary (2,930,000)

Google Suggestions for V

If you enter the v letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• verizon (44,000,000)
• verizon wireless (31,700,000)
• video (1,190,000,0000)
• vodafone (54,100,000)
• virgin (142,000,000)
• videos (490,000,000)
• vlc (11,000,000)
• virgin media (48,500,000)
• veoh (2,880,000)
• vince mcmahon (1,240,000)

Google Suggestions for W

If you enter the w letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• wikipedia (175,000,000)
• weather (255,000,000)
• walmart (14,500,000)
• white pages (176,000,000)
• wiki (264,000,000)
• wwe (21,800,000)
• www.yahoo.com (1,260,000)
• www.hotmail.com (1,300,000)
• www.myspace.com (9,210,000)
• webkinz (1,680,000)

Google Suggestions for X

If you enter the x letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• x tube (45,500,000)
• xbox 360 (169,000,000)
• xbox (170,000,000)
• xm radio (2,180,000)
• xe (32,200,000)
• xnxx.com (536,000)
• xanga (18,500,000)
• xvideo (25,200,000)
• x 17 (1,020,000,000)

Google Suggestions for Y

If you enter the y letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• youtube (173,000,000)
• yahoo (532,000,000)
• yahoo.com (215,000,000)
• yahoo mail (488,000,000)
• yellow pages (102,000,000)
• youtube.com (22,000,000)
• yahoomail (708,000)
• youporn (631,000)
• yell (12,800,000)

Google Suggestions for Z

If you enter the z letter Google returns the following suggestions:

• zip codes (12,000,000)
• zappos (5,130,000)
• zilog (1,040,000)
• zip code (214,000,000)
• zone (311,000,000)
• zara (13,800,000)
• zac efron (1,360,000)
• zoo (77,500,000)
• zahra amir ebrahimi (115,000)
• zip code finder (2,630,000)

Background considerations

This post considers suggestions given by Google on the period between the 20th and 27th of August 2007 using Google Suggest whilst signed out from my Google account. During the above period the suggestions given have not changed. Suggestions presented range between 9 and 10 as a maximum; suggestions are presented here as displayed on Google, figures between parantheses refers to terms results on Google.

How Google Suggest works

To know more on how Google Suggest works, please refers to the relevant page on Google labs

Our algorithms use a wide range of information to predict the queries users are most likely to want to see. For example, Google Suggest uses data about the overall popularity of various searches to help rank the refinements it offers. An example of this type of popularity information can be found in the Google Zeitgeist. Google Suggest does not base its suggestions on your personal search history.

Others resources on this topic could be found here:

• Google Suggest Dissected...
• I've got a suggestion

Google Suggest: Brand and General Terms

Brand value

Dealing with the search engine it's quite automatic to say that suggestions made by Google are reflecting the value of a brand on the web. The suggestions are a good starting point to understand how a particular brand is ranked and well known on the web. This could also be taken as a starting point in SEO analysis and strategy for a particular web site/brand.

If we start with the brand thing in mind, the first step we could take is about how many of the suggestions are brand names and how many are general terms. We can divide terms suggested it three broad catagories:

• Brand Names: these are those terms that could be related to an established brand, i.e.: Microsoft, Google, etc.
• General Terms: these are those terms referring to a general englih term, such as love for example.
• Uncertain Terms: those terms that could both refer to a brand or a general term, also applied for those terms that are in fact general but where there's a brand sharing the same name. This could be the case for example of the term delta, that could be traced back to Delta Airlines even if there's no certitude on this.

Brand names are leading the way

Brand names are way more than general or uncertain terms; among 244 suggested terms, 192 of them are brand names, 49 are general terms, 11 could be referred to as uncertain.

Brand Names

• amazon
• argos
• aol
• autotrader
• aol.com
• apple
• american airlines
• amazon.com
• bebo
• bbc
• best buy
• big brother
• bank of america
• bbc news
• bbc weather
• bed bath and beyond
• bbc sport
• blockbuster
• craiglist
• cnn
• currency converter
• cingular
• costco
• circuit city
• cheap flights
• dell
• dictionary.com
• disney channel
• disney
• delta airlines
• dvla
• debenhams
• dhl
• ebay
• expedia
• espn
• easyjet
• ebay.com
• ebay uk
• expedia.com
• facebook
• firefox
• friendster
• facebook.com
• fedex
• food network
• google
• gmail
• google earth
• google maps
• gmail.com
• google.com
• google map
• google video
• hotmail
• hotmail.com
• home depot
• hsbc
• harry potter
• hi5
• honda
• hp
• hmv
• halifax
• imdb
• ikea
• iphone
• itunes
• ipod
• ign
• isohunt
• internet explorer
• imeem
• john lewis
• java
• jessica alba
• jet blue
• jcpenney
• jetblue
• kelly blue book
• kmart
• kohls
• knocked up
• kelsey smith
• kim kardashian
• kelly clarkson
• klm
• kinkos
• limewire
• lowes
• line rider
• lloyds tsb
• lindsay lohan
• myspace
• mapquest
• msn
• myspace.com
• myspace layouts
• map quest
• miniclip
• next
• netflix
• nokia
• nascar
• nba
• nissan
• natwest
• neopets
• orkut
• orbitz
• orange
• office depot
• o2
• office max
• oprah
• paris hilton
• photobucket
• paypal
• pc world
• pokemon
• pizza hut
• qvc
• quicktime
• quiznos
• qwest
• quicksilver
• qantas
• runescape
• ryanair
• rightmove
• royal mail
• rihanna
• remax
• radio shack
• river island
• sopranos
• sears
• southwest airlines
• skype
• staples
• sky news
• sony
• sky sports
• samsung
• target
• tesco
• ticketmaster
• toys r us
• toyota
• tmz
• u tube
• usps
• ups
• united airlines
• us airways
• bittorrent
• verizon
• verizon wireless
• vodafone
• virgin
• vlc
• virgin media
• veoh
• vince mcmahon
• wikipedia
• walmart
• wwe
• www.yahoo.com
• www.hotmail.com
• www.myspace.com
• webkinz
• x tube
• xbox 360
• xbox
• xm radio
• xe
• xnxx.com
• xanga
• xvideo
• x 17
• youtube
• yahoo
• yahoo.com
• yahoo mail
• youtube.com
• yahoomail
• youporn
• yell
• zappos
• zilog
• zara
• zac efron
• zahra amir ebrahimi

General Terms

• currency converters
• cars
• cheap flights
• earth
• exchange rates
• fathers day
• free online games
• free games
• games
• game
• jobs
• jokes
• job search
• job centre
• kayak
• lyrics
• lotto
• lottery
• love
• maps
• map
• online games
• online dictionary
• people search
• post office
• passport
• people
• quotes
• quizzes
• quiz
• real estate
• recipes
• tv links
• test
• tv guide
• used cars
• video
• videos
• weather
• white pages
• yellow pages
• zip codes
• zip code
• zone
• zoo
• zip coder finder

Uncertain Terms

• auto trader
• addicting games
• delta
• french opens
• indian railways
• lost
• map quest
• old navy
• southwest
• us open
• urban dictionary

More in the second part of this post...