Revealing Search Data Behind Google Sensitive Topics

Gener8’s Consumer Browsing data feed uncovers searches typically hidden by Google

In the UK, Google’s dominance in search is so entrenched that it’s easy to forget there’s a world beyond it. For many brands and planners, “search” has become synonymous with “Google,” blinding them to the vast ecosystem of queries happening elsewhere — from eRetail platforms to publisher websites.

Perhaps more concerning, however, is the fact that even within Google’s own environment, what you see isn’t always the full picture. The search giant quietly withholds volume estimates for entire categories it deems ‘sensitive’, effectively filtering out valuable data and leaving planners in the dark.

In this article, we explore how Gener8 can illuminate the blind spots in your search strategy—revealing what’s really being searched, when, and by whom.

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You’re not seeing the full picture

Though a powerful resource for campaign planning, Google Keyword Planner has its limitations. Unbeknownst to many, Google censors historical search volume data for many topics that it deems ‘sensitive’. These include categories such as gambling, birth control, alcohol and tobacco content, alongside many subcategories and industries. What's more, this list is always evolving, which can create strategic uncertainty if you’re working in digital advertising across these verticals.

One way to access this keyword data is through Google Search Console, which isn’t restricted by sensitive data policies. The catch, however, is that your website must already rank organically for those keywords. This presents a major limitation—even large website owners often miss emerging trends and growing search intents in their niche.

To combat this some use alternative paid keyword tools, such as Ahrefs, SEMrush or KeywordTool.io, but whilst these are better than having nothing at all, their depth and accuracy for sensitive topics is often limited.

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Uncover the full intent landscape

At Gener8, our Consumer Browsing data feed has an unfiltered view of search intent, enabling you to uncover the full intent landscape.

For instance, when zooming into user searches for IQOS, a heated tobacco product by Phillip Morris International, we can reveal 1,100+ unique branded search terms and rank them by not just search volume but also distinct user searches and searches per user, two metrics not disclosed by search engines.

Furthermore, we can go a step beyond and understand the audience behind the distinct searches by utilising Demographics and Psychographics from the Audience Segmentation Framework. In the case of IQOS, searches index the highest across Generation Z, Millennials and university graduates.

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The Gener8 advantage

Access full and unfiltered search intent. Unshackle yourself from platform sensitivity filters and get a lens into the full intent landscape to identify the full generic, brand and competitor intent opportunity.

Across search engines and websites. Unlock search insights across search engines such as Google and Bing, eCommerce sites such as Amazon and Argos, publisher sites and more.

At a deeper time granularity, without delay. Don’t wait weeks for a snapshot of last month’s search volume data and miss the reactive content opportunity. Our Consumer Browsing data feeds refresh on an hourly basis and can be broken out by day, hour, minute and even second, giving you the competitive edge.

Connected to other datasets with 1 user ID. Our Consumer Browsing feed is connected to an individual with a persistent user ID, meaning you can understand the searchers’:

• Broader search and web browsing behaviours
• Purchase behaviour at merchant, brand and item level
• App usage and open frequency

And should you need to dive deeper, you can launch a targeted survey to users who performed this validated activity and ask questions relevant to your brand and campaign.

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How can I access this data?

We utilised Gener8's Consumer Browsing and Demographics datasets to uncover insights from those who searched for vaping-related topics, which are deemed ‘sensitive’ by Google.

Gener8 Labs’ complete data and insights solution empowers media and marketing businesses to find actionable consumer and market insights, using our unique, consented, first party panel data sets that are all connected around one user ID.

Discover how you can power your decisions and gain a competitive edge from our behavioural truth set by contacting us today!

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