Are you struggling to find high-value, untapped keywords for your website? The Regex filter in Google Search Console is a powerful tool that can help you uncover search queries your content is ranking for—but not yet optimizing. By leveraging regex (regular expressions), you can identify long-tail keywords, question-based queries, and other hidden opportunities that competitors may overlook.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to use the regex filter in Google Search Console step by step to discover untapped keywords and boost your organic traffic.
Why Use Regex In Google Search Console?
Google Search Console (GSC) provides valuable data about your site’s performance in search results. However, it doesn’t always surface hidden keyword opportunities easily. That’s where regex filters come in.
With regex, you can:
✅ Find long-tail keywords hidden in search query reports
✅ Discover question-based queries (e.g., “how to,” “why does”)
✅ Identify brand vs. non-brand search traffic
✅ Group similar keywords for better content targeting
By using regex effectively, you can optimize existing content and create new pages tailored to high-potential queries.
How To Access The Regex Filter In Google Search Console
Before diving into specific regex patterns, follow these steps to access the regex filter in GSC:
- Log into Google Search Console
- Go to the “Performance” report
- Click the “Search results” tab
- Under the Queries section, click the filter icon
- Choose “Custom (regex)” from the filter options
Now, you’re ready to input regex patterns to filter your search queries strategically.
Best Regex Filters To Find Untapped Keywords
1. Find Long-Tail Keyword Variations
Long-tail keywords often drive highly targeted traffic. Use the regex filter to find these variations:
[a-zA-Z\s]{20,}
👉 This regex searches for queries longer than 20 characters, which are typically long-tail.
2. Identify Question-Based Queries
Question-based keywords often have high informational intent and can improve your featured snippet chances. Use:
^(who|what|when|where|why|how)\b
👉 This regex filters queries that start with common question words.
3. Exclude Brand Keywords To Find New Opportunities
If your site ranks for brand terms, you may want to filter them out to focus on non-branded searches:
^(?!.*yourbrandname).*
👉 Replace yourbrandname with your actual brand name to exclude branded queries.
4. Group Similar Keyword Variations
To find keywords that include a specific phrase but with different word orders or suffixes:
.*(keyword1|keyword2|keyword3).*
👉 Replace keyword1, keyword2, and keyword3 with your target terms.
5. Discover Comparison Keywords
People often compare products or services using words like “vs,” “or,” “best.” Use:
\b(vs|or|best|top|alternative)\b
👉 This regex helps uncover comparison-based queries.
How To Apply Your Regex Findings
Once you identify untapped keywords, take action:
✅ Optimize existing content by naturally incorporating these keywords
✅ Create new blog posts targeting high-potential queries
✅ Improve internal linking to boost relevance and authority
✅ Monitor performance in GSC to track ranking improvements
By refining your keyword strategy with regex filters, you can unlock new ranking opportunities and drive more organic traffic.
Final Thoughts
The Regex filter in Google Search Console is an underrated yet powerful tool to discover untapped keywords and improve your SEO. By using strategic regex patterns, you can uncover hidden search queries and optimize your content for better rankings.