Confused about all the keyword research tool and service options available to you?

No small wonder — it seems like there is a new piece of keyword research software or a new service on the market every other day.

So, I’m going to help make choosing the right market research (or PPC campaign helper) simpler for you with my ‘short list’ of keyword software and services… those that I’ve used and recommend.

But first, a quick blurb about keyword research…

Keyword research is essential for determining market size, competition in the marketplace and zeroing in on the specific products that your target market is searching for. To gather all that information, internet and affiliate marketers use keyword research tools.

Note: The following keyword research software and services are listed in alphabetical order, so you’ll have to check through each summary description to learn which is my personal favorite.

1. Google Cash Detective

   Returns real-time information FAST unlike other tools for which you can wait days (sometimes WEEKS) for competitive intelligence. GCD is powered by vast server clusters capable of tracking millions of keywords, advertisements, landing pages and dozens of other pay per click metrics.

   Google Cash Detective Review | Visit Google Cash Detective

2. Google Keyword Tools

   For those quick keyword and keyword checks, I usually go first to Google’s Keyword Tool to glean some basic insights into my target market. However, for more indepth information, I tend to use one of the tools below, preferable Wordtracker. To find out why, read my | Google vs. Wordtracker article.

   Google Keyword Tool, Google Insights

3. Keyword Country Software

   A comprehensive and complete keyword research tool, Keyword Country connects to major search engines for keyword research (including Google, Yahoo, MSN, ASK) and also connects to the industry by performing a deep analysis of the competitor websites. It also steals the niche keywords that competitors in your industry are using.

   Keyword Country Review | Visit Keyword Country

4. Keyword Elite

   Keyword Elite (updated) lets you build long tail keyword lists with lightning speed to generate the largest, most diversified keyword lists imaginable and uncover keyword phrases I guarantee you had absolutely no idea people actually searched on!

   Keyword Elite

5. Keyword Spy

   KeywordSpy really does spy on top affiliate marketers and then gives you a list of all the keywords that make money for them. So you can let all those smart Super Affiliates do the hard work of researching and testing to find the most lucrative keywords – and then you can turn around and use them in your own PPC ad campaigns.

   Keyword Spy Review | Visit Keyword Spy

6. Speed PPC

   Developed by Jay Stockwell – a qualified AdWords Professional – Speed PPC is a keyword research tool for more advanced Internet and affiliate marketers who want to lower their bid costs, increase CTR (click-through-rates), CR (conversion rates) and increase their Adwords quality scores.

   Speed PPC Review (V.2), Review (V.3) | Visit Speed PPC

7. Wordtracker

   Wordtracker is my personal favorite amongst all the keyword research tools available and perhaps the most popular keyword analysis tools being used today. From a massive 340 million keyword database you can learn exactly which terms your target audience are search for and how many times each keyword has been entered.

   Visit Wordtracker | Wordtracker Review

Note: Most of the paid services listed above also offer a free trial version.

In response to Q and A: Pay Per Click Search Engine Marketing, Joe asked “Doesn’t Google Adwords keyword tool give you the same info regarding number of searches as wordtracker? What’s wordtracker’s advantage that you don’t get with Google?”

Those are good questions to ask, especially when you might be thinking about buying a subscription to Wordtracker, so I’ll do my best to answer them.

First of all, what you’ll notice when you do keyword searches using Google’s Keyword Tool and Wordtracker, is that you see wildly different numbers.

Here’s an example. The screenshots below show search results for the keyword phrase “weight training” using both services.

As you can see, Google Global Monthly Search Volume returned 550,000 searches versus Wordtracker’s Count of 434.

OK, so what we first have to realize is that Google is reporting monthly figures and Wordtracker is reporting daily figures.

More importantly, the default search on Google returns Broad match results whereas Wordtracker returns an Exact match. (See below for more definitions of Google’s Global Monthly Search Volume, Broad Match and Wordtracker’s Count and Predicted Count returns.)

Below are the results of a refined Google search, set to “Exact Match”.

Note how the Local search volume decreased from over half a million to 49,500 and the Global results amounted to 74,000 — both of which still amount to much more than Wordtracker’s 434 x 31 = 13,454 total results for the month.

Why the big difference?

Wordtracker is open about the fact that they extract and extrapolate their data from two metacrawlers, Dogpile.com and Metacrawler.com – services that query all the main search engines simultaneously. Their results represent approximately just under 1% of daily searches across all search engines.

However, only Google knows the size of the sample that they use to extrapolate their information, although it is known that Content Network search results are included.

Too, you must consider the fact that Google has a vested interest in making their numbers appear large – as primary users of the Google Keyword Tool are either current or potential Adwords customers.

Wordtracker, on the other hand, has no reason to inflate numbers. They simply provide a keyword research service.

Now, here’s one reason I’ve maintained my Wordtracker account for many years…

If you look back above at the results for “weight training routines”, you’ll see that Google reported “Not Enough Data”.

However, Wordtracker shows a daily count of 146 for the exact same phrase. (see screenshot below).

Furthermore, Google will only allow you to download 200 results, while Wordtracker allows up to 1000.

In overall terms, I prefer the Wordtracker interface which I think displays related results in a more intuitive manner and is faster to use. For example, the first 10 related keywords to “weight training” in Wordtracker were:

1. bodybuilding
2. exercise
3. weight lifting
4. strength training
5. weight
6. weightlifting
7. training
8. workouts
9. fitness
10. nutrition

You can click on any of those results and immediately get their Count and Predicted Count, whereas with Google, you have to type the word in again. Too, Google’s system logs you out after a short period of inactivity, and I usually find myself clicking on “Get Keyword Ideas” several times before the Captcha form comes up again.

Ultimately, I use both Google’s Keyword Tool and Wordtracker. I use Google for quick and dirty searching and Wordtracker for fine-tuning. To me, that “fine-tuning” is worth the price of maintaining a subscription year after year.

Visit Wordtracker (FULL service free trial for 7 Days) | Read my Review

Definitions

These definitions are taken directly from Google and Wordtracker.

Google

Google’s Global Monthly Search Volume shows the approximate average monthly number of search queries matching each keyword result. This statistic applies to searches performed on Google and the search network over a recent 12-month period. It includes traffic in all countries and languages and is specific to your selection from the Match Type drop-down menu. If we don’t have sufficient data for a particular keyword, you’ll see not enough data.

Broad Match – This is the default option. If you include general keyword or keyword phrases (such as tennis shoes) in your keyword list, your ads may appear when users search for tennis and shoes, in any order, and possibly along with other terms. For example, your ad may appear for the queries buy tennis shoes and tennis sneakers but not tennis players. Your ads may also be displayed on relevant variations of your keyword phrases and plurals, as well as some related keywords and phrases via our expanded keyword matching technology.

Wordtracker

Count shows the number of times a particular keyword has appeared in our database.

E.g. Our database currently holds 312,095,827 words. A count of 147 tells us that this particular word has appeared 147 times in (this is over 160 days).

Our keywords are taken from major metacrawlers (a service that queries all the main search engines simultaneously).

Our main sources are Metacrawler and Dogpile, the two largest Metacrawlers on the net. Metacrawlers have the major advantage of matching the search profile of the search engines very closely. But are not subject to the same kind of skew from software robots that continually check web site and pay per bid positions.

Predicted Count is the maximum total predicted traffic for all of the major search engines/pay per bids and directories today.

Get a Full Service FREE 7-Day Trial of Wordtracker

With your FREE trial you’ll receive the 7 Profit from Keywords Video series in which you’ll discover how to:

• Create keyword lists.
• Build a basic SEO campaign.
• Avoid common SEO mistakes.
• Optimize a web page.
• Plan PPC campaigns.
• Build quality links.
• Beat your competitors.

Completely risk-free. Cancel anytime.

I received the following from Wordtracker yesterday morning about their beta version of the new Wordtracker tool.

We’d like you to try out the new tool and tell us what you think, as your feedback will help us prioritize what still needs to be done.

You’ll discover:

(i) A new dashboard feature that allows you to manage all of your keyword projects.

(ii) A quick summary of the number of lists, keywords and the total number of searches in each project.

(iii) That we’ve increased the pool of raw searches from which our data is drawn—from 288 million to over 700 million searches. This represents data collected over a period of 365 days rather than 160 as at present. And it means…

(iv) That we’ve increased the number of unique keywords from 24 million to 152 million keywords, giving you many more long tail keywords.

Note that last statement.

If you’re using PPC marketing, having more long tail keywords means you can get more visitors to your site for less money.

I checked out the new interface yesterday afternoon and definitely prefer the top-to-bottom structure to the original side-to-side. Seems more fluid and user-friendly. You can copy your existing keyword lists and projects from the Keyword Universe and Keyword Researcher into the new keyword tool and then access them all from the Dashboard – with numbers of lists, keywords and searches available at a glance.

Wordtracker does admit that many “features are missing from this new user interface” and that they are working hard to add more functionality.

So far, so good, I’d say – and I look forward to seeing what they have planned as “Alternative ways of assessing competition”.

Visit Wordtracker.

“STILL my TOP PICK in the keyword research tools category”

Wordtracker is undoubtedly my TOP PICK in the keyword research tools category, and it offers a FREE trial version.

Danny Sullivan of Search Engine Watch said this about Wordtracker:

“If you are serious about search engine optimization, then WordtrackerWordtracker is an essential investment, a must have resource for any search engine marketing professional. It combines both a respectable search term database with tools that make mining the information easy.”

How does Wordtracker work?

You simply enter your keyword or keyword phrase, and Wordtracker will generate a list of related keywords, displayed on the left-hand side of their interface.

Better yet, that list includes related keyword phrases and combinations, some of which you may never have considerred!

Click on one of the phrases in the left column and another list of keywords related to THAT keyword magically appears on the right-hand column showing you the number of times that word or phrase was searched for in the previous 60 days.

It also tells you how many of your competitors use those keywords by scouring each major search engine, directory and PPC (pay-per-cick) search engine for results.

From there you have the option to click on individual keywords in the right-hand column to ‘dig’ for even more related keywords and phrases.

Using the paid version, you can add up to 5000 selected keywords to your ‘basket’ which can be emailed to you.

Although the free version is limited in scope and use, I suggest you give it a whirl.

You may purchase Wordtracker’s service by the day, week, month or year. Many professional Internet and affiliate marketers buy short subscriptions of Wordtracker for a day or a week, and concentrate their keyword research during that time.

As of 2007, Wordtracker’s subscrition rates are as follows:

• 1 Year £149.00 / $299.00
• 1 Month £29.00 / $59.00
• 1 Week £15.00 / $30.00

Their service comes with a full 30-DAY money back guarantee.

Summary

No other tool surpasses Wordtracker in terms of accuracy of results and scope of service. I HIGHLY recommend that you sign up for the FREE trial at very least!

Wordtracker

According to discussions at WebmasterWorld and elsewhere it appears that the Yahoo! Keyword Suggestion tool has frequently been unavailable and causing errors with software that rely on its data. Speculation is that it may not be much longer for the world.

How sad. I’ve been using the Keyword Suggestion tool since it was first online and haven’t had any problems connecting of late. It has however been SLOW as molasses for a long time.

On the bright side Wordtracker just introduced their new Keyword Suggestion Tool which like Yahoo!’s is free to use and better yet – it’s lightning fast.

Although Wordtracker estimates search volume differently than Yahoo!, the data seems reasonably comparable.

For example, I searched for the term ‘personals’ at Overture, which reported 288,953 searches for the term in December 2006. I then searched the same term at Wordtracker which estimated 10,044 daily searches. Dividing 288,953 by 31 days in December gives you 9,321 searches per day — a difference of 723 searches.

Good enough for government work – is it good enough for you?