SEO Tip: Top 3 Google Tools for Keyword Research

Keyword Research requires an in-depth analysis of user search volume for each keyword idea.  Google is still the top search engine so we will use its statistical tools in performing keyword research.

Google has three search volume analysis tools namely:

1. Google Adword: Keyword Tool
2. Google Insights for Search
3. Google Trends 

Google Adword: Keyword Tool 

The Google Adword: Keyword Tool is a vital tool for keyword research. You can get the global and local search volumes for keyword ideas.  This is helpful in determining what keyword ideas have high, medium, and low search volumes and its relative level of competition.

You can search for keyword ideas by entering a keyword related to your business or service or a URL to a page containing content related to your business or service. Or, you can go straight to filtering keyword categories.

There are different settings for generating results.  The most important ones for SEO are listed below.

Option Settings:

Match Type:

• Broad match: 
• The sum of the search volumes for the keyword idea, related grammatical forms, synonyms and related words
• Phrase match: 
• The sum of the search volumes for all terms that include that whole phrase
• Exact match: 
• The search volume for that keyword idea

      Set as "EXACT" in order to get the most accurate volume for a specific keyword idea.

[ ] Only show ideas closely related to my search terms
       - Select this option to see only results that include your original search terms.  All closely related terms will be listed.  Disable this if you want more keyword ideas instead of a more targeted listing.

Advanced Options:
    Locations and Languages

       - Changing the country and language settings here will affect:

• The language of your keyword results.
• The statistics used to calculate Monthly Searches 

          Useful if you want to target a specific country such as for Google Places-related search volume.

Google Insights for Search

With Google Insights for Search, you can compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories, time frames and properties. You can compare up to five search terms or groupings at one time, with up to 25 search terms in each grouping (use the plus sign to create a grouping). Click + Add search term to add a search term or a grouping; to remove a search term, click the x next to it.


You can choose which parameter you want to focus on by selecting the appropriate radio button next to the corresponding search box. For instance, if you want to compare two locations, select the radio button next to Locations.  You can compare up to five locations by clicking + Add another. Click the x next to a location to dismiss it. Then, click Search.  Similarly, if you want to compare different time frames, select the radio button next to Time ranges.



Google Trends

Google Trends shows how often a particular search-term is entered relative to the total search-volume across various regions of the world, and in various languages. Google Trends also allows the user to compare the volume of searches between two or more terms. An additional feature of Google Trends is in its ability to show news related to the search-term overlaid on the chart, showing how new events affect search popularity.

Use these three Google tools in performing your keyword research especially for generating Google Places-targeted keyword ideas.   These tools will help you create a keyword list by region for your local search-targeted campaigns.

After you have prepared your keyword list, you can then start building your website and/or Google Places listing SEO strategies.