Keyword Research Articles
How to Lateral Search with Microsoft's adCenter Keyword Tool
After reviewing the new adCenter keyword tool, I've been using it more and more for my daily research needs. It's a powerful tool with a super-simple interface, and it takes keyword research to a whole new level of organization.
So I've documented just how easy it is to take a core topic and go lateral, finding sub-topics and niche keywords.
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How to use Ebay as a Keyword Research Tool
I spend a lot of time online - reading, playing some games and even shopping when I have the time. I like eBay because it's a one-stop shop where I can find nearly everything. But I've just discovered a way to use eBay that's even better than shopping - keyword researching.
I realized if I'm looking for high converting keywords, then why not use the search results of all the almost-converted eBay customers?
Conversion rates are fundemental to keyword success. So when you think how close to conversion an eBay customer is when they search for their product, it gets very exciting.
Keyword Data Is Almost Always Wrong
You know what really frustrates me? People who talk about keyword research as if it’s an exact science. Let me give anyone that needs it a “heads up”. Keyword research is not an exact science and shouldn’t be discussed like it is. It’s more of a black art based on skewed and inaccurate datasets. As a result it’s very easy to screw up.
The Review Process
I was telling someone the other day about what I’ve been up to. I explained how I had been researching all of the major Keyword Research tools and was writing about my findings. They had some foundational knowledge about keyword research, but the big thing was, they really understood its importance. They asked me the process I undertook to get my head around comparing all these different tools in one report.
Introduction to Keyword Research
Keyword Research describes the practise of looking at what users are searching for and how they search for it on the Internet. More specifically, Keyword Research helps us understand the types of things people are trying to find, as well as the words they’re using.
This article gives a general overview on the basics of Keyword Research.
Different Tools, Different Reasons
Not everyone has the same motivations when they're doing Keyword Research. So it makes sense that some tools are going to have better outcomes for different tasks depending on what kind of user the software maker had in mind when the tool was designed.
Keyword Research Concepts
I think we need to take a few minutes to remind ourselves of some important concepts that relate to Keyword Research. It's easy to get caught up in the Keyword Research hype and overlook some of the core concepts and assumptions that all Keyword Research is based upon.
Why Pay for Keyword Research Tools?
I'm sure that many of you are saying to yourselves, why would I need to buy any of these tools when there are so many free ones out there? Well, you'd be right in saying that there are plenty of free tools. However, you can't do the same job with the free tools that you can do with the paid ones. The free tools can give you a rough guide and give a quick indication whether a hunch is worth further research. However, if you're serious about doing well on the Internet, I'm afraid most of the time the free tools just aren’t effective enough.