I’m a big believer in utilizing free and open source solutions, and the ethos of information sharing and synergy among designers and developers is very cool on every level and it is certainly something to tap into. Oddly, there are those who think that something that is free can’t be as good as something that you have to pay for. That may be true in most cases in regards to hard product, but when it comes software there are often very viable free or open source alternatives.
I’m personally not the biggest fan of Google in the same manner that I’m not the a fan of the Yankees–the powerful behemoths who can outspend anyone and subsequently dictate terms to all. But, Google, unlike the Yankees, actually shares some cool stuff for free, and one of them is the Google Adwords Keyword Tool.
Now there other keyword tools out there, but you either have to pay for them, or they are “light” versions that are intended to tease you into buying the full version. I have toyed with these, and I prefer the free tool that Google offers. Though I don’t believe that their search numbers are entirely accurate, they are as good or better than the subscription tools like Wordtracker (imho).
When you access the Google Adwords Keyword Tool you have the choice to enter a site’s URL to see what keywords the Google bots associate with it, or enter keywords that you have targeted to see how many searches they get per month, and how much competition there is for the term. The first option is a good way to:
1.) Analyze the keywords that a site that is doing well in your niche is using.
2.) Evaluate how your site looks to the Google spiders in terms of keyword anatomy and consider their suggestions.
The other search will let you know how many people are searching for the terms you are considering, and how hard it will be to place for those by considering the level of competition that exists for the terms. The logical approach is to try to target keywords that get a good amount of searches that are not saturated with competition. Depending on the niche you’re in, it can be tough, but that’s the goal. Below you will see what the Google Adwords Keyword Tool interface looks like. Notice that the term I entered was “keyword tools.”
The tool is self explanatory, and if you have never used it you will be surprised by how few searches some terms get, and by how many others get. I once had a client who provided me with the keywords he wanted me to use for a large, ongoing blogging initiative. He didn’t use any keyword tools, and many of his terms got little to no searches, but he was not someone who wanted to be “schooled” by the help, so…I gave him what he requested. It’s interesting to note that he was out of business about six months later.
So there’s a little heads-up on Google’s keyword tool. I use it just about every day and I recommend becoming familiar with it and using your common sense to put it to good use.
