Keyword Research Tools (part 3)

2.1.2. What the Traffic Estimator provides

Within Google AdWords is a tool called the Traffic Estimator (see Figure 10) that allows you to get estimates of traffic on different keywords (i.e., the potential click-throughs you may see to your site, instead of just the number of impressions provided by tools such as Google’s AdWords Keyword Tool). Although this tool is built into AdWords, it can provide invaluable information regarding the traffic data Google has available, which can be useful in organic search optimization. You can also see the tool at https://adwords.google.com/select/TrafficEstimatorSandbox.

When you enter one or more keywords in the Traffic Estimator, the tool will return estimates of the search volume for each term, their average cost-per-click, their ad positions, the clicks per day, and the cost per day. The cost information can provide you with additional insight into how competitive a keyword is in organic search as well.

The Traffic Estimator is located under the Tools section in Google AdWords. Enter your keyword in the box (enter one keyword if you want to see data for just that keyword; enter more keywords if you want a comparison).

You can enter your keyword in the following ways:

Broad match

Entering your keyword without any parameters means it will be broadly matched; this means if you buy an ad for this keyword, it will appear in the search results when any of the words in your keyword phrase are combined and used in a search. For example, your ad for search engine optimization will appear in the results for a search on search for train engine optimization.

Exact match

Putting brackets around your keyword (e.g., [search engine optimization]) means your ad will show only when a user types in the exact keyword phrase you are targeting.

Phrase match

Adding quotation marks around your keyword (e.g., “search engine optimization”) means your ad will show when a user types in a phrase that contains your keyword. For example, your ad will show on a search for “how to do search engine optimization”.

Negative match

Using the minus sign/dash in front of an undesired keyword (e.g., -spam) before your keyword (e.g., “search engine optimization” for a phrase match) means the term does not apply to your services; therefore, your ad won’t show for the corresponding search (e.g., “search engine optimization spam”).

When using the Traffic Estimator for keyword research it is best to enter your keywords as “exact match” for direct comparison.

After you’ve entered your keywords, you can leave Daily Budget blank. Set the currency and then select your language and the location you’re targeting (for U.S.-focused campaigns, use the default of “Countries and territories” and enter “United States”). See Figure 11.

When you click Continue, you’ll see data for each keyword you entered. Useful data for keyword research purposes includes Estimated Clicks/Day and Cost/Day. You can compare each keyword’s estimated clicks to see which term is more likely to be searched for and clicked on than others.

In the results shown in Figure 12, internet marketing is estimated to have 36 to 45 clicks per day, while search engine marketing has 10 to 12, search engine optimization has 13 to 16, and seo has 15. Based on this data, it is clear that internet marketing is the most popular term of the four and is likely to be one of the more competitive terms. In this particular case, an additional factor enters into the equation, because seo is a “trophy term” on which people put an extra focus for branding reasons. Nonetheless, the value of the traffic data is considerable.

2.1.3. Where the tools get their data

Google’s Keyword Tool Estimator and Traffic Estimator get their data from Google’s search query database.

2.1.4. How the tools are useful

The AdWords Keyword Tool offers a lot of useful information about your keyword campaigns, such as suggestions for similar keywords, an estimate of the keyword’s popularity, ad costs and positions, general search volume trend information, and keyword campaign suggestions for your site or your competitor’s site. The tool is great for compiling a lot of general information about a keyword.

The Traffic Estimator provides a decent estimate of your keyword’s click-through rate. Based on the estimated clicks per day, you can get a relative idea of which of your keywords are the most popular and can potentially bring you the most traffic.

2.1.5. Cost

The Keyword Tool is free to use. The Traffic Estimator is also free, but unlike the Keyword Tool, it is not accessible from an external URL; you must sign up for an AdWords account to use the Traffic Estimator tool (it costs a minimum of $5 to activate an AdWords account).

2.2. Yahoo! Search Marketing

Yahoo! also provides a tool to help find keywords for paid search campaigns: Yahoo! Search Marketing. As with the Google tools, Yahoo! Search Marketing offers a lot of useful data for your organic search optimization campaigns.

After you select your time zone and geotargeting preference and provide three keywords/phrases that you want to target, the Search Marketing tool will generate a list of related keywords and an Estimated Searches bar. You need to be a Yahoo! Search Marketing customer to use this tool. When you set up an account the tool is provided in step 2 of the sign-up process. Figure 13 shows the Yahoo! Search Marketing tool.

2.2.1. Where it gets its data

Yahoo! Search Marketing gets its data from Yahoo!’s search query database. Note that the tool provides no actual search numbers—its gauge of “Estimated Searches” is simply a bar that you can compare with other keywords’ bars for relative popularity.

2.2.2. How it is useful

Step 2 of the Search Marketing sign-up process provides a helpful list of keywords related to the ones you provided. This list is useful in brainstorming various relevant keywords (it can generate terms you had not thought of), and the Estimated Searches gauge can give you a relative idea of which terms are more popular than others.

2.2.3. Cost

A Yahoo! Search Marketing Self-Serve sign-up is free, whereas Assisted Setup costs $199. Each account requires a minimum $5 deposit if you plan to advertise on the Yahoo! network.