Looking to do search term research? Below are articles covering the topic. But first, here are some tools you might want to consider:

Free Tools

Google AdWords Keyword Tool: Enter a search term or terms, and you’ll be shown other keywords related to that term. You can then sort keywords in terms of search volume popularity.

Google Trends: Got some terms in mind and wondering how they’ve been trending, such as becoming more or less popular? Google Trends provides a way to go back in time and chart keywords, based on the accumulated search data that Google sees. Also see Google Meme: Hot Trends Added To Google Trends, which explains more about the day-to-day reporting you can get from Google Trends.

Wordtracker Free Keyword Suggestion Tool: Enter a term and get a list of 100 terms related to (and including it), ranked by daily popularity. Data is based on Wordtracker’s search term data collected from the Dogpile and Metacrawler meta search engines. Wordtracker also offers a much more robust fee-based keyword research tool.

Trellian Free Search Term Suggestion Tool: As with Worktracker above, enter a term and get back a list of 100 terms related to and including it. They’ll be ranked by how often they’re searched for each year, rather than each day. Data comes from a variety of search engines. Trellian Keyword Discovery is fee-based tool hitting the same database and providing more features.

SEO Book Keyword Suggestion Tool: Taps into the Yahoo tool above and provides links and information to many of the other tools also listed above, so that you can get more information directly from them. A variety of other keyword tools are also offered.

Other Tools

Hitwise Search Intelligence: Provides the ability to tap into Hitwise’s database of how people search, based on ISP data it gathers. Offered on a custom pricing basis. Hitwise Keyword Intelligence offers fewer features but is also available for a lower, fixed cost.

comScore qSearch: Allows you to tap into comScore’s database of search activity, gathered from a large panel of web users that it monitors.

eBay Marketplace Research: Mine data on how people are searching at eBay, for a fee.

Good Keywords: Free software for Windows designed to help with keyword lists.

Google Webmaster Central: Provides a way to see the top search terms that are sending you traffic, according to Google.

See also the Stats: Search Behavior area of Search Engine Land for tools that let you discover what people are searching for in general at particular search engines, plus how people search overall.

Search Illustrated: Keyword Research (Part 2)

Oct 30, 2007 at 4:48am ET by Elliance

In part 2 of our 3-part series, today's infographic details an essential element of keyword research: exploring conversations that are happening on the web. By combing through competitive and industry websites, relevant blog postings, and popular tag sites, new phrases are discovered and search frequencies can be determined. Graphic by Elliance, an eMarketing firm specializing in results-driven search engine marketing, web site design, and outbound eMarketing campaigns. The firm is the creator of the ennect online marketing toolkit. The Search Illustrated column appears Tuesdays at Sear [...]

Search Illustrated: Keyword Research (Part 1)

Oct 23, 2007 at 7:45am ET by Elliance

Thorough keyword research, done with the website's goals in mind, is critical for a successful search marketing campaign. In part 1 of a short series dedicated to keyword research, today's infographic explores the first—and arguably most important—step in the process: thinking like the customer. Graphic by Elliance, an eMarketing firm specializing in results-driven search engine marketing, web site design, and outbound eMarketing campaigns. The firm is the creator of the ennect online marketing toolkit. The Search Illustrated column appears Tuesdays at Search Engine Land. [...]

Tis The Season To Optimize For The Holidays

Aug 16, 2007 at 7:25am ET by Matt McGee

Prediction: Any day now, you're going to walk into a retail store and see Christmas products for sale. I know it's only August. I know the holidays are more than four months away. But that won't stop your favorite store from getting a jump on the shopping season. And it shouldn't stop you from preparing your web site for an influx of holiday shoppers. According to recent ShopLocal survey of 2,000 adult shoppers, 33% have already started holiday shopping! So, if you're an online retailer and you haven't started thinking about the holidays, what are you waiting for? Here are some tips and id [...]

Doing Keyword Research? Here Are Some Resources To Help!

Jul 9, 2007 at 8:29am ET by Danny Sullivan

Search term research is one of the fundamental activities for a successful search marketing campaign. You've got to know the words people are using if you want to target them properly. To help, I've expanded the Search Term Research section of Search Engine Land to list a variety of resources and tools you can consult. The Search Behavior section also has been updated to list places where search engines generally report on search activity, such as popular trends in searching. Both sections also recap articles we've covered on these topics. Below, a bit more about what's in both sec [...]

Yahoo Search Marketing Adds New Keyword Tool & More Features To Panama

Jun 28, 2007 at 7:00pm ET by Barry Schwartz

Yahoo will be launching new features within Panama today. The features include: An improved keyword selector tool giving you an estimate of the monthly searches. An easy way to move and copy keywords from one ad group to another. To do this, go to your ad group page and under the "Campaigns" tab, you should see a "Move" button that will enable this feature. This feature has been at the top of many advertisers' wish lists. A new "ad writing help guide," that will give you a method of previewing ads as they would appear in search results for your selected keywords. More details should b [...]

Keyword Research Steps & Tool Update

Feb 27, 2007 at 9:41am ET by Barry Schwartz

Five Steps to Effective Keyword Research by Lisa Barone shares some of the basic steps to take when it comes to keyword research, which is the cornerstone of SEO. Complimentary to Lisa's article is an updated tool by SEO Book named New Keyword List Cleaner Tool. [...]

Wordtracker Adds UK Keywords Option To Keyword Tools

Feb 13, 2007 at 9:12am ET by Barry Schwartz

Wordtracker, a very popular keyword tool used by search marketers, has added UK keywords to their existing tools. This means, those wanting to target the UK region, will have an option to specify UK keywords only and will be shown related keywords based on that data. How does Wordtracker gather such information? Wordtracker's Andy Mindel said: "We collect uncompressed log files from the ISPs. From these we extract the keywords from the major engines including Google, Yahoo, AOL and MSN amongst others, leaving just over 4% of the original files." They then go through these log files, extra [...]

Keyword Research And Consumer Demand

Feb 6, 2007 at 9:13am ET by Greg Sterling

Kevin Delaney at the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) today has an interesting article that borrows a page from John Battelle's "database of intentions" idea of search as a kind of repository for consumer demand, buzz meter and perpetual focus group all in one. The article discusses how marketers are using search to help conduct research and development, launch new products and predict potential product success based on perceived consumer demand -- all via search volumes: There is evidence that data about consumer searches could prove valuable to businesses in other ways. As part [...]

Yahoo To Build New Keyword Research Tool & Wordtracker Launches Free Tool

Jan 31, 2007 at 9:19am ET by Barry Schwartz

There have been recent reports that the Overture Keyword Suggestion Tool has been sporadically offline. In response to those reports, Yahoo issued a statement telling us that the Overture tool has been getting hit hard by users but will "continue to exist until we replace it with an improved product." The new tool is expected to be released "later this year" and will support an API and be found within the new Yahoo Search Marketing area. Since we don't have a free tool from Yahoo that is reliable at the moment, Aaron Wall informs us that Wordtracker released a new free keyword tool at http:/ [...]

AOL’s Top Searches Of 2006

Dec 13, 2006 at 10:11am ET by Barry Schwartz

Gary Price reports that AOL has released their top searches of 2006. The results are categorized by "Overall Search," "Video Search," and "People Search." Top overall search is "Weather," the top video search is "iPod" and the top people search is "Paris Hilton." You can find the results over here. [...]

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