My good friend Mark over at SilverECHO asked me what my favorite paid keyword research tool was and my fast response is this…
Most of my favorite paid keyword research tools are actually free!
Mark asked me about WordTracker and I’ve heard good things about word tracker but why pay when you get an amazing free light version. They have a KILLER free plug-in for WordPress and FireFox. It totally rocks the party! http://labs.wordtracker.com/seo-blogger/
Another great free resource often overlooked is http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/ Yahoo site explorer can show you a whole mess of stuff that can be really helpful.
Google has a ton of great keyword research tools and tips. Here are my top picks.
- https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal Also check out the beta tool.
- using link: or site: to see what google thinks of your url for example try site:practicallydutch.com
- check out the screen cap below. Take a peak next time under #1 – more options. My favorite is the “wonder wheel”.
- #2 is really helpful. Keep in mind the higher #2 is, the harder it is to rank for that term. If you are ever looking for a fast estimate on how hard a term is, under 100,00 is probably attainable quickly, over 1,000,000 – going to take some work.
To answer Mark’s question what is my favorite paid keyword research tool – I’ve been using this one called “Market Samurai” and I find it to be pretty insightful.
The other one I’ve used is SEONuke SEONuke is definitely a paid keyword research tool but it is SO much more than just that. Its nothing like Market Samurai and you could easily use both together. SEONuke is a monthly fee of something like $130 wile Market Samurai is a one time fee in the $150 range. Best news is both offer free full version trials. I’d look at them both and see which you like better.
Keep in mind – none of this software “comes with secret compiled data” – it is basically a GUI/filter of readily available data from Google, Yahoo or Bing.
- Remember that when writing for keywords, there are rules. If you don’t follow the rules, you are just spinning your wheels.
- Keyword writing isn’t a one time deal. You don’t just “optimize” the page and walk away and expect to rank well. You may if it isn’t a very competitive keyword , but for tougher keywords, you have to think long term.
- When writing for keywords, keep in mind the end game. It is no use being number one for your keyword if you don’t convert.
Hey Seth, very helpful, as always. Funny you turned my email question into a blog post! Great information! Thanks!
by the way, i signed up for the trial for Market Samuri and so far so good! Thanks for the tip! Cutting down on the confusion already!
Hey,
Also check out the training videos that go with it. They are incredibly helpful and will help you get the most out of the software.
http://www.noblesamurai.com/support/tutorials/
-s
by the way, i signed up for the trial for Market Samuri and so far so good! Thanks for the tip! Cutting down on the confusion already!
+1
Hey,
Also check out the training videos that go with it. They are incredibly helpful and will help you get the most out of the software.
http://www.noblesamurai.com/support/tutorials/
-s
HiYa,
I tried to download the SEO Blogger and then upload it to my WordPress Plugins file but had an error message that there was no header. Followed that up by trying to search the plugin through WP and it wasn’t there. Do you know if they are going to bring it back for the latest version of WP, or have they let the project go? Sounded good, and I thought I would like to give it a whirl.
Becky
SEO Blogger – the one I was talking about in this post – is a plug-in for Firefox – not WordPress – so you shouldn’t need to upload it anywhere.