Keyword Research Software

Buyer's guide - what to look for in Keyword Research software

Keyword research and link analysis is a subset of the SEO industry. It is generally accepted as the essential first stage in any SEO campaign, whether the aim is to improve organic search results or implement a successful Pay-Per-Click campaign.

Keyword research tools are used to generate target key words and phrases. They will often start with the actual text of your website, a competitors website, or those that you manually type in. The aim is to use search data to identify the keyword that your customers are using when trying to find the products and services you provide. The software will assist you in finding keywords that are less competitive and highly relevant.

When choosing between solutions, look for the source of the data that they are using. Sources include:

• Google search
• Bing search
• Meta search engines
• eBay and Amazon (advanced)
• HitWise (advanced)

You are looking for software that will report search volumes and competing results for keywords. If the data source includes ecommerce data (such as Amazon or eBay) you want to be able to drill down and see what actually products the keywords led the buyer to.

Most software will give you some kind of calculation as to the suitability of the chosen words and phrases (based on volume and competition).

Keyword research is a complicated area and if you are new to the game you will need help and support. Look for a product that has good online help files and active community forums. A responsive vendor that replies to email queries and/or provides live-chat support is also a bonus.

Also consider that SEO suites such as Web CEO and IBP include keyword research modules. Although these are not usually as comprehensive as stand alone products, they can prove far more cost effective if you are considering the purchase of other SEO related products and generally come with a good support structure.

Most software titles in this category will offer a free trial and therefore would encourage you to try before you buy