6 Ways to Use Google and It's Many Resources For Your Keyword Research

There is a wealth of information available from Google to help you with your keyword research, and I'm not only talking about its ubiquitous Adwords keyword tool. That is usually as far as many people ever get using Google as a resource, and that's a shame, as there are no less than six ways you can mine their database for terms you may not have thought of but are clearly on Google's mind! In the spirit of not wanting to ignore the wisdom from the horse's mouth, here are six ways to plunder the resources of the world's leading search engine for terms you can use. 1. lGoogle Adwords Keyword External Tool– We may as well start here, as this is what most people know. It is a terrific resource for starting your keyword search and even more valuable if you utilize it correctly. To take advantage of this tool, sign in from your Adwords account when performing searches. (If you don't have one, sign up for one!) This enables you to have far more searches returned to you when you do a search. If you don't have an account, or simply choose not to sign in, you are limited to 200 keyword phrases per search. Sign in, and you get many, many more! 2. Google SKTool– This is their search keyword tool, and it is located directly under the search box on a Google start page and is labeled “Sktool.”. It returns much the same data returned in an Adwords tool search but is based on the search box, making it a bit more convenient. 3. Google Wonder Wheel – Located in the left sidebar of a search results page, the Wonder Wheel is a unique beast. It provides a visual relationship between the keywords they are returning and the keywords that you are considering. This can be a good clue about how Google sees the relationship and relevance within the collection of search terms, which can be useful information when designing your site's architecture. Knowing how to silo your keywords the way Google sees them could result in better rankings. 4. Related Searches – This is a list of related terms that people who are searching for your term also search for, and it is located as a list of ten keyword phrases at the bottom of a search results page. This can be a very useful list to not only make use of but to also search laterally within these terms. You can find some gems this way. 5. Google Suggest – This useful function within the search box brings back ten suggestions based on the term you are typing in. You will see it appear as you type. This can be a terrific tool for expanding your list, as you can easily expand your universe of keyword phrases. As an experiment with this, enter the main keyword “diet,” add a space, and type the letter “a.” You'll get ten suggestions. Backspace over the “a” and type in “b,” and you'll get ten more such as “diet breakfast.” Just meandering through the alphabet with this will get you 260 keyword phrases that Google itself feels are relevant! 6. Google Trends – This tool has been very popular since its inception. It helps you to instantly gauge the popularity and any seasonal or news-driven traffic trends in your chosen keywords. Very good information to possess! These six tools (all free, of course) can be a great place to find and start to sift through many keywords on your way to a powerhouse list. If you can't afford commercial tools but still need to get the job done, this is a great way to start!