Keyword research and tools

What Is a “Keyword Research Tool?”

Keyword research tools allow you to see what people are searching for on the web, guess what else they might search for, and then optimize for those keywords.

That’s a bit technical, so let’s break it down.

If you go to Google.com and do a search for blogging, you’ll be taken to a new page where it lists different web pages that talk about blogging. What you might not realize is your search was recorded. Search engines keep track of how many people search for different terms. It’s valuable information.

Keyword research tools like we’ve used in Keyword Research for Bloggers collect that information from several search engines to guess how many times people search for that keyword. It’s not completely accurate, as these tools don’t have the records from all search engines.

Generally though, they do make a pretty good guess. When they’re inaccurate, it’s also fairly consistent, meaning all of the terms you’re researching are off by a certain percentage. So, you might not be able to trust the individual counts, but you can compare terms with a reasonable degree of accuracy.

The best keyword research tools charge a small monthly fee for access. Why? Because they spend a considerable amount of money pulling together the best data and making it possible for you interpret it. If you’re planning on using keyword research as a part of your website strategy, then it’s easily worth the investment.

Which Keyword Research Tool Is Best?

Do a search for “keyword research tools” and you’ll come up with dozens of websites, software packages, and Internet marketing products. Each claims to be the best, featuring glowing reviews and pointing out their superiority over competing products.

But which keyword research tool is really the best?

It’s hard to tell. Unless you’re a keyword research expert, it’s hard to know which tool is the most accurate and useful. You’ll have to spend hours searching the web for reviews, and you’ll still come up with conflicting information about which keyword research tool is best.

I should know. I’ve spent 100 or more hours tinkering with different products, digging through forums for truthful reviews, and comparing everything to see which tools are worth buying. It’s been a nightmare, but I’ve come to two conclusions.

Most keyword research tools are a scam, selling you data that you can find elsewhere for free
All of the good tools (reviewed below) provide the same basic service with only a few differences

In other words, there isn’t a best product. Choosing between the top keyword research tools is like deciding whether you’ll go to Sam’s Club or Costco. For their price, they each give good value, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are relatively minor.