I've been an avid user of WordTracker for years but now my subscription has expired I'm wondering if I should try Keyword Discovery or something else. So can I ask: what do you use and why?
My annual WT subscription expired a month or so ago. For now we are using the free tool at KWD. Normally we only put up one page per topic and attack the highest search volume terms that make sense in natural language. The free tool provides that information along with lots of minor terms that we write into the content where possible.
If I was building a comprehensive site or a new area on the site with many pages for a single KW, then I would get the paid subscription.
I prefer KWD because they have a larger sample of search queries. When you are searching WordTracker, you are only getting the numbers (KEI, Count) for a tiny percent of the total number of search queries on all search engines.
Whoops I asked the question and then missed the answers.
EGOL so am I right in assuming that if you were going to pay it would be for KD?
kulpreet_singh thanks for your feedback.
I might give KD a go for a month or two and then compare. From my understanding they have better data for regional searches, such as Australia, which would benefit me.
If anyone else has any feedback we'd love to hear it.
Given the choice between WT and KD I'd go for WordZe
I find it helps to take one and stick to it. The amount of time one can waist going between tools is... well.. substantial
For me the key is to get a feel for the data. This does require some back-and-forth though. Do a couple of researches on 2-4 services, both free and paid. See where they agree and where not.
I also like compete.com a lot although it's not a true KW service.
Finally, the data you can get via free tools is quite solid too.
I use Wordtracker and Google External Keyword Tool which give me relative keywords in very short span of time with search volume on google.
What is the opinion about Google External Keyword Tool ?
I found one problem with Wordtracker that I does not gives exact number of searches but it gives count but when starting any project I want to know estimate number of visitors which can be arrived at the site If I got 1st position in search results.
I used to keep a paid subscription on both so I can do my keyword research from all angles, but recently dropped wordtracker all together.
The results and options are just better to me in keyword discovery and I didn't like the recent changes to wordtracker with how they display their results.
I'm based in the UK and I've been using Miva, Google and overture (when it works). All are free and, on the whole, the popularity of keywords matches up between the tools. I've also dabbled with the keyword suggestion tool on SEO book, which can be useful. I'm finding keyword research very difficult and if anyone has a great suggestion for a paid alternative, for UK markets, then I'm all ears.
Thanks,
Tom
This post has been edited by wyliet: Feb 12 2008, 05:50 AM
WordTracker used to help a lot by offering synonyms to the keywords. Sometimes, I found words that I didn't think about.
From the looks of it, KWD offers similar tools to WT, but from different data sources.
What do you find useful in WordZe, Ruud? It doesn't seem to me they offer much beyond keyword research, really. The SERP scraping and link tracking that they have (and call it a 'patent pending technology) doesn't look that good to me.
This post has been edited by A.N.Onym: Feb 12 2008, 08:10 AM
What Ruud said. I used to use the free version of WT, never went for a paid one. KWD - never tried it even. But WordZe does actually do everything I need, plus it handles keywords in languages other than English just fine. Google External keyword tool - yea it's ok whenever it does not go down or has glitches, only trouble I have with it is the lack of actual figures. So whenever I need a quick look at something I will most likely go to Google external keyword tool. Whenever I need detailed data and long keyword lists I use WordZe.
WordZe has API, CSV download, zip archive download. Adding is as easy as clicking a button. Searching - well you need to learn a couple things to do it better but generally very easy and they have nice tutorials too.
I prefer the paid version of KD over the paid version of WT. Both seem to have accurate (though somewhat outdated) data. I find KD to be easier to use with a few more useful features.
As far as WordZe, I think that they have an excellent interface and the making of some very useful tools. Unfortunately, by comparing WordZe data to what I know is real data (based on PPC campaigns), they are very inaccurate. I don't know where they are pulling their data from, but it doesn't match up with what I see in Google, Yahoo or MS. Not even close.
My suggestion to anyone looking for a professional keyword tool is to do a one month subscription with each WT and KD (perform beginning to end keyword research and expansion with each) and decide which you prefer.
This post has been edited by chris1: Feb 15 2008, 04:42 PM
WT is best for processing bulk lists of possible keyword combos (up to 100, I've found). If you want to check a word or phrase with every state name in the USA, for example.
KD only allows you to search one phrase at a time, but is more accurate (imho). I use it to verify the top phrases I get from WT results, or if I only need to check a couple phrases.