Getting To Know the New Google Keyword Planner

Don’t Fear The New & Improved Google Keyword Planner…It Rocks!

Few things have been as seemingly catastrophic for SEOs and online marketers over the last few years than the dismissal of the Google Keyword Tool. For years that tool served as one of the best sources for tapping into the wealth of keywords you ought to be focusing on in your online marketing strategies. And the best part was that it was free. Other paid tools tried to wrap their data in fancier packages, but in the end, the data supplied by the horse’s mouth (this horse being Google) was some of the most accurate and intricate data we had access to.

And now it’s gone. Or is it?

Just because the Google Keyword Tool you knew and loved has gone the way of many other Google products and services, doesn’t mean that you’re lost in the woods without breadcrumbs to help you find salvation. The new Google Keyword Planner is better than most folks give it credit for. Like any new tool, it’s received its fair share of criticism. It’s like the younger brother of the star athlete. SEOs and online marketers across the world are crying out: “Why can’t you be more like your big brother?” If only they new that baby brother had far more potential than they’re willing to allow.

What Does the New Google Keyword Planner Have For E-Merchants and Marketers?

The I Spy Game

If it’s on the web, than it’s not a secret, and the I Spy Game is one example of this. One of the best ways to remain competitive in your industry is to know what your competitors are doing to stay on top. Good thing the new Google Keyword Planner lets you know exactly what they’re hiding up their sleeves. If you don’t know your top competitors, do a Google search of your main keyterm(s), and jot down the top 5 results. These are your competitors.

Now, once you log into your Google account, go to the new Keyword Planner and, under the “Your landing page” option, type in your competitor’s URL. Google will let you know what keywords are relevant to “your” (really, it’s your competitors’) site. Now you can create pages and blogs/articles that focus on these words, so that you can remain competitive.

You can also use the Include/Exclude option as well, to narrow down your search to longer keyword phrases. For example, you can decide to include only question words (what, when, where, how, why) in search results. These longer keywords are much easier to rank for and make for great blog topics.

Localize It

Google has made no secret of its push toward local. Even global companies benefit from local strategies. The new Keyword Planner is great for helping you target local keywords. By using a multiple keyword list, you can add your main words or topics into List 1, and add locations to List 2. For this strategy to work you’ll need to enter a bid and daily budget amount. If you’re actively creating a PPC campaign, then make sure to put the amount that you’re willing to spend per day. If you’re just doing this for research, then enter any bid and daily budget amount.

We suggest you check the match type to “Exact Match” to get the phrases with the highest traffic, and voila, you have yourself a list of localized keywords and phrases for your preferred geographic locations.

Get Rich In Your Niche

Most, if not all, e-merchants have a niche, and the new Keyword Planner helps you get the most out of your niche. The Product Category portion of the planner features a ton of niche areas (apparel, computers and consumer electronics, etc.) that, when you choose, provide you with a wealth of potential new phrases to blog about, which you might have never thought of before.

Adwords Just Got Easier

And perhaps the best feature of the new Keyword Planner tool is how much easier it is to create Adwords campaigns. Once you do your keyword research, all you need to do is click the blue arrows at the right of the columns, and those words will be added to your keyword plan. This is, of course, what Google is after – getting more and more people to use Adwords. As an online merchant, you’re likely already tapping into this arena right now, so unlike others who may sob at the loss of the previous keyword tool, you can revel in the fact that the new incarnation of the keyword tool was designed specifically for people like you.

Any new tool or service requires some “getting used to” time. It’s worth the investment to spend some one-on-one time with your new tool to see how it can impact your marketing strategy. Of course, trying to adapt the new Google Keyword Planner tool to your existing strategy can be a challenge. OperationROI can help. Call us at 1-888-277-5429 or fill out our contact form to learn how we can help you use the new keyword tool to your advantage.