Archives for December 2004

Here’s an interesting Keyword Research Tool using Overture and Wordtracker data. It goes a step further than some of the free tools and offers suggestions and a sort of score for how difficult it might be to rank well for a particular keyword phrase.

Another similar free keyword suggestion tool using both Wordtracker and Overture data is offered at Digital Point.

Google suggest can be useful for Google-specifc keyword reseach.

DaveN has made a cool tool that uses Google Suggest data so you can scrape more than the default 10 search term suggestions.

Of course there’s the Overture Keyword Selector, Wordtracker and the Google AdWords Keyword Sandbox.

There are others, but this is all I have time for now.

Hope everyone has had a happy holiday!

I noticed a few new SEO and Search Tools recently and decided to post several that you might find useful.

New – Backlink Tool – Checks unique domains pointing to a site. From Jim at WeBuildPages (thanks Aaron)

New – Google Suggest Scraper – Enter letters, words and it returns more than the default 10 phrases from Google Suggest. Interesting for keyword research specific to Google. From DaveN who also has several other interesting SEO Tools.

Keyword Pagerank Finder – For all you Pagerank-obsessed-crazed fans out there, this tool lets you search for sites that rank according to their Pagerank. From SEO-Guy who has several other SEO Tools.

Digital Point Keyword Suggestion Tool – Uses Overture AND Wordtracker data plus it’s free. Other useful tools here as well.

Yahoo launches video search engine. It searches for files in Microsoft’s Windows Media, Apple Computer’s QuickTime and RealNetwork’s Real Media. From CNet

It’s a bit like image search. You enter your keyword phrase and search results come back in a grid of thumbnails. Click on a thumbnail and it splits the screen into two frames (horizontal) with the thumbnail at the top including a “Play Video” link and the original web page below – much like Google images.

Blinkx video search engine is launched. Sources include Fox News, HBO, ESPN, National Public Radio and the BBC World Service. From ZDNet

SEMPO Finds Advertisers Will Spend $4 Billion Dollars in 2004 on Search Engine Marketing. 2005 estimated at 39% higher according to their recently released research paper, The State of Search Engine Marketing 2004.”

Official Summary:

ÙÄÇÉ Brand awareness is advertisers’ top objective for SEM programs, particularly
large firms
ÙÄÇÉ ROI is outpacing inflation: Advertisers say they could afford to pay on average
33% more for price of keywords and remain profitable, while they say prices have
gone up 26% on average in the last 12 months
ÙÄÇÉ SEM is poaching budget from shopping directory listings, web advertising, email
and print ads
ÙÄÇÉ Senior executives consider SEM a high business priority at 50% of advertiser
respondents
ÙÄÇÉ Advertisers plan to increase their SEM spending 41% on average in 2005
ÙÄÇÉ Most advertisers plan to manage the majority of their SEM spending in-house
in 2005