Google Keyword Tool: A One-Time Approach to Keyword Research

Using Google’s Keyword Tool can help you build a base keyword list for your organic search efforts and PPC campaigns [2], but there are several notable shortcomings of Google's tool:

• The keyword tool from Google dumps a list of keywords without further guidance on what to do with them
• You have to organize everything yourself, using Excel or third-party tools
• Since it's free and available to everyone, it gives you no competitive edge

Keyword research is an incredibly important part of your SEO and PPC process [3], and it can’t be viewed as a step, per se, because it’s continuous and iterative. In other words, keyword research needs to be a regular part of your job. Tools like the Google Keyword Tool take a one-time approach to keyword research, which can be dangerous when you’re paying for and relying on these keywords to bring visitors to your site.

	Try Our Keyword Research Suite FREE!
	Get instant access to WordStream's innovative keyword tools and trillion-keyword database. Try it free and start finding keywords for SEO and PPC. [4]

Google’s Keyword Tool Helps You Get Started, But Not to Keep Going

Let’s say you’re building a brand new website, and you have never tried pay-per-click marketing before. You don’t have much site traffic, and you just want to get started and try a few things out. The Google Keyword Tool can help you at this early stage of your process, establishing some very general terms surrounding your main target phrases that you’ve come up with and providing a set base of Google keywords. Google keyword tools might possibly even help you think of a few outside-of-the-box terms you might not have originally thought of. The keyword tool from Google also gives you global search data and some other metrics to help you decipher if the keyword is worth using.

But it's important to remember that the only terms that Google’s Keyword Tool will give you are terms based on ones you type in. This means if you’re off the mark on any of your assumptions for words your site should focus on, the results you get may not be relevant.

This also means that the data Google's keyword tool gives you surrounding these keywords is based on global search data and advertiser competition, not on the effectiveness of these terms when directly applied to your website.

The Google keyword tool website has the Google keyword metrics tool that provides global search volume, and while this data can be helpful, it doesn't help you identify how these keywords will connect with your website. You'll need to export the data manually into a spreadsheet, organize the keywords, and then brainstorm about how effective these keywords might be for your site.   

Why You Shouldn’t Rely on the Google Keyword Tool for your PPC Campaign

Don't take our word for it; here's what the Google Keyword Tool [5] has to say about their keyword suggestions: "We cannot guarantee that these keywords will improve your campaign performance." The Google Keyword External Tool will only get you so far.

The Google keyword metric tool simply doesn't provide the data you need to create a successful PPC campaign.

In order to successfully implement keywords in your AdWords campaigns, you'll need to:

• Organize your keywords into tightly related groups: You need to structure your campaigns into close-knit ad groups in order to get high Quality Scores [6] and rankings without encountering exorbitant costs.
• Use negative keywords to save money: Negative keywords [7] give you much better control over where your budget is being spent, making sure your ads are shown only for relevant queries, so your impressions and clicks pay off. But Google doesn't offer any tools to help you find negative keywords.

So how do you sort and make sense of your keywords when the external Google keyword tool is so lacking? How do you find potential negative keyword candidates, aside from brainstorming or buying a generic negative keyword list?

WordStream – The Ultimate Keyword Tool

WordStream's Keyword Research Suite [8] provides customers with three core benefits not offered by traditional search-based keyword [9] products:

• Exclusive Keyword Research - The Keyword Research Suite gives you deep access to WordStream's industry-leading, trillion-keyword database. This gives you the competitive edge of knowing your keywords are more extensive and accurate.
• Keyword Data You Can Act On - Instead of just a list of keywords, our Google keyword selection tool gives you structured, actionable data, ready to use in search marketing campaigns. You'll be able to organize and put into action insights surrounding your keywords [10] and search queries.
• Keywords When You Need Them - Don't be held back by the limits of web-based keyword research tools. The Keyword Research Suite is a robust toolset designed for full-time search marketers and business owners, and offers virtually unlimited access to our huge keyword database. That means you can expand your keyword research over time, even every day.

These free google key word tools will help you automate the process of discovering new keywords, so you can get more done in less time, without losing control of your keyword research. WordStream's high-performing keyword tools provide everything you need for creating a winning PPC or SEO campaign.

Google Search Based Keyword Tools: Providing Search Marketing Success

WordStream's Google keyword search and discovery tools were expertly designed to make search marketing work for small and medium businesses. The Keyword Research Suite offers all the tools you need for your search campaigns, such as:

• The Keyword Suggestion Tool: The WordStream Google AdWords keyword tool lets you leverage our huge database to find large numbers of keywords fast, providing a Google keyword search tool and Google keyword research tool in one.
• The Keyword Niche Finder: Find profitable new niches and clusters of related keywords to target with this Google keyword selector tool.
• The Keyword Grouper: This Google keyword analysis tool quickly turns a disorganized list into a manageable, actionable structure.

In addition, WordStream offers a unique Negative Keyword Tool [7] that helps you find negative keywords to use in your PPC campaigns, ensuring that you don't waste your budget on keywords and clicks that won't convert.

Not ready to sign up for the Keyword Research Suite? You can try WordStream's Google Keyword Suggestion Tool [11] for free. You can sample this free google keyword tool with our collection of other free Google keyword research tools and Google keyword discovery tools.

Like our Google Keyword Tool? Try our Free AdWords Performance Grader!

Wordstream’s AdWords Performance Grader [12] is a free AdWords tool that helps you evaluate how your AdWords campaigns are performing on several key criteria. 

Looking at indicators such as Quality Score, Account Activity, Impression Share, and Click-Through Rate, the Performance Grader analyzes your AdWords campaigns and compares your score with relative competitors.

The AdWords Performance Grader helps you:

• See how well your campaigns are really doing

• Understand where you fit into the competitive landscape

• Learn tips for improving your score

The AdWords Performance Grader shows you where and how to make improvements to your AdWords campaign that will improve your performance and save you money. It’s an expert analysis, and it’s absolutely free!

Go Beyond the Google Keyword Tool: Try WordStream today

Want to learn more about WordStream's Google keyword ranking tool and Google SEO keyword tool?

You can try all the tools available in WordStream's Keyword Research Suite FREE. Take them for a test drive! [4]