How to Export Keywords to a CSV - Exporting Analytics Data to CSV Files Tutorial

Exporting keywords from a third-party Web analytics provider for import into WordStream can seem a bit daunting at first, but really it's a fairly simple process. The steps are similar for most analytics packages. For the purposes of this example, we'll use Google Analytics as a means of demonstration.

Please note that we recommend you utilize our WordStream Keyword Discovery Tool and run the tool against your server's log files, as this is a more thorough method of capturing search queries and traffic sources, but use of a third-party analytics tool to import data is a close second.

Feel free to skip ahead:

Exporting Your Google Analytics Keyword Data

Google allows you to create reports that show your keywords, and the number of visits they have driven. Because of the importance of keyword research and keyword suggestion in search marketing, these are the two of the most important pieces of data that’ll you’ll upload into your WordStream account. 

Here are the six steps to successfully exporting keywords to a CSV:

Getting Your Keyword Data From Google Analytics

First, make sure you’re under the “Traffic Sources” tab in the left hand navigation bar in your analytics account.  Then, can click on the “Keywords” option within this tab, as pictured:

Google analytics keyword exportation starts by simply highling the keywords link in your account,

Additionally, be sure to set your date range to as far back as you have data for. To do this, simply click the date located on the upper right hand side of your screen:

Set the Google analytics date range in your account to as far back as possible.

The Most Keywords You Can Export from Google Analytics

You now have the option as to how many keywords you would like to "view". This number also represents how many keywords you can export at a given time, so you'll want to select the maximum, 500. You can do this by manipulating the drop down pictured below, which is located in the bottom right of your Google Analytics screen:

The maximum number of keywords you can export from Google is 500.

The Google Analytics Keyword Exportation hack - Export More than 500 Keywords from Your Google Analytics Account

Thankfully, there is a work-around. You can simply and quickly export more keywords (up to about 40,000) than Google Analytics otherwise allows by simply appending &limit=40000 to the end of the website URL and hitting enter.

So, once you're in your account, you can follow the above steps. You can then change the Web address of the page you're viewing, as pictured:

There is a Google Analytics keyword exportation hack that allows you to export 40,000 keywords at a time, as pictured.

NOTE: In exporting keywords, you will still only be able to view 500 keywords at a time. Please ignore this fact, as you'll be able to export up to 40,000.

By then carrying out the below steps, you should be able to export up to ~40k keywords to CSV.

Export Your Data To CSV

Next, you’ll want to export these keywords and visits into an Excel. You can do this by hitting the “Export” button located on the gray bar below the View Reports menu, as pictured:

click the export tab, then select CSV.

This will move your keywords and visit totals into a CSV report.

Importing keywords from your csv file

Once the csv file has been created you will only need "column A" and "column B", which will consist of your keywords and visits. You will need to delete all data besides just the keywords and visits. See below:

Select Keyword and Visits Column as shown

Then select "column A" and "column "B" together and copy the information. (Note you will not need the "Keyword" and "Visits" text.)

Select column A and column B to copy your keywords

Importing the Keywords to WordStream

All that's left to do is simply copy the keywords from the CSV report (your Excel spreadsheet) and paste them into the Import Keywords dialog box. This process is outlined in our Importing Keywords Tutorial.

That's it. You're done. Your keyword data is in WordStream and you're ready to start on the path to being more productive and getting more value out of your PPC Campaigns.