We know that identifying the best keyword phrases is going to be key to our efforts to get better rankings through Search Engine Optimisation or better coverage in Search Advertising programmes. It can also help to achieve a more comprehensive coverage in our chosen area by identifying keyword phrases in adjacent areas that are relevant to what we offer.

To help in this task and find the best keyword phrases, there are a number of tools available to help us achieve this and a lot of them are free!

Here are ones that I have looked at and consider worthwhile.

WordTracker
Probably the best known tool in the field and self styled “Leading Keyword Research Tool”. It is charged for, although there is a limited free trial, but it is also very complete in what it offers across a number of Search Engines.

Google AdWords: Keyword Tool
Gives ideas for new keywords associated with your target phrase but does not indicate relevance or give details of number or frequency of searches

Overture Keyword Selector Tool
Returns details of how many searches have been carried out in the Overture engine over the period of a month and allows a drill down into associated keywords containing your keyword phrase as well.

NicheBot
NicheBot has a mix of Wordtracker and Overture based tools as well as a nice keyword analysis tool which focuses on Google’s results

Digital Point Keyword Suggestion Tool
One of a set of tools available at the Digital Point website – this engine gives search numbers on keywords from Wordtracker and Overture sources

In addition to these, although some of the keyword tools mentioned above already include it, I would also recommend taking a look through a Thesaurus (online or paperback) to open up other avenues. Sometimes you just can’t beat going back to basics!

Keyword phrases are the words that you focus on either in your website pages or in your online advertising and the ones that you wish to be found for when you attract visitors to your site.

Keyword phrases are key to two elements of working with Search Engines: optimising a website and using Search Advertising effectively. Effectively these are the phrases that best represent the content of your site and that you wish people to type into their Search Engine in order to find you , your website and your products.

Some ways of identifying the best keyword phrases for your website:

• think about what your product or service does or more importantly what benefits it offers;
• talk to clients and ask them what words sum up what you do;
• use some of the tools available to help find what words are commonly searched on and what other words and phrases are similar to them;
• examine your direct competitors sites and their online campaigns and see what words they are focusing on.

Remember: it is how you are perceived by others that is the important point to remember and not necessarily how you believe that you are perceived.

How you use the keyword phrases is important but finding the right ones is critical or else all the time that you spend using them after that point will be time wasted.