How to Find Keywords

Search Engine Supplied Keyword Suggestion Tools

Possibly the most cost effective method for determining a large number of keywords is to use tools offered by search engines within their advertising support toolbox.  The three major search engines in the U.S.  - Google, MSN and Yahoo - provide outstanding keyword suggestion features.  The search engines do this in support of their advertising programs, which allow marketers to place keyword generated ads (i.e., ads based on a user's search string) on the search engine as well as on other websites within the search engine's advertising network.  With the exception of Yahoo, access to these tools requires registration, which may include a small one time fee. 

The keyword suggestions offered through these site are based on searches performed through the main search engine, its international versions, and through searches performed through a search engine's network of site.  These networks are made up of websites that include the search engine functionality on their site.  For example, Google supplies search functionality to America Online and Comcast and thousands of smaller sites while Yahoo supports search for CNN and USA Today.  Whether a site's search is powered by a major search engine can be determined by examining the area around the search box since it generally contains information saying the site's search function is "Powered by" or "Enhanced by" one of the top search engines. 

The keyword suggestion tools offered by the leading search engines include:

• Google - With Google's advertising management program, called AdWords, users will find several tools for selecting the right keywords.  The basic option provides a list of related words to a user entered word.  Another option gives a listing of synonyms for an entered keyword.  Another option allows a user to enter a website address and Google will then perform an analysis and return appropriate keywords for the site.  And the URL to be evaluated is not limited to the marketer's URL.  Entering the URL of a competitor's site will also produce a list of keywords.  Finally, the Google's keyword tool offers a glimpse of a keyword's search volume, thus indicating which words are currently more important.
• MSN - Microsoft's MSN search engine's advertising tool is a recent addition to search engine advertising.  In the past, all ads appearing on MSN were placed on the site through arrangements with other advertising providers including Google.  But in 2005 MSN began testing its own advertising program called AdCenter.  While still in its infancy, the keyword tools offered by MSN appear to be useful and worth a try.
• Yahoo - Yahoo Keyword Selector tool (sometimes referred by its former name Overture) is the only one that can be used without a registration.  Unlike other tools, the Yahoo tool does not offer suggestions for related keywords.  The best feature of the Keyword Selector tool is the reported number of times the keywords was used in a search query within the Yahoo network of sites.  Generally this information is shown for the last full month.