[cab322003]

How do you guys go about measuring the competition for keyword phrases?

I usually use google's adword tool but often a phrase will have a decent amount of searches with low competition but then I'll search the phrase with quotes on google and it'll bring back a million+ pages so I don't see how that can be low competition..

[Jason Dexter]

But if you were to keep clicking through the SERPS, you'll find that as you get towards the end of the search results, that actual figure will drop.

Also, you have to understand that there might be a million websites for a search term, but how powerful is the number one domain? It might have low link metrics, poor figures in SEOMoz's open explorer and just be pretty **** with it's SEO. That is why it's low competition, because it would be so easy to rank for these.

I sometimes use adword keyword tool to get keyword suggestions. Then I take the ones that have low comp and high searches and then go competition

[cab322003]

Jason Dexter, on 30 August 2011 - 10:11 PM, said:

But if you were to keep clicking through the SERPS, you'll find that as you get towards the end of the search results, that actual figure will drop.

Also, you have to understand that there might be a million websites for a search term, but how powerful is the number one domain? It might have low link metrics, poor figures in SEOMoz's open explorer and just be pretty **** with it's SEO. That is why it's low competition, because it would be so easy to rank for these.

I sometimes use adword keyword tool to get keyword suggestions. Then I take the ones that have low comp and high searches and then go competition

Thanks for your response, Jason. Isn't the competition for the google adword tool calculated by ppc ads only? I usually just get a good list of keywords according to monthly searches and then check how many competing phrases there are in google. If it's less than 30,000 I usually will pick it. It'd be handy to be able to see the the number of back links the top sites for a keyword have, is that what you mean by link metrics? I had a look at open explorer but it's slightly confusing lol

[Jason Dexter]

cab322003, on 31 August 2011 - 11:30 AM, said:

Thanks for your response, Jason. Isn't the competition for the google adword tool calculated by ppc ads only? I usually just get a good list of keywords according to monthly searches and then check how many competing phrases there are in google. If it's less than 30,000 I usually will pick it. It'd be handy to be able to see the the number of back links the top sites for a keyword have, is that what you mean by link metrics? I had a look at open explorer but it's slightly confusing lol

I feel that the Google Adword tool is the most accurate in terms of search volume. I don't use it as an exact measurement tool, more of a guide as to which will be the best to go for.

Yeah, link metrics being:

• Internal Followed Links
  
• External Followed Links
  
• Total Internal Links
  
• Total External Links
  
• Total Links
  
• Followed Linking Root Domains
  
• Total Linking Root Domains
  
• Linking C Blocks

There's more to it then just backlinks and this is where the Open Site Explorer tool comes into it's own. Try comparing two websites, and it tells you which website has the better metrics. It might say Site A has more External Followed Links but Site B has a higher number of Linking C Blocks, so the owner of Site B should looking into getting more links from varying IP's.

Use different websites, check the metrics and work things out. If you're struggling then simply ask here. It's quite a useful tool to measure the strength of a website

[palmgeo]

I do check keyword competition manually. It will give the exact figure of competitor websites and you can search for your competitors in any region through Google US, Google India, Google UK etc.

[ren_aldo]

There's some great keyword research tools out there guys in addition and to compliment the google keyword tool. Try Market Samurai...it's very impressive (hehe no I'm not an affiliate) it's a tool of a great blogger I follow: Pat Flynn and I've taken it for a spin myself and was very impressed! Were SEO my sole focus right now, I'd defo use it.

Tools wise, head over to Viperchill this guy is always sharing the best research tools to use for the keyword research.

There's loads of nifty little ways to really speed up keyword research, I think it may be worth a blog lol.

Check those guys out, they have a fantastic blue print works and pat shares everything openly...

good luck

Ren

[violadav]

Ad words is the best tool for doing keyword research. You need to research the broadest keywords that relate to your industry.. Keyword analysis done in ad words is very great and it gives the detailed info of the particular keyword phrase both globally and locally.

Seo company

This post has been edited by zed: 05 September 2011 - 06:43 AM
Reason for edit: remove link