SEO keyword searches

Keywords, phrases and embedded links make it easier for customers (or journalists) to find your blog, webpage, or social media release in traditional search engines like Google and Yahoo.

Here are some tools you can use to find keywords.

SEO Book

SEO Book includes lots of free services that can help you understand the use of keywords.  However, membership costs $300 a month - which you might consider you are using the internet to sell your products or services.  SEO Book claims to have over 100 training modules, covering topics like: keyword research, link building, site architecture, website monetization, pay per click ads, tracking results, and more - that are accessible for free.

Wordtracker

I linked WordTracker from SEO Book.  Wordtracker claims its research tool provides keywords to rise above competitors in search engine rankings. They also show how to use keyword research to discover untapped market niches, get inspiration for new products, and create compelling content that distinguishes your site from the pack. Wordtracker costs $39 a month.

Google AdWords: Keyword Tool

I put strategic planning into the Google AdWords keyword tool and it generated in seconds close to a hundred alternatives with supporting statistics.  While tool is free, AdWords is paid advertising on Google. When people search on Google using one of your keywords, your ad may appear next to the search results. This promotes your advertisement to an audience that might be already interested in your product or service.

Google Trends

With Google Trends, you can compare interest in topics. You can enter up to five topics and see how often they’ve been searched on Google over time. Google Trends also shows how frequently your topics have appeared in Google News stories, and in which geographic regions people have searched for them most.

BlogPulse Trends

BlogPulse Trends claims to be the one-click answer to the simple question: "What’s the buzz?" BlogPulse Trends identifies the topics and subjects that people are talking about in their blogs. A trend graph displays the buzz generated by any given topic or the comparison of buzz across a set of topics. You can also use the trend search to create your own graphs that plot "buzz" about specific search terms (issues, people, companies, brands, sports, etc.) that interest you in the blogosphere.