Keyword Research: Google Search Keyword Tool vs. AdWords Keyword Tool

Avinash Kaushik shares some interesting details about Google’s Search based Keywords Tool and how you may use the tool for keyword research and for monetizing the long tail of organic search keywords:

Source of data for Google Search Keyword Tool

The first source of the data are the search logs that store the queries that are done by users on google.com. The second source of data are the logs from googlebot that indexes the world wide web and all the pages (and your site). These logs understand what your site is, what content is on it, what you sell, service, do on those pages.

Difference between Google Search Keyword Tool & Adwords Keyword Tool

The two tools share lots of data but run off different backends and with subtle variations on the computational algorithms (because if you think about it for a moment, they are trying to solve different problems). SbKT also uses the most comprehensive index of logs and index and, then, provides you with significantly more suggestions, which are deduped.

Should I pick Adwords Keyword tool or Google Search Keword tool?

If you are a small advertiser and new to AdWords then use the Keyword Tool. If you are a mid to large advertiser (especially with lots of product pages / content) then SbKT is your best bet.

Use the Adwords Keyword Tool for your head terms and use the Software based Keyword Tool for the tail terms. That’s what each is really really good at.