This is the third of a four part series which describes the method I use to develop comprehensive lists of keyword phrases used for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay per Click campaigns.

In Part I, I discussed the brainstorming techniques I use to develop a broad array of single, relevant keywords. In Part II, we covered how to combine these single keywords to create a complete list of preliminary keyword phrases. In this section, you’ll learn how keyword research tools work. Finally, in Part IV you’ll learn about four popular keyword tools and how you use them to develop your final list of keyword phrases.

There are a number of keyword tools you can use to create your final keyword phrase list. These tools work in two ways. First, they help you identify new keyword phrases not on your current list. Second, these tools help you determine which of these phrases are used most often in Internet searches.

Keyword research tools let you type in and submit one or more keyword phrases at a time. The tool will then compare the keyword phrases you entered to its database and return a list of suggested keyword phrases. For instance, if you type in “Philadelphia apartments” into one of these tools, you will learn that people also type in “apartments in Philadelphia”, “apartments Philadelphia”, “apartments for rent in Philadelphia” and so forth.

In addition to suggesting new keyword combinations, keyword research tools also tell you how often each keyword phrase is typed by people performing searches on the web. The results are often surprising. My keyword research for the phrase “Philadelphia apartments”, conducted 12/2006 on KeywordDiscovery.com, revealed “apartments in Philadelphia” was the most frequently used phrase. I would have never guessed this and my research proved to be an important reality check. Keyword research tools let you validate your thinking about which search terms people use to find your products or services. You may be surprised to find that some of the key phrases you think have the most potential are only typed in a few times a month.

After you identify which keyword phrases are the most popular, you’ll be able to focus your attention on keyword phrases that will have the most impact on your Pay per Click campaigns and website search engine optimization. Proper use of these tools will help you make decisions that will increase traffic to your website and maximize the return of your search engine marketing investment.

There are a number of tools you can use to perform keyword research. Some are free while others can be purchased for a monthly or annual fee. Part IV of this series will introduce you to some of these tools.

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