Anyone familiar with keyword research for paid search knows that estimating traffic is one element that can influence what keywords or keyword phrases to target (budget, bid price also play a factor of course as well as a host of other information.)
There are any number of tools that can be used to research keywords. Wordtracker and Google’s Keyword Tool are just two of them.
In September of 2009 Google released a BETA version of their updated Keyword Tool. The updated keyword tool essentially combines the current keyword tool with the search based keyword tool to provide capabilities which enable you to search by words or phrases, websites, and categories (where available) all under one interface.
A full transition to the updated Keyword Tool is being made but for the next several months at least, you will be able to switch back and forth between the updated and old versions. Eventually the updated version will take full effect (so get familiar with it while you can.) Together the two tools aim combined to provide more relevant traffic estimates.
More information can be found in the article More Relevant Traffic Estimates Now in the Updated Keyword Tool at the Google Adwords blog.
computer contractor says
I did not know they were updating it. Thanks for letting us know.
iVan says
Hey Eric
Do you know a way to get the Google keyword tool to spit out 200 results like it used to? This new version only returns 100 results max.
Thanks!
-iVan
E_LUIGI says
I did nt know about Wordtracker at all but the new google tool interconnected with the new google web master tool is a real bomb.
TRY IT
Alain - Edmonton SEO guy says
Not really a big fan of the new tool. I really prefer the old one. Would have been nice if they could have kept the same tool, but just made it so it gave better results.
I wonder how much they consulted with users before making the change.
Irio says
@iVan with a login to adsense account or an API, my guess.
Has anyone noticed traffic diferences for local (country) search? Why are there these differences?
Cheers! :)
stucco toronto says
Agreed with Alain – I prefer the old interface to the new one.