Last year, Google caused (another) shake up in the marketing world by removing organic keyword data from Google Analytics, replacing it with the words ‘Not Provided’.
Since then, speculation has been rife that the search company plans to start blocking paid keyword data too, and although it looks like it’s sticking around (at least for now), there’s no denying Google is making it more difficult to identify the search terms that are leading internet users to your site.
More difficult, but certainly not impossible. As keyword data disappears from Google Analytics, you can still rely on these 3 tools to research how your guests are searching for your property online.
AdWords Campaigns
You can still access search query data for paid search campaigns via the AdWords interface, and shouldn’t waste this opportunity to test out new keywords before including them in your strategy.
If your resort has synced your paid search campaign with an automated marketing software system, you’ll also be able to assess the quality of traffic these search terms generated.
To get started, focus on a small group of keywords, perhaps localized to your state or region if budget restrictions are tight.
Google Webmaster Tools
Although Google Webmaster Tools does not provide insights into whether keyword traffic bounces or converts once it lands on your website, it’s still a hugely valuable tool for researching keyword data, impressions, average rankings and click through rates.
This data can, at the very least, provide a useful starting point into what is and isn’t working for your current campaign. For instance, if you notice a particular keyword is generating high impressions and a good average ranking, but is falling short on the CTR, you might need to reassess your result to make sure it matches the search query your guests are typing into the search box. As always, relevancy is crucial if you want to drive search users to your website.
UberSuggest
UberSuggest is a free keyword suggestion tool that lets you search on a keyword to see the terms Google is auto-suggesting its users for those terms. It’s another valuable way to identify search trends and gain inspiration for new popular keywords to incorporate into your campaigns.
Do you use any of these tools for keyword research? Let us know in the comments below!
RELATED PAGES AND BLOG POSTS:
- 3 Essential SEO Priorities for 2014
- Dead or Just Different? The Evolution of SEO
- Six Link Building Strategies For Higher Search Rankings
