Demystifying The Radically Different Keyword Results Provided By Overture and Wordtracker ...because your online success depends on getting accurate keyword counts! Part 1- by Robin Nobles
The root of all success in search engine marketing begins with keywords. Period. Get them wrong and virtually everything about your online endeavor will fail. Only by targeting right keywords can one expect to ride that exhilarating magic carpet to online prosperity.
Stating obvious you say? ...well, if so, then why is it that virtually everyone - professional and amateur alike - is oblivious to fact they are selecting, and frequently buying, keywords based on highly skewed numbers?
The fact is that very few online marketers understand results supplied by two most basic keyword selection tools. These are very same tools being used globally to hone keyword choices into supposedly laser sharp focus in an effort to keep pace with challenges of increasingly keen competition and ever-rising keyword pay-per-click costs.
The critical differences — Overture's STST vs. Wordtracker's KSS
As one of Wordtracker's technical support team (http://www.wordtracker.com/moreinfo.html), one of most frequent questions we receive these days is...
Why are keyword search query numbers supplied by Overture's search term suggestion tool (STST) so incredibly different than those supplied by Wordtracker's keyword selection service (KSS)?
Frankly, there isn't a better search engine related question one could ask. And, now's a good time to pay close attention because surprising answer will likely change forever how you evaluate keywords!
First: Understanding Their Motives.
To help you understand details we're about to reveal, let's examine motives of services that are providing keyword query numbers.
Motive Analysis: Purpose
On one hand, there's Overture's STST whose purpose is to help customers buy keywords.
On other hand, there's Wordtracker whose purpose is to help customers select keywords.
Proposal:
Overture's STST suggests what keywords to buy from them. Wordtracker suggests what keywords to use in your optimization efforts and/or which to buy elsewhere.
Success:
Overture's success depends on you believing there are LOTS of search queries for whatever you are selling.
Wordtracker's success depends on you getting accurate numbers upon which you can reliably base your optimization and keyword purchase decisions.
Profits:
Overture's STST is free. Overture profits by selling you keywords that STST reports on.
Wordtracker's KSS is fee based. They profit by selling you access to accurate and impartial information. Since they don't sell keywords, there's no vested interest in query numbers beyond accuracy.