Google Insights for search is a tool freely available that can be very useful to a marketer is used properly. Google insights is is similar to Google Trends, a tool that shows the increase in frequency a keyword is searched, but Google Insights provides much more robust information that can be used for market intelligence and research.

Here’s a quick overview of how Google Insights for Search works…

First visit Google Insights for Search

Once you’ve arrived at the tool type in a keyword you would like to research, for this example I used “Hurricane Irene”.

You also have the ability to filter your search by type of search, location, time frame, or category.

Once you’ve done your search you’ll be able to…

See the Increase in search frequency over time

You can play with the time frames for your specific purpose and as you do so the graphical output will change.

View Top searches

You can see a list of the top searched keywords related to your initial search. This can be helpful to generate keyword ideas to get in front of a particular customer.

Uncover Rising or Break Out Search terms

Similar to the top keywords, but this shows those keywords that have the biggest increase in searches lately. It could be that these keywords will become top keywords soon, so this data can be very valuable as well.

Regional Search Data

This map functionality reminds me of the one in Google Analytics, and provides a map displaying the areas with the greatest number of searches. The initial search query, if left unfiltered will show countries. You then have the ability to drill down into that country and view the states and cities that have the highest frequency of searches. Though the example I used is for hurricane irene, one that could be a very profitable set of keywords for generator, travel, hurricane window, hotel and other types of companies this tool can produce data that would be immensely valuable for nearly any type of business. Whether you are a local service based business, or a large brand planning where to invest your advertising spend on a local level this feature can really help.

Though there are numerous tools that help with keyword research Google Insights for Search is one of the best to help identify and take advantage of trending or topical searches. In many cases there may be a very popular event or trend that causes a huge surge in search engine traffic, but because this is out of the normal search pattern it may not show up in other keyword tools. Though Google Trends shows the top or break out searches on a high level, once you’ve focused in on one Google Insights is a fabulous tool to really knock it out of the park.

I hope that you found this post helpful.

If you’ve had experiences with Google Trends, Google Insights, or other keyword tools that help identify trends I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Drop a comment

All the best,

David

This may seem like a small adjustment, but what does this mean to your business?

This small preview icon in the search engine results means a great deal to a business…It can work for or against you, bringing you more customers or less.

If you show up highly on the search engines for various keywords, but have a poorly designed website you now have a higher chance of a customer selecting a lower result that appears (from instant preview) to better fit their needs.  On the other side if you have a strongly designed website you now have the chance to steal away customers who in the past would immediately click the first or second result that they came across.

Now if you have a strongly designed website, but are on the second or third page Google Instant Preview doesn’t necessarily help you, because consumers often don’t venture past the first page when making decisions via search.  Having a strong SEO presence consisting of optimized title tags, url structure, content, proper keywords and quality links is still extremely important.

If you have a website that is not being found through search engines now is the time to assess how it was built (functionally and aesthetically), enhance or re-design the website and implement an SEO strategy.

Have Google Instant Previews work for your business, not against it.

SearchWiki reminds me of StumbleUpon in the sense that it allows the user to see comments about a site and decide after they have heard other opinions if it’s a site worth using.  It’s putting the results back in the hands of the end user, not a company paying thousands per month for back links or SEM.  I feel this will alter CTR rates and deemphasize SEO & SEM to a degree.  In six months to a year when people have become accustomed to using Google’s SearchWiki and more people comment on websites in the Google SERPS, less will be focused on the position of the site in the SERPS and more on what real people are saying about the site.  Google will have more of the value that made Digg, Delicious and StumbleUpon popular.  This will force companies to be even more competitive in providing the best service or product possible, or else an unsatisfied customer could slander them on the SERPS.  SEO will still be important, because a person will still have to find what their looking for, however once they find your website it may be tougher to get them to click, or easier depending on what’s being said about you.

You can visit Google’s blog to find more about Google’s SearchWiki and personalized Search or watch the video below.

Even though these features are only available to you when your logged into your google account, do you think Google’s SearchWiki will have any affect on click through rates and SEO/SEM?

What are your thoughts on these features Google has added?

See how I regained my spot by visiting my Crusade for #1 in Google Post.

So I have been doing a lot of research and actions in the hopes to regain my rightful spot in the search engines.

I was kind of spoiled in a sense with blogger because it’s automatically optimized for Google, because they own it.  After switching to wordpress there were many adjustments I needed to do.  I also had the problem of having all of my blogger post’s indexed and having a different url structure once I transitioned to WP.  When I clicked the blogger url in google I would get a 404 error.

So here’s what I’ve done so far based on some great advice from Lorelle on WordPress , Kyle Eslick , Nate from Unique Blog Designs, Neil Patel and others:

• Adjusted the settings in my WP dashboard which were automatically set for “Only Allow people to find my blog, not search engines” – Who knows why they made that the default?!?
• Changed my permalink Structure: from the default (www.davidbrim.org/?p=6) to a custom url (www.davidbrim.org/sample-post)

• Downloaded a permanent re-direct plug in for WP which makes sure that there is only one URL per post.  When a old url is clicked it is automatically re-directed to the new post
• Created a sitemap and submitted it to Google’s Webmaster’s tools
• Began tagging my posts more frequently with relevant keywords
• Pinging my blog each time I update it in technorati and google

As of now it appears that when searching for David Brim I am first in Yahoo, but still not on the first page of Google or Ask results.

I am anxious to regain my rightful spot(s) in the SERPs, especially the Google ranking and will keep everyone updated.  If the other David Brim from illonois see’s this post…I’m coming for you!

Ps…Regarding my crusade picture: Halloween is around the Corner and I just got my costume today, give me a break…lol

This really suprised me…I’ve ranked first in google for as long as I can remember.  Not only did I rank first, but I owned every result on the first page except one.  Now some guy from Illionois has taken the top spot…wtf Google?

My blog Filled to the Brim (DavidBrim.org) isn’t even ranked on the first or second page…It’s does appear on the third, however it’s a link with my old page structure and when I click the link it says “Page not found”

I did a ping on google for my blog earlier, but don’t know what else I should do.  I would appreciate any insight or comments to resolve this issue.

Problem Solved.