Using Google Insights for Local Keyword Research

How Frank and I were able to stop whining…like babies

This morning on the train ride into work I was doing some Twitter time wasting (I forgot my book, Catching Fire, which is amazing) and I found this post which features interviews from the local search dream team: David Mihm, Mike Ramsey, Darren Shaw, Andrew Shotland, and Mike Blumenthal. The post is good, but not necessarily groundbreaking if you tend to stay up-to-date on local optimization trends. But then, I saw this from David Mihm in response to the question: What are your 3 favorite tools/service specifically related to local search?

 

3. Google Insights for Search ( http://www.google.com/insights/search/ ) Probably the single best LOCAL keyword research tool out there.  None of the others ever show enough keyword volume for geo-modified searches (cosmetic dentist omaha nebraska or cosmetic dentistry omaha nebraska), so plug in the generic keywords (cosmetic dentist AND cosmetic dentistry) and select your metro area (United States -> Nebraska -> Omaha) to get an idea of the relative importance of each keyword for your market.

 

May I just say – OMG! Frank and I have been whining for the past 6 months about the fact that there is no good tool for geo-specific keyword research, and all the while Google had this little gem dangling right in front of our noses.

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Needless to say, Frank and I felt pretty dumb for not finding this sooner. The tool is extremely easy to use, but I’ll run through the steps quickly here.

1. Go to http://www.google.com/insights/search/
2. Chose to compare by either: 1) Search Terms, 2) Location, or 3) Time Ranges
3. Follow the prompts to filter your search by search term and location
4. Get awesome data that you can use to both justify and specify your local optimization efforts

The Moral of the Story

The moral of the story is, don’t be whining little babies like Frank and I. Do some Twitter time wasting every so often and find a tool that, once discovered, makes you literally want to kick yourself in the head…like this: