"You don't know what you've got until it's gone" . . .
Man, I just dated myself with a Cinderella song :)  Even worse I just looked up their site
and they have a 20 year reunion tour with Poison!

OK, now that we know that I am getting old -
What does this have to do with Search Marketing?

I saw a post on Webmasterworld about the Overture Inventory Tool coming back!

Sadly, when I tested it the results were STILL from January 2007.

At least once a week I almost go there for a quick check and I feel sad when I remember
that it is DEAD.

So where do you turn for keyword research these days?
Google!

Google is doing a good job of sucking attention from webmasters and marketers

• Google Analytics
• Google Webmaster Central
• Google Trends 

And the WORST NAMED MARKETING TOOL OF THE CENTURY
Google External Keyword Tool

What an awful name, you can't even easily find the URL as they keep changing it!

Minus the awful name and Google 'hiding the url' - its an amazing resource.

Here is a case study on using the Adwords External Keyword Tool

 Yeah there is a link to my KeywordSecret tool in the video.

Technorati Tags: Internet Marketing Marketing seo Searchingdot Searchingdotcom Search Engine Keyword Research Blog Overture Inventory Tool Google keyword

As a follow up to my last post on "Does Google Know To Much?" 
I was thinking about who could challenge Google in the next few years . . .

• Not Yahoo - they will probably wind up being acquired
• Not Microsoft / MSN - they can try but Google is just to far ahead
• Another startup?  Not likely, when your mom refers finding something
  on the web as "Google-ing it" - its kind of a lock.

Then one of my blog feed subscribers sent this over:
"Facebook Killing Google? Um, No"

Its an interesting read and comments on this longer article where Danny curses
SearchEngineLand

Its kind of a funny read as its like watching "Clash of the Titans".
But there are some really interesting points on the development of new services
that aren't the same old search engine that we are used to.  It also comments on
these services being SEO-resistant - which is the exact opposite of the word that
I want to work in . . .

Basically my thoughts are there will always be a place for pure search engines
and that Google is not going anywhere . . . and that we SEO guys don't have to
go and get a real job just yet

I look forward to your comments!

Technorati Tags: Internet Marketing Marketing seo Searchingdot Searchingdotcom Search Engine Search Engine Optimization Blog Seo Resistant Web 20 facebook

Does Google know to much about our sites?  And our business?

Hmm lets see, Google knows / tracks:

• general web traffic with their Toolbar
• conversion data from Adwords
• publisher performance / bounce rates from Adsense
• domain details as they wish (Google is a registar)
• linking data (they have more linking data on who-links-to-who then anyone)
• more detailed traffic data with Analytics (they acquired Urchin)
• personal  / search history
• feeds you track and your interests (feed reader and Google IQ)

Look I am NOT a "big brother" is watching us type of guy.  And to be honest - I really don't care!

Google can track whatever they want, I gave up "defensive" marketing (worrying about what Google
knows / tracks)

So to me I just don't care as I use Adwords Conversion Tracking and Google Analytics

There is an interesting discussion going on over at Webmasterworld about "Trusting Google"

Some of the thread is a bit paraniod / 'tin foil hat' for me, but an interesting conversation.

I look forward to your feedback / comments