In 2013, Google ended its free service, Google Keyword Tool, and replaced it with the popular free research service, known as the Keyword Planner. Unlike its predecessor, however, this is not a standalone offer; instead, this service is directly integrated into the advertisements service Google AdWords.
For this reason, an existing Google account must be used. As with the Keyword Tool, the Keyword Planner can be used free of charge but users will notice the biggest difference is in the tool’s range of functions. For example, Google’s new range of functions include the ability to narrow the search to a town or region, although the keyword planner can still only retrieve search volumes for ‘exact’ match types.
The primary focus of the keyword tool lies more on the original principles of supporting users in planning and creating AdWords campaigns. For this, users are able to:
- search for new keywords
- find search volumes and trends
- create keyword combinations
- generate estimates for clicks and costs
Since the first three steps are exclusively concerned with general keyword research, Google’s keyword tool is also of particularly high value for search engine optimisation.