Within the last month, Google announced that AdWords is also releasing quantitative data for in their Keywords Tool.  As of January 2008, Google remains as the dominate search engine taking nearly 70% of the market share, up from just over 60% in 2007.    Intuitively, the Google Keyword Tool should seem to be an excellent source for keyword search data.

Google’s search volume data is an approximation of search data from direct searches through Google and through the Google Search Network.  The numbers that Google Keyword Tool produces are rounded off.  It is not specifically stated whether the data is an approximation derived from extrapolating from a small data set, or whether it is actual search data rounded off to the nearest 100.

In comparison to WordTracker and Keyword Discovery, the search volume data from Google is much larger.  But what is more important, is how this data lines up, in regard to keyword ranking, to industry standard tools.  When I rank keywords based on volume searches from each keyword tool, I found that the ranking can be greatly different based on which one used.  Although the top two keywords that I used matched up for all three tools, the differences were wide spread for all the other keywords on my comparison list.  Furthermore, when comparing WordTracker and Keyword Discovery, the results are closer to a one-to-one match.

Some major factors that attribute to the differences in rankings are the source and age of search volume data.  We can assume that Google search data up-to-date, since they source the data from themselves.  On the other hand Keyword Discovery and WordTracker both state that their search data could be months old.  Also KWD and WT must source their data from outside, and their sourcing method is unknown.   What is frightening is that KWD and WT could completely fabricate their results. It is doubtful that Google is fabricating their search volume results, but even so, their data can be inflated and may not show a true picture of search volume even from within Google itself. Google wants to sell ads and larger search volume data can drive the interest and demand for keywords.

Who is to be believed and which tool is the right one to use?  Even though Google is the powerhouse and they have the advantage of using internal search data for their keyword tool, Google is one-sided and does not represent keyword searches across all search engines.  The demographics for search engine usage differ across location, age groups and gender.  Google Keyword Tools is essential for PPC search marketing in Google, but I am somewhat wary of its general usage for developing keyword lists for SEO campaigns to improve organic rankings.   Overall, using multiple tools for generating keyword lists can be important especially for large keyword lists.  Comparing the different results can give an SEO and client clearer insight into keyword importance and usage.  As long as other search engines are being used, the Google Keyword Tool should be used in conjunction with either Keyword Discovery or WordTracker.