Google Insights for Search Just Got More Insightful

By Erica Barth, Associate Director, Client Strategy & Development

Some new features were recently released within Google’s Insights for Search tool that have made the tool even more useful for paid and natural search marketers alike.

A couple of highlights to take note of:

1: Ability to Filter by Metro Area

Click to view larger image.
Google Insights Filter by Metro Area

Previously, only Subregion (e.g. State) was available, which was somewhat limiting since most local programs are at the DMA level. But no more, now you can compare seasonality and search volume at the level you actually need it for local programs. My days of guessing that most of Illinois’ traffic comes from Chicago, so it must be fairly accurate indicator for the metro area are over (and for states like California, this was so needed!).

Click to view larger image.
Google Insights Compare by Metro Area
2: Ability to Filter by Type of Search

Click to view larger image.
Google Insights Filter by Type of Search

Google Insights for Search has now caught up to Universal Search results, allowing one to filter by not only Web Search, but Image, News and Product Search as well.

3: % Breakdown of Search Volume by Category

Click to view larger image.
Google Insights % Breakdown of Search Volume by Category

At a glance, for any search query we are now able to see which Categories are the primary drivers of search volume, including Local. Plus, you can take it one step further, and see the breakdown by sub-category and sub-sub-category.

Click to view larger image.
Google Insights Breakdown by Subcategory

4: Monitor ‘Top Related Searches’ and ‘Rising Searches’ via iGoogle

Click to view larger image.
Google Insights Rising Top Searches

For those of you iGoogle loyalists, now you can easily monitor your Top searches and Rising Searches for a Category, Sub-Category, or Sub Sub-category right from your iGoogle home page.

Click to view larger image.
Monitor Google Insights Rising Searches by Category via iGoogle

Overall, I encourage you to check out all these new features the next time you are researching a new search program, conducting a competitive analysis, or one of the many other uses for this tool. Google Insights for Search remains of the easiest tools out there to use for this type of search information, and it’s exciting to see they keep making it more robust.

0 comments:

 
Copyright © 2008 Resolution Media, Inc. All rights reserved.