Let's talk about collecting keywords using paid and free methods. I'll show you which ones online tools can be used and I will reveal their main differences.
Let's start talking about collecting keywords for free. There are many methods to do this. The most common thing is brainstorming. Here you need to think for yourself what keywords will be able to bring users from search engines.
I will say that the method is quite primitive. Now it has lost its relevance because we have a whole bunch of free and paid tools in our arsenal.
- Yandex Wordstat
- Search tips
- Link aggregators (megaindex, rookee.ru, seopult.ru)
- Open competitor counters (Liveinternet)
- Ready word databases (bukvarix.com)
How to use Yandex Wordstat? First, select the region of interest to us that we want to look at search queries and their frequency.
In general, select the region, insert it and click “Select”. Next, we get a complete list of broad match keywords.
Of course, this method is quite chaotic because we receive a huge number of words, many of which may not suit us. Therefore, in this case, it is better to use certain operators.
Search operators Yandex Wordstat
In order to optimize work with this tool, the search engine invented the so-called Yandex Wordstat search operators.
What are these operators and how to use them?
Eliminating negative keywords: "-" operator
We can eliminate unnecessary words. For example, we are interested in the query “computer”. But we are not interested in words where users want to download something to their computer.
Therefore, we enter the word “computer” in the same form and additionally the negative word “download” with a suitable operator.
Minus operator Search by multiple keywords: operator "Ι"
We entered words with the search operator “or” where a broad match search is performed for two keywords at once.
Search with word grouping: operator "()"
For example, if the first part of the request matches, then it is not necessary to repeat it again.
Grouping operator Keys are not restricted within parentheses. Here we can enter at least the entire range of countries for which we want to get keywords in conjunction with the main key “tours”.
: operator """"
In the left screenshot, as a result we received a set of keys. On the right is only the keyword that interests us.
The double quote operator helps us with this.
: operator "!"
For example, we want to get keywords in which the word price is used in the case in which we enter.
Exact occurrence operator Yandex Wordstat In the screenshot on the left we see that by entering “turkey tour price” we find words with the word “prices”. In the figure on the right we see that by adding an exclamation mark before the word “price”, the search engine offers us an exact match.
Therefore, by adding an exclamation mark before the request, we can get the keys exactly in the form in which we entered them.
Also, all these operators can be combined with each other.
You can take keywords either with an exclamation mark or in quotation marks, inside parentheses, or with the “or” search operator.
This combination allows us to immediately obtain a filtered list using the required parameters with one request.
Popularity by region in Wordstat
In Yandex Wordstat you can see impressions and popularity by region. For example, if we enter the query “sell an apartment” and look at the popularity by region, we will see that in Krasnoyarsk it is 3 times more than in Moscow.
That is, in this city there is some kind of pronounced demand.
In general, this function can help those who are looking for the most profitable region to invest their funds.
Query history helps us track seasonality. You can see in which periods there was high request activity and in which periods there was low.
Thus, we can plan in advance an advertising campaign on the Internet.
This will also be useful in SEO optimization.
For example, a few weeks before the start of the season, you can publish posts for the necessary queries and then receive additional traffic for them. This also helps in creating a content plan for publishing posts on the site.
Google Keyword Planner
In addition to Wordstat, I also recommend using Google Keyword Planner. Typically, we have two main search engines. This is Google and Yandex. Therefore, when collecting keywords, I definitely recommend taking statistics from these two systems.
Google Keyword Planner In the planner, you can collect keywords by phrase, site or category. There are additional tools for search parameters and . As is the case with Wordstat, here you can also filter out unnecessary queries.
When collecting statistics, you are shown suitable keywords, the level of competition and the recommended bid.
Statistics in Google planner Also shows the number of requests per month.
Unfortunately, Google currently only shows the average range of queries. More accurate results are only available on accounts with already running paid ads. And then, not for everyone!
But nevertheless, this planner is very good for collecting keywords for free. It has many useful features that may come in handy.
For example, if you have ready list keywords, then for quick data processing you can use the “Get query statistics and trends” option. This will save a lot of time.
In the planner, you can even directly create combinations of keywords to obtain statistics. To do this, use the “Select keywords based on existing lists” option.
Search tips
You can also use search tips to collect keywords for free online. You need to enter the part in the line and wait for the system to offer a drop-down list with tips.
Search tips If you sell laptops, then using search tips you can get additional keys.
If you write informational articles for the site, then using tips you can pick up additional ideas.
From the screenshot on the right, we see that users are interested in excess weight, loneliness, excessive sweating, and so on.
Also if we have some news resource, then we can see the current trends. Then you can take advantage of these trends and write articles based on them.
Link aggregators
You can use free link aggregator features. Let's take for example. After registering in this system and adding your website, you will see an inconspicuous “Select” button. By clicking on it, the link aggregator will offer us keywords that we can use to promote.
In principle, the keywords are quite adequate and indeed suit the desired site. From the advantages it is clear that we are already shown some positions in which our site ranks. The frequency is also visible. It also offers us a page where we can send these requests.
In general, there are auxiliary functions that are free and useful for us.
Collecting keywords using paid methods
Let's get started with paid methods of collecting keywords. Of course, here you will have to fork out a little. However, in this case, you will have special benefits.
Here are the paid tools:
- Competitor analysis (semrush.com, serpstat
- Software for collecting keywords (key-collector.ru)
- Ready word databases (pastukhov.com, roostat.ru)
- Convenient and fast online parsers (Mutagen)
I will not consider each service in detail. They are all good and worth your attention. But as an example, let’s focus on one of them. It will be .
By entering the site into the line of this service, we get a table with keywords for which the project occupies certain positions.
Collecting keywords through Spywords That is, we can select a semantic core based on those keys for which the site is already somehow ranked in the search. Accordingly, this moment alone can make much less effort to achieve collection and top.
We see columns such as "Traffic Share". That is, what proportion does this keyword occupy from the total list of words that I considered? this system within this site.
There is also the number of impressions per month, position and , which is issued when the site is found for a given keyword.
There is also a domain comparison function in organic results.
Domain comparison function in search results For example, there are two websites on the same topic. Each of them is promoted using its own set of keywords. The system suggests looking at the intersection of these two sets.
That is, we can collect a list of keywords for which both sites are promoted. This is a very useful function when doing SEO analysis of those competitors we want to target.
It also highlights the number of similar words. You can separately look at the non-overlapping parts of the sets. Everything is available for both Google and Yandex.
Also in the Spywords service you can use the smart collection of keywords for the site. He selects keywords based on his database and based on those sites (their semantic cores) that got there.
Smart keyword collection The service also shows the number of requests per month. It also shows what bids are made in paid ads on Google and Yandex. That is, you can assess the level of competition for a keyword.
Comparison of paid and free methods
Let's find out the difference between the paid and free methods of collecting keywords. What are the advantages and what is better to use.
Free tools Suitable for small sites and volumes. If the site has 20 - 30 pages, then you can easily get by with Wordstat, hints and a keyword planner from Google.
Free methods are suitable for beginners. Since all paid tools require some kind of immersion, the free ones are quite simple. It will be easier for beginners to understand here.
It is worth saying that free tools are very convenient. They are truly made for a large audience. That is, for those who are still poorly versed in collecting keywords. That is why such systems were specifically made to be user-friendly.
What are the advantages paid tools?
Such tools significantly speed up the work of collecting the semantic core. This is useful when you need to select tens of thousands of keywords. Through Yandex, Wordstat will take quite a long time to select them.
Paid methods are suitable for large volumes.
If we have a large online store, then free tools It will be very difficult to pick up a huge number of keys. Therefore, Key Collector, Pastukhov’s database and other paid solutions are useful here.
Also, paid tools allow you to collect those keys that free ones may not notice. In the same Wordstat, we cannot get all the keywords that are asked by users.
conclusions
Collecting keywords is not as difficult as many people make it out to be. Small quantities are very easy to collect. Therefore, everyone can do this!
Don't look at the overall frequency. You must always specify the phrase exactly. Then you can see the real picture of how many requests for this keyword are made per month.
Search operators simplify assembly work. To do this, I have given you examples that simplify the search and reduce the number of steps to collect keys.
Don't forget that competitors can be in plain sight. And you can be in full view when you rise to the top. There is no need to be afraid of this! It just needs to be taken for granted.
Where to start working with Yandex Direct?
What came first - the chicken or the egg? This can be debated endlessly. As for the Yandex Direct system, everything is more stable here.
Any invariably begins from collecting keywords!
Keywords- these are the words for which your ads will be shown. And the more such words there are, the higher the chances that a potential client will come to your site.
Keywords (or queries) consist of a certain number of unique words: from 1 to 5.
For example, " fridge" is a single word keyword query, and " buy a refrigerator in Moscow inexpensively" - four words.
Prepositions and conjunctions are not taken into account when selecting key queries.
Key queries can be divided into 2 groups: basic and nested.
Basic request- a target request consisting of a unique combination of two words for which you want to advertise.
Subquery is a keyword consisting of 3, 4 and 5 words that contains the base query
Let's say you sell televisions.
Your basic queries will be:
- buy TV
- new TV
- TV Moscow
- LCD buy
- LCD Moscow
- and so on.
Your subqueries will be:
- buy TV inexpensively online store
- TV new discount Moscow
- TV set Moscow store
- LCD buy inexpensively
- LCD Moscow delivery
- and so on.
At the first stage you need to collect minimum 100 basic queries.
There are several ways to collect key queries proven technicians. Here is one of them.
Reactive Keyword Collection Method
You will need MS Excel or a similar function and a table of 5x5 cells.
Action plan:
1. In the first column, write down 5 one-word queries that describe the product being sold as accurately as possible;
2. The remaining four are single-word queries associated with the product (service);
Important! Different parts of speech and synonyms are different words)
* Indicate geography if necessary for your business area.
** Selling supplement is almost always relevant.
3. Now move all the words from columns 3, 4 and 5 to column number 2 and, using the multiplication function in MS Exel (or macros), multiply the queries from the first column with queries from the 2nd column.
In the end it should be at least 100 two-word combinations. These will be the very basic queries that will form the basis of your advertising campaign.
It's really simple and fast!
What are these empty green cells in the table?
We decided to leave them to you. Let's just say this is a practical task to consolidate the material.
Whatever you don’t implement today, you will never implement. This fact verified by numerous seminars.
Create your table now! And check the MRS in practice.
After that, you or the Key Collector program and work through each basic query in depth to get several thousand keywords for your first campaign.
You have the keywords for your Very First Advertising Campaign!
Work with the semantic core begins with the selection of masks (bases) of keywords. In this article you will see how to do this, what to consider + algorithm using a specific example.
How to collect keyword masks
Anyone who has compiled a list of bases understands the main difficulties:
- It’s unrealistic to come up with all the options out of your head - we miss a lot and lose coverage;
- Not even the most ideal service selects 100% correct markers - you cannot do without manual cleaning of “garbage” requests.
We will use an approach that gives coverage close to 100%. The principle is the same as for all semantic tools:
1) Enter a word/phrase in Wordstat and get a selection;
2) Minus everything irrelevant and non-commercial;
3) Expand the list with similar phrases and other sources;
4) Check the frequency of the received phrases in Wordstat.
This is quite a labor-intensive process, but it allows you to achieve the optimal combination of effort and coverage.
Method for getting maximum coverage
Step 1: Collect common phrases that describe your product
Answer the question what the target audience calls it. Come up with all possible wording, spellings (including Russian for foreign brands) and synonyms.
Example queries for this type of target audience:
- "Business English courses";
- "Business English";
- “Career in a foreign company”;
- "English for work";
- "Business English on Skype";
- “English courses with certificate”;
- "English Intensive Course".
Create a table in any format to capture ideas. Enter what you have at the moment:
This is a convenient report format: everything is grouped by topics, brands, categories, it is easier to assess the overall frequency and, in the future, the size of the low-frequency tail.
The “Semantics” column is the number of unique phrases with non-zero frequency for this mask. We fill it out further - at the stage of parsing the syntax. Now we are just writing out the frequency from Yandex Wordstat.
The “Section” column is useful if you have many products, brands, or categories.
Step 2: Try phrases in Wordstat
Use only broad match to get as many subqueries as possible from each basis.
Don't forget to set your region if you have a local business.
It is better to replace phrases with very low scores with more capacious ones, since your task is to obtain masks that potentially provide a large number of extensions during further parsing.
At the same time, exclude options with zero frequency:
You can also refine them to get greater predicted coverage. But keep in mind that in this case, non-target queries may appear in the results, for example:
It is advisable to immediately add them to the minus file or exclude them during the search:
Important! Evaluate search results immediately to avoid unnecessary work in the future. If there is a lot of unnecessary stuff in the sample, you should not take this basis.
For example, the query “English for work” does not give the results that are needed for SL. We meant work as a career, but not as a school assignment.
In our case, everything related to school is “ test", "homework", "in English", "workbook", etc. - these are negative words.
We are trying to clarify the wording. The situation is completely different for the phrase “English for working abroad,” but the results are small.
Principle #1: for a full-fledged SY, select masks that “catch” more extensions (coverage) and less “garbage”.
As you parse masks in Wordstat, fill out the table. We get the following data:
The results are quite modest if you use only Wordstat output. How can they be expanded? Go ahead.
Principle #2: Use the key phrases in the right column as ideas rather than just copying them. Select useful components from them, expand them as you like, remove unnecessary words.
At the same time, check each idea for content in search engines to get an idea of what queries are being entered for it:
And weed out what doesn't fit into the topic.
Step 4: Explore sources of semantics
The principle is the same - come up with masks from what you see. For example, take a look at:
- Yandex and Google search tips:
- Similar queries in SERP:
- Mail.ru request statistics
As well as synonym services, forums, Alt tags for images in search results, Google Keyword Planner, etc.
It is useful to get ideas from competitors' websites.
Separately, a few words about the SpyWords service. This is not a literal guide. The query database, which is used to display search results once a month, and real queries are two different things. There is no point in copying them, but it is worth looking for ideas for new masks.
Enter into the table those where the frequency is above zero. Here are some masks we received from similar queries and search suggestions:
Multiplication method
This is an alternative method that is based on the key features of the product:
- Name - courses in English
- Variety - business/colloquial/basic/literary;
- Application - for business / for work / for study / for travel / for communication;
- Condition: with a tutor / at home / via Skype / online;
- Geo (if the business is local, we don’t use it).
Variants of signs can be searched in the same sources. There are special online services for multiplying words, so it won’t take much time.
We get approximately the following results, which we then use to run the frequency in Wordstat:
- English courses;
- Business English courses;
- Business English courses for work;
- Business English courses for work via Skype;
The advantage of the method is maximum coverage.
The downside is that it gives approximately the same results as for competitors, so these phrases quickly “overheat” at auctions. In addition, “garbage” requests cannot be avoided.
We have discussed in detail how to collect masks for the service - English language courses. Client companies or buyers of online stores have their own specifics in making purchasing decisions. Consequently, they focus on something else when searching for the right product.
Masks for the B2B market
Businesses are taking a more conscious approach to purchasing. They are looking not just for concrete, but for a specific brand and conditions for a specific task.
When generating keyword masks, consider 5 key product features. Example for a concrete manufacturer:
- Properties - cellular, heavy, fine-grained, monolithic, corrosion-resistant, etc.;
- Brand - b10, b12, b15, b20, m100, m250, etc.;
- Application - for foundation, garage, paths, etc.;
- Condition - with delivery, pickup, inexpensive, from the manufacturer;
- Geo - in Perm, Berezniki, etc.
Related semantics will help. If a user is interested in products/services that are needed along with what you offer, as a rule, this is your potential client. Your task is to find out what these goods/services are.
Let's say you sell concrete. Your audience is most likely also looking on the Internet for equipment for its use, concrete laying services, etc.
Masks for online store
For e-commerce, the multiplication method is best suited.
The buyer selects a product based on certain properties. This is color, size, height, availability freezer and other characteristics and functions. The addition of geo is important here. For example, a refrigerator. The request can be as detailed as possible: “Buy a bosch kgn39nw13r refrigerator in Perm with delivery.”
An online store requires brand semantics - masks include the names of the brand, series and models.
The Russian spelling is a separate demand; masks need to be collected separately for it.
How to do it faster if there is a lot of semantics
This is relevant for popular topics, where there are a lot of brands, categories, models, and users search for products in different ways.
An alternative option is to rank masks on a 3-point scale based on importance to business.
An incomprehensible fashion for tens of thousands of keywords and ads in contextual advertising is captivating novice advertisers.
I’ll explain why collecting so many keys when you first launch Yandex Direct is a mistake.
I’ll tell you how I approach collecting keywords to start campaigns in contextual advertising.
Make yourself comfortable, this article will be long. Important information.
Why you don't need to select 10,000 keywords
Two main reasons:
1. Collecting and processing a large number of keywords takes a lot of time and effort. Or a lot of money if you order advertising setup on the side.
Imagine that there are millions of doors leading to rooms where different categories of people sit. And there are millions of keys to these doors.
You want to open as many doors as possible to those groups of people who are your potential customers. Let you need the same ten thousand keys.
Therefore, you need to collect only keys of certain types, colors, metals and various other properties.
First you will have to take several packs of keys, in total there will be about thirty thousand.
Then you will go through them all, throwing out the extra ones (negative words). There will be about ten thousand left.
Then you will need to sort them into special suitcases (advertising campaigns) into special sections (ad groups), bring all the keys to a shine (write advertisements) and hang special tags (YTM tags) on them.
2. You need a large advertising budget and a lot of time to obtain data on all keywords, analyze and draw conclusions - where to improve advertising and whether it works at all.
Imagine that you need 100 rubles to check each room with potential clients.
Then 10 thousand doors is 1,000,000 rubles.
Most micro and small businesses do not have such testing resources. Moreover, to test a hypothesis that may not work.
How many keywords should you collect? Where to start selecting keywords?
The goal of the first launch in Direct is to quickly (and preferably inexpensively) understand where you make a profit and where you don’t. All.
Find out profitable and unprofitable product lines, platforms (search/rsya/retargeting). And also many other factors.
1. We begin to select keywords from areas where there is a greater likelihood of making a profit from contextual advertising
These are usually highly profitable or popular destinations.
For example, you build And sell at home in Moscow.
We identify the types of houses that we want to test first.
We take popular destinations wooden And brick houses.
In our “house” theme:
– one group can be based on keywords related to construction(house construction, turnkey cottage, house building)
– second group about sale finished houses (buy a house, sell townhouses...)
– construction of wooden
– construction of brick
– sale of wooden
– sale of brick
From wooden can be highlighted separately log And timber, which in turn are different wood And varieties. The same goes for different types of bricks.
You can select separate campaigns for logs and beams, or you can combine all the keywords for wood in one campaign.
Usually, when there are more campaigns, it is easier to draw conclusions when analyzing. But there may be problems with control.
There is no universal recipe here. Just common sense. You need to divide in such a way that it is convenient for you to analyze and manage.
2. Collect keywords on selected topics that are entered by “hot” potential clients
Obviously these are keywords like "buy" or "order". If you work them out well, in almost any topic you can get traffic that
1) will attract potential clients ready to buy
2) not covered by competitors, which means quite cheap
What did I mean by doing a good job on hot keywords? This means choosing the maximum number of them. How to do it? I have already done some of the work for you: in one place.
Let's look at an example. Let's say you realized for yourself that the most profitable direction is sales of finished wood houses.
How can people search for them?
wooden house
wooden house
timber house
log house
log house
... and so on, depending on what kind of houses you are selling.
Now we take a list of hot keywords related specifically to sales.
Buy
I will buy
Purchase
Sale
Order
Order
Buy
Acquisition
Price
Price
What is the price
Expensive
Inexpensive
Cheap
And we will select all possible combinations of these two lists. The easiest way to do this is through online services. Eg:
Phrase generator ppc-help (registration required)
Multiplier
The result was a list of 70 key phrases
Buy a wooden house
Buy a wooden house
Buy a house made of timber
Buy a log house
Buy a log house
I will buy a wooden house
I will buy a house made of wood
I will buy a house made of timber
I will buy a house made of logs
I will buy a log house
Buying a wooden house
Buying a wooden house
Buying a house made of timber
Buying a log house
Buying a log house
Sale of wooden house
Selling a wooden house
Sale of a house made of timber
Sale of a log house
Sale of log house
Order a wooden house
Order a wooden house
Order a house made of timber
Order a log house
Order a log house
Custom wooden house
Order a wooden house
Order a house made of timber
Order a log house
Custom log house
Buy a wooden house
Buy a wooden house
Buy a house made of timber
Buy a log house
Buy a log house
Purchase of a wooden house
Purchasing a wooden house
Purchasing a timber house
Purchasing a log house
Purchase of a log house
Wooden house price
Price of a wooden house
Price of a house made of timber
Price of a log house
Price log house
Cost of a wooden house
Cost of a wooden house
Cost of a timber house
Cost of a log house
Cost of a log house
How much does a wooden house cost?
How much does a wooden house cost?
How much does a log house cost?
How much does a log house cost?
How much does a log house cost?
Expensive wooden house
Expensive wooden house
Expensive house made of timber
Expensive log house
Expensive log house
Inexpensive wooden house
Inexpensive wooden house
Inexpensive house made of timber
Inexpensive log house
Inexpensive log house
Cheap wooden house
Cheap house made of wood
Cheap house made of timber
Cheap log house
Cheap log house
3. Collect real key queries from Wordstat
Now you need to collect real queries in the Wordstat service for each of these phrases.
Don’t forget about the goal of the first launch - to test the channel with minimal effort and identify steps to increase advertising profitability.
Therefore, we do not yet accept requests below 50 impressions per month for advertising launch. This will greatly increase the amount of work, but at the first stage it will not give any tangible benefit as a result.
Low-frequency words are not always cheaper, although for some reason this is a very common misconception.
Screenshot from an active advertising campaign. Low frequency keywords are more expensive. The picture is clickable. But all collected words, including low-frequency ones, need to be reviewed for .
List of keywords for the sale of wooden houses in Moscow
I parsed the list of words through a key collector and removed construction queries, for which a separate campaign is planned.
Keywords are search queries of Yandex users.
For the Yandex.Direct test, it is better to use only hot keywords with a clear purchasing need. You need to prepare for the gathering - make a list of masks.
1. Keyword masks
Masks are general queries that include keywords. An example of a mask and its occurrences in the word selection service - wordstat.yandex.ru:
To collect masks, you need to make a list of thematic words. I do this in the program xmind, but it can also be done in Excel. There are enough basic functions and they are free.
Example of brainstorming in xmind:
Filling a map in xmind:
Materials for the video:
- selling supplements - .
Let's continue. When the map is ready, you need to multiply its components. The meaning is:
- we need primary masks that characterize the product and can be selling ones - “buy wallpaper”, “sale wallpaper”
- and secondary, any word from the categories of the card, for example - “liquid”, “children’s”, “kitchen”
- By multiplying the 1st and 2nd we get the main masks; we will use them to collect the semantic core.
Here is a video on multiplying masks:
Multiplication services:
The masks are ready, now we need to get the keywords - collect the semantics. More on this below.
2. Collecting keywords
The long way— enter each mask into wordstat.yandex.ru and copy queries from statistics. Please note that there will be up to 40 pages of statistics for each mask. Wordstat instructions:
Fast way— buy Key Collector on the official website, it itself collects keywords from Wordstat. Collector instructions:
3. Removing duplicates
The keywords have been collected, now they need to be checked for duplicates. I’ll tell you how to do this in the key-collector program...
Video:
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