When performing market niche and keyword research, Google is a great resource but don’t forget about other methods and sources for online research and information. In fact, it is always beneficial to use tools other than Google in order to get a very comprehensive, unbiased list of keywords, affiliate marketing programs, and possible niches.
If you are serious about performing detailed online research, then you will certainly want to use these additional sources.
Yahoo For Online Research
Often overlooked as ‘only’ the second largest global search engine, Yahoo still has a lot to offer the internet marketer. Yahoo Shopping, easily accessed from the search engine’s home page is a good place for online research. Search for your keywords, then drill down according to the department, store, or group. Next to each listing in these categories is the number of websites associated with the keywords.
The Yahoo Buzz Index provides a list of web pages and articles pertaining to the hottest topics on the web. You can scroll through the information according to the most popular subjects, category, or country.
Wordtracker For Online Research
This powerful keyword tool does more than just suggest keywords for your e-commerce business; it provides a lot of ideas regarding a niche market. Start with a single word such as “price”, “buy”, or even something like “eBook” and it instantly returns a list of the most popular searches containing those words. This is a great way to decide on a niche. For instance, if you put in the word “price” and find that most internet users are looking for cheap action adventure DVDs, then you’ve got some new ideas of what products have the best potential for profitability.
But more than just supplying a list of keywords, Wordtracker also provides data regarding how “commercial” and competitive the phrases are using the advanced search feature. The results can be easily exported, allowing for further sorting.
Social Media For Online Research
Also referred to as “crowd-sourcing”, asking a question of followers and friends on a social media site such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook is a great way to quickly receive relevant information about a particular topic. Perhaps you want to find out whether two or more affiliate marketing programs offer the right type of products to monetise your site. Why not ask your friends and followers? Give them a choice and ask them to vote.
The same type of procedure could be used for split testing keyword effectiveness or product popularity to determine the best market niche. These are the people you will be selling to so why not get their opinion before you make an e-marketing decision?
Google is a great online research tool but do remember that other resources abound on the internet. Yahoo, Bing, and even local search engines will help you. Above are three ideas of broader venues which provide different information than you will get from using Google alone.
About Sean Rasmussen
Sean
Some excellent new sources for me to access.
I use Market Samurai a lot as I find it gives a lot of excellent information beyond keywords such as competition analysis, adwords prices and link structures
Hi Sean
There is really so much to help us with our research, no excuses for not moving forwards. It would be best to set aside the time to look at each of these resources thank you for that information.
Rita
No problem Rita, happy researching
Thanks Sean, as always amazing information to help us all advance our IM knowledge and skills.
Glad you like it Cheryl, great to see you reading and learning
I have bookmarked this page. There is so much valuable information here about niche and keyword research that I haven’t fully digested yet. I will keep coming back until I do.
Just to add to the point about using social media for online research – On Twitter, there’s also the list of worldwide trending topics. Go to your homepage and it’s listed on the right-hand side column. Also, reading comments in in forums, blogs, other social networking sites are great sources for research.
Twitter trending topics is great to add to your research tools, thanks for bringing it up Lina
There is a add-on for Firefox that provides the ability to see in real-time from your browser the trending topics from many different sources on the web.
The actual name of the add-on escapes me, however at the click of a button it provides real-time information from Twitter, OneRiot and I think Yahoo Buzz as well.
Hi Sean
Just been to a fantastic marketing seminar and learnt two (out of many) very good tips which ties in with what you have written about, and that is firstly to thoroughly do your market research about the product you want to promote, and secondly to have used the product and to personally know as much about the product as possible (and like it of course.)
Your message is very important and can save thousands of hours, dollars and heartache if you have assumed or overlooked the needs of the market!
Kind regards
Elly
I like the idea of the “crowd surfing” for online research. Has anyone here actually done that one? I can imagine it on Facebook, not sure how it would work on Twitter. Thanks for feedback
Hi Sean,
This is excellent advice. I definitely need to widen my horizons as I’m really missing out on some great information. I’m learning so much from reading your blog, Sean, it’s amazing. I have so many new things I need to try and start using. I’m in for a very busy time ahead.