With the recent changes at Google, accurate keyword data has become much more difficult, if not impossible to come by. Some say keyword research is dead as keywords are no longer specifically relevant to search queries and voice search. I'll show you what happened, why it matters and why keyword research is still valueable to any online marketing campaign.

1. SURVIVING THE KEYWORD
Apocalypse
KEYWORD RESEARCH POST:
KEYWORD TOOL, (NOT PROVIDED), AND
HUMMINGBIRD
Stoney G deGeyter
@stoneyd
1

2. IT'S THE END OF KEYWORDS AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE)
Stoney G deGeyter
@stoneyd
2

3. IT’S THE END OF KEYWORDS AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE)
Timeline of the keyword apocalypse
August 24 (ish)
Google Rolls Out
Hummingbird
Algorithm & SEOs
Don’t Notice
August 27, 2013
Google Takes
Away Keyword
Tool & SEOs Freak
Out
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
Week of Sep. 4
Google Makes
Keyword Data “(Not
Provided)” & SEOs
Freak Out
Sep. 26, 2013
Google Discloses
Hummingbird & SEOs
Freak Out
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

4. IT’S THE END OF KEYWORDS AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE)
The perfect keyword storm?
(Not
Provided)
Humming
bird
Keyword
Tool
Gone
Keywords are “Irrelevant”
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

5. IT’S THE END OF KEYWORDS AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE)
Just another day in SEO
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

6. IT’S THE END OF KEYWORDS AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE)
Keywords still matter
that thing that does that stuff that makes me feel that way
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

7. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
Stoney G deGeyter
@stoneyd
7

8. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
Where do you go for keyword data
SERVER
LOGS
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
KEYWORD
TOOL
KEYWORDS ARE
EVERYWHERE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

9. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
Where do you go for keyword data
PPC CAMPAIGN
& PLANNER
KEYWORDS
CLOUD TOOLS
WORDTRACKER
KEYWORDS
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
EVERYDAY
CONVERSATION
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

10. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
Here’s what we know…
ORGANICALLY
RELATED
WORDS
EXACT
MATCH
KEYWORDS
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

11. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
Find your core terms (just like before)
My Core Terms
Power Tool Batteries
Laptop Batteries
Cell Phone Batteries
Motorcycle Batteries
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

12. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
Add your qualifiers (just like before)
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

13. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
Incorporate related words (very important!)
Co-Occurrence
Synonyms
Regular Correlation
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

14. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
Finding co-occurrence keywords
(words frequently found together)
Competitor Sites
• Pick 3-5 top ranked
Cloud Tools
• Such as: TagCrowd, Tagxedo, Webconfs.com
Similar Terms
• Words used in each document
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

15. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
Finding synonyms
(words that can be used interchangeably)
bar
Car
Sandwich Shop
Attorney
Ratings
Restaurant
tavern
Auto
Deli
Lawyer
Reviews
Place to Eat
Source: http://www.visualthesaurus.com
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

16. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
Finding words that correlate
(words that are used within topical context)
Snow
SURVIVING THE KEYWORD APOCALYPSE
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu

17. HOW TO RESEARCH KEYWORDS IN THE APOCALYPSE
YOU CAN SURVIVE THE
Apocalypse
17
‘C
SURVIVING THE KEYWORDAUSE IT
APOCALYPSE
AIN’T THAT BAD!
@PolePositionMkg
#PPMedu