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June 20th, 2010 by Susie
If you have not heard of keyword spy then prepare to get excited. Keyword spy is one of many search engine optimization tools which is used to identify competitor activity in terms of keyword usage for pay per click (PPC) campaigns. Whilst many people may argue that keyword research can be done independently, the benefits of using a tool such as keyword spy is that results are almost instant, whereas conducting your own competitor keyword research can take a lot of time and effort.
Another added benefit of using keyword spy as one of your search engine optimization tools, is that it gives you a lot of inside information which you would not normally be able to discover so easily. By more in-depth information, we mean the actual costs of competitor PPC campaigns. The process of using this tool is simple, you are presented with a search box in which you can search for whatever subject or website name you desire. You will then be provided with a simple list of results. These results are in the form of keywords, and besides each one are various details of their PPC campaign.
There is a ranking result which tells you how much per click the company paid for that specific keyword. Granted, this is an approximate cost but all the same, a very good inclination and insight into what rate your competitors are trading at. The other factor, which it informs you of, is their advertisement rank. This is basically a measure of the performance within SERP’s, against the price per click rate.
Before the vast desire of intrigue takes over, it is important to remember what the true purpose of keyword spy is. As interesting and insightful as we all know it is to check out our competitors’ movements, the theory behind this tool is to enhance the effectiveness of your own PPC campaigns. If you can see what keywords are working well within competitors’ PPC campaigns, then you can consider whether to incorporate some of these into your own strategies. Similarly, if you see keywords which are under performing then you know to either not include these, or perhaps delete them if you are using them already.
The results you are given may also enable you to discover alternative ways to promote your website and offer different avenues for you to get your advertisements and web links into. It can also contribute towards improving your page ranking with SERP’s and increasing your click through rate (CRT).
Where the cost element comes in is fairly obvious. By having a good idea of what your competitor’s internet and online costs are, you can see how much you are spending, and if this is acceptable. By using keyword spy against companies with a similar turnover or profit as your company, as well as relevance, you can get a true insight into spending habits.
Keyword spy offers both paid and free trial versions of the software, so even if you are still a little dubious, there is no harm in trying it for free.
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This is a great, but is there a tool out there that can do the same for organic keywords?
I just bought this yesterday, was charged and sent a confirmation that the account had been activated. It is not activated and there is no way to contact them beyond email that has not been answered after numerous attempts. Has anyone else had this problem and does anyone know a phone number or other means of contact? So far I am very disappointed and have since read of others having to dispute credit card charges due to no activation or response after 3 days of purchase. I hope this is not my doom as well.