External Keyword Tool... Days Are Numbered...

by tpw
33 replies
  • SEO
  • |
I opened the Google External Keyword Tool today and found this message:

In the coming months, the external Keyword Tool will no longer be available. To get keyword ideas, sign in to your AdWords account and try Keyword Planner.
This would be fine, if they didn't keep killing my Adwords accounts.
#days #external #keyword #numbered #tool
  • Profile picture of the author kinyash
    Free days almost over i guess..
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  • Profile picture of the author run
    It's still free!
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    I just wanna tell you that most of the links in the signature are trash and/or a trap to make you pay!
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    • Profile picture of the author CyberAlien
      Originally Posted by run View Post

      It's still free!
      Free if you want to signup for Adwords, they probably are just wanting to collect more contact information so they're keeping it free but requiring that you have an account.
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      • Profile picture of the author Rishy
        Pretty disappointing. First they got away with the amazing wonder wheel -which was very useful for related searches but never expected external keyword tool will go away.
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      • Profile picture of the author Bhekizwe
        Originally Posted by Chase Watts View Post

        Free if you want to signup for Adwords, they probably are just wanting to collect more contact information so they're keeping it free but requiring that you have an account.
        i hope its just that
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  • Profile picture of the author johnben1444
    Google at it again.

    I guess the final stage is here and there goes the rookies and quackies off the roof of IM.

    Always a better option anyway.

    When these happens, the only thing is to have a separate account for mr planner and another for adword.

    John
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  • Profile picture of the author kolled
    Originally Posted by tpw View Post

    This would be fine, if they didn't keep killing my Adwords accounts.
    And here I was thinking only my accounts keep getting whacked! In my view, they are slowly but steadily shifting from 'giving away too much stuff for free' to charging for them. Only time will tell.
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  • Profile picture of the author Thriftypreneur
    Originally Posted by DanielBlue View Post

    There has to be a reason why they are doing this! Will this maybe affect Keyword tools like Marketsamurai? Do they want to stop others that are pulling data from them?
    If I had to guess, I would imagine this is certainly part of their agenda.
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  • Profile picture of the author andreas3
    If you're hunting for a Google keyword tool alternative... SEObook has a good list of keyword tools:
    Free Keyword Suggestion, Research & Analysis Tools: Seo Book.com
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  • Profile picture of the author Curtis2011
    Originally Posted by tpw View Post

    This would be fine, if they didn't keep killing my Adwords accounts.
    Maybe you should try not using blackhat methods on Adwords, then? Is that so hard?

    As per keyword tools, I haven't used the Google one in forever. I have other sources of keyword data
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    • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
      Originally Posted by Curtis2011 View Post

      Maybe you should try not using blackhat methods on Adwords, then? Is that so hard?
      There are a million ways to get banned from AdWords and none have nothing to do with using a blackhat method.

      For example, creating a campaign that links to a ClickBank product will get you banned. This is the killing field for thousands of marketing newbies.

      Nothing like showing your ignorance and defaming another Warrior at the same time.

      As for the keyword tool, Google keeps finding ways to keep keyword data to itself, or to only make it available to paying AdWords customers.
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      • Profile picture of the author Curtis2011
        Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

        For example, creating a campaign that links to a ClickBank product will get you banned. This is the killing field for thousands of marketing newbies.
        That has been Adwords' official stance on it for awhile now, though. This should be no surprise to anyone who spends 5 minutes researching what they are and aren't allowed to do with Adwords.

        By "blackhat" I mean going against the official terms and conditions.

        Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

        Nothing like showing your ignorance and defaming another Warrior at the same time.
        Don't take it so personally. Why are people so surprised that when you violate the Adwords rules, they kick you out? It's common sense.

        "Ignorance of the law is no excuse" so why should ignorance of terms & conditions be an excuse?

        Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

        As for the keyword tool, Google keeps finding ways to keep keyword data to itself, or to only make it available to paying AdWords customers.
        There are other ways to get keyword data.

        Originally Posted by Jesus Perez View Post

        Ever since they started hiding encrypted searches, I've been curious of their long term agenda.

        In my opinion, I suspect Google wants everyone to pay for ads and placement on their search engine. It's not in their best interest to give away the best money-making keywords so "little affiliate marketers" can create 10 page websites that provide a terrible experience and create more work for their QA team.

        I see all these keyword tools disappearing in the future.
        This makes sense. It wouldn't be a smart business decision to give away a free tool if people mostly use that tool to cause problems (in Google's eyes at least).
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        • Profile picture of the author tpw
          Originally Posted by Curtis2011 View Post

          Maybe you should try not using blackhat methods on Adwords, then? Is that so hard?
          Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

          There are a million ways to get banned from AdWords and none have nothing to do with using a blackhat method.

          Nothing like showing your ignorance and defaming another Warrior at the same time.
          Originally Posted by Curtis2011 View Post

          By "blackhat" I mean going against the official terms and conditions.

          Don't take it so personally. Why are people so surprised that when you violate the Adwords rules, they kick you out? It's common sense.

          "Ignorance of the law is no excuse" so why should ignorance of terms & conditions be an excuse?

          Ignorance is also no excuse for defaming a group of people unjustly.

          Brian knows that I do not play black hat.

          I did not get kicked out of Adwords for breaking the rules. I got two different accounts banned for not spending a bunch of money every month.

          The official statement from "on high" was that my monthly spend was too low.

          If that means that I broke the rules blackhat-style, then you would be right to smear my reputation.

          If not spending enough money is in their terms of service, then I should have known better.

          If it isn't in their terms of service, then you have called me out unjustly.
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          • Profile picture of the author serryjw
            Curious..WHAT do you think the minimum is that G wants to see monthly before they ban you?
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          • Profile picture of the author Wayne
            Originally Posted by tpw View Post

            I did not get kicked out of Adwords for breaking the rules. I got two different accounts banned for not spending a bunch of money every month.

            The official statement from "on high" was that my monthly spend was too low.
            I've never heard of an account getting banned for not spending any money before. Is this happening to a lot of people. Maybe I am just lucky, but I have an adwords account that I haven't added any money to since around 2005, and it is still active and never been banned. I did spend a lot of money with them for the 5 or 6 years prior to 2005. I just kept the account in order to use the Keyword Tool.
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            • Profile picture of the author Enfusia
              I don't know the guy personally but calling Bill Platt a black hatter would be like saying Hugh Hefner is a virgin.

              I've been in Bills list for quite a while and he regularly spanks shady or black hat methods and generally only recommends white hat stuff.

              Dude; you may wish to consider researching a position prior to espousal.

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  • Profile picture of the author Jeff Willy
    SEO Book is a good alternative to Google Keyword External Tool. Can't believe this is happening, first the Google Wonder Wheel, and now the External Tool? My goodness!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jesus Perez
    Ever since they started hiding encrypted searches, I've been curious of their long term agenda.

    In my opinion, I suspect Google wants everyone to pay for ads and placement on their search engine. It's not in their best interest to give away the best money-making keywords so "little affiliate marketers" can create 10 page websites that provide a terrible experience and create more work for their QA team.

    I see all these keyword tools disappearing in the future.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by Chase Watts View Post

      Free if you want to signup for Adwords, they probably are just wanting to collect more contact information so they're keeping it free but requiring that you have an account.
      My guess is the DanielBlue is closer to the truth...

      Originally Posted by DanielBlue View Post

      There has to be a reason why they are doing this! Will this maybe affect Keyword tools like Marketsamurai? Do they want to stop others that are pulling data from them?
      Haven't you been paying attention? Google just hates small marketers and looks for new ways to bully them, from what I read in many of the threads here.
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    • Profile picture of the author Thriftypreneur
      Originally Posted by Jesus Perez View Post

      I see all these keyword tools disappearing in the future.
      I think this will probably be the case, as well.

      Today it's "requiring people to sign up for a free Adwords account while simultaneously breaking (at least temporarily) every keyword research tool that relies on the Google Keyword Tool by changing the interface to the Google Keyword Planner."

      Tomorrow, I can easily see them taking it one step further and requiring you to deposit into your Adwords account before the keyword planner is enabled.

      They clearly want to keep the data to themselves and their customers and stop others from profiting off their services. Can't say I blame them, as it will lead to more and more revenue for the company.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Blades
    Maybe you should try not using blackhat methods on Adwords, then? Is that so hard?
    Anything that has to do with Internet Marketing is blackhat in Googles eyes, I doubt the OP uses blackhat techniques. The people that review ads are probably so used to seeing blackhat methods, that they may be quick to ax anything that resembles IM

    It only takes a few bad apples to ruin it for everybody.
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  • Profile picture of the author danr62
    Bill Platt? Blackhat? This does not compute.

    And everyone knows that Google's ToS are vague and that they can be ban-happy even when following these vague rules.
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    • Profile picture of the author wordwizard
      I guess they found that their keyword tool gave us more information than they wanted to... especially without us having to tell them who we were.

      Darn!
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      • Profile picture of the author tpw
        Originally Posted by wordwizard View Post

        I guess they found that their keyword tool gave us more information than they wanted to... especially without us having to tell them who we were.

        Darn!

        I would be happy to have had to login to use it.

        But the problem is that they are pushing it into an area where only people who buy Adwords can use it.

        In other words, if I give them money, I can use it.

        If I don't give them money, they will block my access to it.

        I don't use it often, but when I do want to use it, it sure is nice having it available.
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        Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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        • Profile picture of the author Alex Awes
          Just imagine all those AdWords / PPC courses out there are going to be obsolete "in the comming months"!

          Those marketers are going to have to redo their training videos/pdfs.

          Their buying customers are going to be upset after they've paid for training that isn't as relevant any more. They will have to create an AdWords account (or may be more than 1 in the anticipation of getting slapped even though that's agains Google's TOC) and then use the new Keyword Planner tool instead with it's differet interface.

          I've been trying it out, it takes a bit of getting used to.

          Sometimes it feels annoying that time doesn't stay still. With progress there are always teething pains that we all need to adapt to in order to grow, I suppose.

          There are likely to be lots of complaints and anti-Google talk as this becomes wide-spread news.

          Anyway, thats my 2 cents.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Blades
    The signals I get from Google, is that they are in the market to make money, not have people make money off of them. I have an Adwords account, so it doesn't bother me, but I can understand peoples frustration with them.

    At the end of the day, Google is always going to look out for Google, so I have learned not to depend on Google for anything.
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    But I knew the one thing I might regret is not ever having tried. "

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  • Profile picture of the author Marc Rodill
    Lol wow you guys...

    Yeah time to have two separate accounts.
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  • Profile picture of the author Backlinko
    Honestly, I've had an Adwords account for years just for the additional keyword data (you don't get nearly as many keyword ideas if you're not signed into Adwords).

    The only difference between the old and new keyword tool is that now people HAVE to sign in to get their info...not a huge change.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alex Awes
      Originally Posted by Backlinko View Post

      The only difference between the old and new keyword tool is that now people HAVE to sign in to get their info...not a huge change.
      I'd like to emphasise Google is removing the Keyword tool and replacing it with the Keyword Planner.
      The Keyword Planner merges the intention of the Keyword Tool and the Traffic Estimator.

      So for the time being logging in to AdWords yes there is no difference.
      BUT after the Keyword Tool is gone we're going to have to get used to the Keyword Planner.

      For example in current the Keyword Tool we can choose which colums to display but in the Keyword Panner I haven't been able to figure out how to add/change columns like Competition, Global Monthly Searches, Local Search Trends...

      With a different interface teething problems are inevitable especially in this sort of 'pre-launch' phase as the bugs are weeded out.
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      • Profile picture of the author Backlinko
        Originally Posted by Alex Awes View Post

        I'd like to emphasise Google is removing the Keyword tool and replacing it with the Keyword Planner.
        The Keyword Planner merges the intention of the Keyword Tool and the Traffic Estimator.
        It's really semantics.

        Yes, they're removing it...and replacing it with almost the exact same tool.

        So for those of us with Adwords accounts (which is just about everyone serious about keyword research), this isn't a huge change.

        I just don't like how people hop on these stories and hype them up. If they were actually removing the tool altogether...now THAT would be a big deal.
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        • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
          Originally Posted by Backlinko View Post

          I just don't like how people hop on these stories and hype them up. If they were actually removing the tool altogether...now THAT would be a big deal.
          Yes, that would be a big deal. It is also something they will NEVER do.
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  • Profile picture of the author SuperKristen
    I have not got any message like this but I don't see much difference between Keyword Planner and external keyword tool.
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  • Profile picture of the author Humbee360
    I have noticed a lot of things at Google that are "Disturbing" Anti business, Anti Competition, Political issues that frankly are Un-American...

    But be that as it may, there are some things that I find not only strange but Freaky, like the way the search results are beginning to degrade, for example if you are "not" signed into Google, then when you are searching, (even shopping) you do not get complete results.

    You get perhaps a few results that fit in with what you are looking for but then the results just go far out in the pasture. (useless results)

    Now if you sign in and say look for a Spa package, in your local area.

    (Guess what ads you see the rest of the day when your looking say for another totally different product)

    Spa Ads.

    If you think this is not important you better wake up, your asleep at the wheel of your Internet business...
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