What are the best keyword tracking tools that monitor all the top engines? Google, yahoo, msn and ask jeeves.

Doesn’t have to be a free program. Is WebCeo an accurate one?

The 'best' is log files and log file analysers.

I say this because 'search intent' is assumed.

Example: a keyword that is suggested to have 1000 uses in a search engine.

>SEO<

How many firms search to see where they are?

Or many automated tools do the for them?

How many competitors do comparative analysis?

Now: How many are legit users looking for a service provider?

Current keyword tools are about 50% accurate to appreciate potential traffic.

At best they give you a comparative scale e.g. if SEO provides - 1000 as a value and search engine optimization provides 100 as a value:

If one is 50% the other will be pretty close to that as well

SEO - 500

search engine optimization provides - 50

Web stats are great, I am a big fan.

But to answer your question --- I think, Web Position Gold is the most widely used. Although Google prefers if you do not use programs like that (I personally do not).

I need to see where my site/competitor's sites rank over time for specific search terms.

Any recomendations?

I need to see where my site/competitor's sites rank over time for specific search terms.

Any recomendations?

http://www.seocount.com is good for google.

http://www.gorank.com has side by side comparison.

Hi Sew952,

To see where you site/competitor's sites rank over time for specific search terms you can use web based solution or software, like GoRank , SEOcount, AgentWebranking...

You will find a full list at: http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Software/Internet/Website_Promotion

Thanks, but I still want to know what the best keyword position tool is to see your terms placement in the search engines. Clients like to see where they are. Any Ideas?

Doesn't web posistin gold use googles api? If so isnt that ok?

Thanks, but I still want to know what the best keyword position tool is to see your terms placement in the search engines. Clients like to see where they are. Any Ideas?

Doesn't web posistin gold use googles api? If so isnt that ok?

For some reason I thought you were looking at 'keyword usage'.

I'll plug Rusty's tool for Google http://www.seocount.com

It simple, affordable, and using it [since it is based on Google's API technology] you are not in breach of Google's TOS.

what about other engines?... I want atleast the top 4: google, yahoo, msn and jeeves.

Doesn't webposition gold use the google api? I know some of the keyword trackers do, so the SE's can't B*tch about flooding.

We use TopDog Pro and it works really good. :D

Doesn't webposition gold use the google api? I know some of the keyword trackers do, so the SE's can't B*tch about flooding.

We use TopDog Pro and it works really good. :D

as far as I know neither of these are API based.

ha! screw them. They take our copywritten content and make money off of it. They shouldn't complain if we exploit their backend. :D

I just found this resource today. Have not even had time to check it out yet.

Page title is:
96 Free SEO TOOLS - The Best Free SEO TOOLs On The Internet - All In One Place!
http://www.seocompany.ca/tool/seo-tools.html#link-popularity-tools

I heard some people on a forum say some of these are pretty good, but can't personally vouch for any of the info.

Hope this helps and let us know if anyone finds any gems in here!

Linda

Hi PR Weaver.


I am fairly certain DigitalPoint's Ranking tool does this. Tracks your own rankings and then you can set up competitiors URLS to watch too, I think. See the FAQ.

http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/keywords/

Best of Luck!

Linda

Just be aware that hitting Google with automated queries has not at times gone unnoticed and some have gotten into trouble for it.

Just be aware that hitting Google with automated queries has not at times gone unnoticed and some have gotten into trouble for it.

Just a note here: SEOCount, GoRank, and Digitalpoint's tools are all based on Google's API Technology and use are all within Google's TOS.

During peak search usage times - Google can dial down the querying rate for APIs.

FYI, I merged the former Search Term Ranking Over Time thread that started just after this one into this thread. Same topic, so wanted to unite all the great suggestions.

so no one knows a good keyword monitoring tool for more then just google?

so no one knows a good keyword monitoring tool for more then just google?
They named a lot of tools that look at wider resources than just Google.

None are fully reliable though. Unless you want to buy an ISP or two perhaps?

Just a note here: SEOCount, GoRank, and Digitalpoint's tools are all based on Google's API Technology and use are all within Google's TOS.
I am aware of the API, but the word of caution needs to be sounded for those who purchase desktop tools for checking rankings, lest they're bought and used indiscriminately.

Webposition Gold does a good job of checking the rankings of multiple keywords on multiple domains and multiple engines while at the same time being very considerate of the search engines by:

1. Allowing you to specify a variable delay between subsequent queries to the same engine.
2. Running queiries for a list of keywords one word at a time across all the engines you are searching before querying the next word on the first search engine again

Similar ranking checking programs operate in a similar manner.

While it is true that Google states that it does not like automated rankcheckers and several years ago punished a now well known SEO for its use, I really fail to see how they could punish anyone for automated rank checking unless they were checking from the same fixed IP address all the time.

If punishments were meted out based on the domain that you are checking rankings for I could get competitors punished by simply checking thier rankings, so that is not likely IMO, and all the major ranking checkers tell us that they identify themselves as a webbrowser and use that same query strings as webbrowsers do.

I suspect that many (if not most) busy SEOs do use automated ranking checkers, but will not admit it in a public forum.

I suspect that many (if not most) busy SEOs do use automated ranking checkers, but will not admit it in a public forum.

Let me put in a word for manual checking. It can be extremely instructive to look at what ranks and why, and to compare rankings for the same competitive field of pages across different engines.

This is especially helpful in tuning linking campaigns, adjusting titles and site copy, and deciding when you need to build new pages.

Should be done in conjunction with studying logs and conversion data.

so no one knows a good keyword monitoring tool for more then just google?
Webposition Gold works very well as do several others such as agent web ranking, top dog etc.

While I agree that manual rank checking will give you much more information, if you are going to check the rankings for 45 keywords for each of 25 clients twice a month you had better be ready to devote some serious resources to it, which results in a much higher cost.

SEO Elite does the trick, is moderately priced and very well supported.

Just so the full picture is given, here are Google's exact statements on this topic:

Fiction: Automated "ranking checking" programs are a good way for webmasters to save time and measure their "online presence."
Fact: Automated "ranking checking" programs violate Google's terms of service. They use server resources that should be spent on answering user requests. We strongly request that you not use rank checking programs to check your position on Google.http://www.google.com/intl/en/webmasters/facts.html

No Automated Querying
You may not send automated queries of any sort to Google's system without express permission in advance from Google. Note that "sending automated queries" includes, among other things:

- using any software which sends queries to Google to determine how a website or webpage "ranks" on Google for various queries;
- "meta-searching" Google; and
- performing "offline" searches on Google.http://www.google.com/terms_of_service.html

Its my understanding that they won't penalise the domain you are doing the automated querying on - they could, however, block the IP address the queries are coming from. Especially with fixed IPs from cable/ broadband connections.

I'm not a lawyer, but I suspect that the API based tools qualify as 'permission in advance' as the API has its own t&c's.