FREE tools from Google

For example, if the user Googles an English query for “blue widget,” with Spanish language selected, Google would translate that query to “widget azul” and return results for “widget azul” translated back to the user's English language.

For sites with limited language support, these tools can jumpstart keyword research in additional languages. But don't rely on it as a translation/internationalization tool if multilingual sales are truly important.

In addition to its primary keyword tool, Google also offers a couple of quick comparison keyword tools that provide fast snapshots:

• Google Suggest: Start typing your search phrase in the search box or the Google Toolbar and Google suggests phrases you may be looking for. More than a helpful usability feature, Google Suggest may help you find a keyword gem that you wouldn't have otherwise thought of.

• Google Trends: Enter a search phrase and Google Trends will show a search volume trend graph for the past few years. There are no numbers associated with the graph, but it shows the relative popularity of two or more keywords. It's great for presentation visuals.

• Google Insights for Search: Like Google Trends on steroids. Add specific regions, categories, time frames and properties to show more detailed trends. Also great for presentation visuals.

SEO LINK-BUILDING TOOLS

External links represent the third pillar of SEO. Links are like little votes of confidence to the search engines that the page being linked to is valuable and relevant. Google's link-building tools are combined with the tools we've already discussed:

• Google Webmaster Central: The external links report in Webmaster tools is the most complete report of external links available. The report is displayed as a rolling several-week listing, so links that haven't been crawled recently won't be reported and reports aren't archived.

  This report is available only for verified sites, so you must still do competitive link analysis elsewhere. Yahoo Site Explorer provides free access to up to 1,000 external links for any URL.

• Google Web Search: As discussed earlier with the site: query, Google honors the link: advanced operator. For example, Googling link:www.example.com returns a sampling of the links Google chooses to display publicly.

This number is commonly far smaller than the number reported in Webmaster tools, and should be used only as a relative number across competitive sites rather than as a definitive count.

Google provides a final link-building tool, the Google Directory (http://www.google.com/dirhp). The good news is that submission to this vast and trusted directory is free.

The bad news is that it's powered by DMOZ, which has slowed acceptance rates to a trickle in recent years. There's no risk to submitting if a site isn't already listed, but be prepared to be extremely patient or disappointed.

SOCIAL AND REPUTATION MONITORING TOOLS

Keeping tabs on the buzz swirling around brands, people and competitors can be daunting. Google offers a series of free tools designed to filter the tsunami of online information down to the stream relevant to a user's keyword targets:

• Google Alerts: Search results on any word or phrase delivered to an e-mail inbox. Google offers several frequencies, lengths and levels of detail.

• Google Reader: Keep up on the industry's critical news, sites and blogs in a single-feed reader without having to visit each site individually.

• iGoogle: This enables you to create a personalized Google homepage with gadgets, feeds and the option to embed many of Google's other free tools in a single page. With a search box, of course.

We've barely scratched the surface of Google's free tools, but each of these tools has been weighed and reviewed by the SEO community at length. If you see one you like, Google it and learn more.

Or just give it a test drive. What do you have to lose — it's free!

Jill Kocher (jkocher@covario.com) is director of natural search services at SEO agency Covario (formerly Netconcepts).

GOOGLE
OPENS A FEW DOORS INTO ITS DATA GOLDMINE TO HELP ONLINE MARKETERS

1. EARN (AND REINVEST) MORE MONEY ON THEIR AD NETWORK, AND

2. CREATE A BETTER INTERNET EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR USERS.

GOOGLE'S FREE TOOLS ALLOW THE SEO EVERYMAN ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY TOOLS THAT YOU MIGHT THINK ONLY MAJOR CORPORATIONS COULD AFFORD.

WHERE TO FIND IT:

Google Alerts: http://www.google.com/alerts

Google Analytics: http://www.google.com/analytics

Google Directory: http://www.google.com/dirhp)

Google Insights for Search: http://www.google.com/insights/search/

Google Keyword Tool: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Google Language Tools: http://www.google.com/language_tools

Google Reader: https://www.google.com/reader

Google Toolbar: http://www.google.com/intl/en/toolbar/ff/index.html

Google Translate: http://translate.google.com

Google Trends: http://www.google.com/trends

Google Webmaster Central: http://www.google.com/webmasters/

Google Webmaster Central Blog: http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com

Google YouTube Webmaster Central Videos Channel: http://www.youtube.com/GoogleWebmasterHelp

iGoogle: http://www.google.com/ig