Google Keyword Planner is an invaluable tool for anyone working in digital marketing, SEO, or content creation. It offers insights into search volumes, competition, and potential ad costs, helping us decide which keywords to target. But what if you need historical data? Accessing old keyword volume data isn't as straightforward as it could be, but with a few tricks up your sleeve, you can get the information you need.
In this post, we'll explore how you can access historical keyword data from Google Keyword Planner. We'll cover everything from understanding the tool's basic functions to using alternative methods to retrieve past data. Let's get started on uncovering those golden nuggets of historical search information.
Understanding Google Keyword Planner
Before diving into historical data retrieval, it's important to have a solid grasp of what Google Keyword Planner actually does. It's a free tool provided by Google Ads that helps you research keywords for your campaigns. Even if you're not running ads, the tool is handy for getting an idea of what people are searching for online.
Here's a quick rundown of what you can do with Google Keyword Planner:
- Find keywords: Enter a word or phrase related to your business, and it will suggest related keywords.
- See monthly search volumes: It provides an average monthly search count for each keyword.
- Check competition levels: It shows how competitive a keyword is in terms of advertising.
- Estimate bid costs: Get an idea of the cost-per-click for each keyword.
While these features are great for planning future campaigns, they don't directly address the need for historical data. That's where things get a bit tricky.
Why Historical Data Matters
So, why might you need historical keyword data anyway? Well, understanding trends over time can be incredibly insightful. For instance, if you're in ecommerce, knowing which products see a spike in interest during certain months can help you stock and promote accordingly. Seasonal trends, industry shifts, and emerging topics can all be spotted more easily with historical data.
For content creators and SEO professionals, this data can guide editorial calendar planning. If you know a topic tends to gain traction at a specific time each year, you can prepare and publish content ahead of the curve. In short, historical data adds depth to your keyword strategy, allowing you to make more informed decisions.
Accessing Historical Data with Google Keyword Planner
While Google Keyword Planner doesn't provide a straightforward way to access old data, there are methods you can use to approximate it. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do just that:
- Set up a Google Ads account: If you haven't already, you'll need a Google Ads account to access Keyword Planner. You don't have to run any ads, but setting up an account is necessary.
- Access Keyword Planner: Once your account is ready, navigate to the Keyword Planner tool.
- Use the date range feature: While planning new keywords, you can adjust the date range to see trends over the past 12 months. This doesn't give you historical data older than a year, but it's a start.
- Download the data: Export the data to a spreadsheet for easier analysis. This allows you to track changes and compare trends over time.
These steps may not give you data from years ago, but they offer insights into the past year's search trends, which is better than nothing.
Using Google Trends for Historical Insights
When Google Keyword Planner falls short, Google Trends can be a lifesaver. This free tool lets you explore how search interest in a topic has changed over time, providing data that goes back several years.
Here's how you can use Google Trends to your advantage:
- Search for a keyword: Enter a keyword or phrase in Google Trends to see its popularity over time.
- Adjust the time range: You can set the time range to go back as far as 2004, giving you a long-term view of trends.
- Compare multiple keywords: Google Trends lets you compare up to five search terms at a time, helping you decide which keywords are gaining traction.
While Google Trends doesn't provide exact search volumes, it does show relative popularity, which can be incredibly useful for spotting long-term trends.
Leveraging Third-Party Tools
If Google’s tools aren't giving you the full picture, third-party tools might fill in the gaps. Platforms like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz offer historical keyword data, though they typically require a subscription.
Here's a quick look at what these tools offer:
- Ahrefs: Known for its robust backlink analysis, Ahrefs also provides keyword data, including historical trends for up to several years.
- SEMrush: This tool offers a wealth of SEO data, including historical keyword metrics, allowing you to track changes over time.
- Moz: While more focused on domain authority and page optimization, Moz can still offer valuable keyword insights.
These tools often come with a price tag, but the depth of information they provide can be well worth it, especially if your business relies heavily on SEO and content strategy.
Analyzing Historical Data for Keyword Strategy
Once you've gathered your data, it's time to put it to good use. Here are some strategies for analyzing historical keyword data effectively:
- Look for seasonal trends: Identify keywords that spike during certain times of the year to capitalize on seasonal demand.
- Spot emerging topics: Use historical data to discover topics that are growing in popularity, allowing you to create content before they become mainstream.
- Compare against competitors: Analyze how your competitors’ keyword strategies have shifted over time and adapt accordingly.
By understanding these patterns, you can refine your keyword strategy to better align with user search behavior, ultimately driving more traffic to your site.
Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Accessing old keyword data isn't without its challenges. Here are some common hurdles you might face and how to overcome them:
- Limited data from free tools: Free tools often provide limited data. Consider investing in a paid tool if your budget allows.
- Interpreting relative data: Google Trends offers relative popularity, not exact volumes. Use it as a guide alongside other data sources.
- Data gaps: Sometimes data isn't available for certain periods. In such cases, use estimates and focus on the broader trends.
By acknowledging these challenges and planning accordingly, you can still glean valuable insights from historical data.
Practical Tips for Using Historical Data
Now that you have your historical data, let's talk about some practical ways to use it effectively:
- Plan ahead: Use historical trends to guide your content and SEO strategy, ensuring you're prepared for upcoming shifts in demand.
- Optimize ad spend: Historical data can help you allocate your ad budget more effectively by targeting keywords that have proven successful in the past.
- Enhance customer experience: Align your offerings with customer needs by understanding what people search for at different times of the year.
With these tips, you can turn historical data into actionable insights that drive real results.
Keeping Up with Changes in Keyword Trends
Keyword trends are always evolving, and staying on top of these changes is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. Here are some ways to keep up with the latest trends:
- Regularly check tools: Make it a habit to monitor Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends for updates.
- Subscribe to industry newsletters: Many SEO and marketing blogs offer newsletters that highlight emerging trends.
- Engage in online communities: Join forums and groups where professionals discuss the latest changes in search behavior.
By staying informed, you can adjust your strategies in real-time, ensuring your content remains relevant and impactful.
Final Thoughts
In this post, we've looked at how to access old Google Keyword Planner volume data and why it’s important for your SEO and content strategy. From understanding the basic functions of the tool to using third-party resources, there are multiple avenues to explore historical keyword trends.
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