HitTail - Yay or Nay?

[Chunkford]

Hi everyone.
I am currently using www.hittail.com on my site, and i am finding it a very usefull tool.
I am getting search terms from people that have visited my site that i would never of thought off!
I'd be interested to see what everyone else think of this tool?

Paul

[Legends]

Its great for finding low cost ppc keywords

See also showthread.php?t=29474&highlight=hittail

[kev67]

Originally Posted by sir.chunk

Hi everyone.
I am currently using www.hittail.com on my site, and i am finding it a very usefull tool.
I am getting search terms from people that have visited my site that i would never of thought off!
I'd be interested to see what everyone else think of this tool?

Paul

I just installed this to my site and logged in today and the amount of weird and abnormal search terms being used for the particular items I try and sell online is unreal!

It is mad what people type to search - it's an eye opener, no wonder I'm on page 99,000!.......lol

[Stereo Steve]

Isn't it interesting though. We sell a lot of lightscribe blank media and optimise for lightscribe cdr, cd-r, dvdr and dvd-r. What I have noticed though is that about 50% of people actually just search for cd or dvd without the 'R'. Searching for that phrase shows that most of my competitors are equally blind to that piece of knowledge.

Opportunities abound.

[drounding]

Aren't the search terms reported by Hittail those that were used by poeple who did find your site - surely what is needed are the terms that are used by people that don't find your site.

Isn't this just what Google Analytics does as well?

Am I missing the point and use of Hittail here?

[leehack]

I'm glad you posted that, i was thinking the same. On the surface, it sounds like a marketing plan to get the people who have walked through your door to actually walk through your door?

[TraceyHand]

Originally Posted by drounding

Aren't the search terms reported by Hittail those that were used by poeple who did find your site - surely what is needed are the terms that are used by people that don't find your site.

I was thinking exactly the same thing although to find out what relevent search terms people are using and NOT finding your site, I guess you'd need to be telepathic

I think the point is that it becomes apparent that you can be found through the search engines using some obscure but sometimes often used search terms and these, once identified, can be used in a PPC marketing campaign to ensure top listings every time, for these terms, at very little cost.

Jury is still out here on its use (I'd much rather be telepathic and know which terms AREN'T leading people to me when they should!) but the stats it produces do make for interesting reading

[Stereo Steve]

Well in my example above people are finding us (occasionally through the word 'Lightscribe'). What it does show is that at least half of those people typed 'lightscribe cd' or 'lightscribe dvd' and not cdr, cd-r, dvdr or dvd-r.

Not many of my competitors come up for 'lightscribe cd' so that's a key phrase I can optimise to get a jump on them.

[pfb5]

I am pleased to see the regulars taking an interest here. I too have installed this this evening and immediately saw the results - but obviously it's early days yet to understand what I am learning.

I have also been reading some other SEO related threads recently and could be formulating a lengthy series of queries!

My first thought is that hittail is telling me that when a person searched for a particular term, my site CAME UP on their results page (or in some cases, four pages in) - it is NOT telling me that they actually visited my site, as a result of the search, is that correct?

[Stereo Steve]

No, they actually visited by clicking that link, otherwise the code on your site could not report the visit. One thing it does highlight is how many adwords clicks you are paying for for items you don't even have. Scary.

[drounding]

I would like soneone's comment who uses adwords and google analytics and has tried Hittail.

I still can't see what Hittail does that GA doesn't.

[Legends]

Originally Posted by drounding

I would like soneone's comment who uses adwords and google analytics and has tried Hittail.

I still can't see what Hittail does that GA doesn't.

Duncan


I use GA, Hittail and Adwords - hittail is great for spotting obscure phrases that people use to find your site - admittedly GA will probably give you the same info - but hittail is much easier to use - you get a list there and then every time you login and its dead easy to see whats happening.

As i have said before - its great for spotting opportunities for cheap adwords with little or no competition and SEO (although I almost exclusively use it for adwords and it works a treat)

It is interesting to see that people are finding your site for "sponge black square widgets" when you are burried on page nine - how many would find you if you where the only one on page one with adwords?

Hittail is not as sophisticated as GA but in my view that is a bonus for searching for keywords and phrases.

MY 2p worth.

Cheers

[pinbrook]

So does hittail tell you anything that AWstats doesn't?

So its real function is a fall back for those who don't have AWStats and GA

[Legends]

Originally Posted by pinbrook

So does hittail tell you anything that AWstats doesn't?

So its real function is a fall back for those who don't have AWStats and GA

Its real benefit is that it is much much simpler to use than either of the above for just looking for keywords and phrases - horses for courses!

[pinbrook]

Thanks...

agreed its hourses for courses, its just nice to be reassured that I can continue to skin the cat using my old methods and not feel i'm missing out on something new.