Sep 19, 2007
Looks like the Overture keyword research tool is missing in action. Has been for several weeks apparently, though I have been too busy with PHP coding to notice (not doing so much keyword research these days).I wonder if it's going to come back? Information on it's disappearance seems scarce around the blogosphere, so it's hard to know if it's just broken, or if a strategic decision has been made to axe the thing permanently.
Doing a Microsoft
They have kinda done a Microsoft and removed the tool without adding any useful message to the user interface. For those who aren't with me, when MSN removed the backlink check functionality from MSN search, instead of a page of results you got a blank white page. It took me weeks to work out that it was actually Microsoft axing the service, and not a broken Firefox plugin at my end.Doing a Google
I'm glad they haven't done a Google though - remove the API and replace it with something that is more-or-less completely worthless, while telling us about all the benefits of the new system. I'm refering of course to the Google API for getting search data from Google. When it was axed, Google trumpeted it as good news because we now had the AJAX API instead. Unfortunately, the replacement API did nothing that the original API did, and at least one developer was left with the distinct impression that Google was taking the piss.If anyone sees a lost overture tool wandering the streets, please give it a cuddle and send it home to where it belongs.
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7 Comments
I have been using Overture rather extensively for keyword research. The fact that it's down, and the implication that perhaps it's not coming back are both unfortunate and aggravating.
Not that we really have a right to complain about the loss of a free service. ;-)
Good to see other people having a whinge about this too...
seobook saying the same thing
It's not that I'm especially upset about losing the tool, it's more the lack of common courtesy in not putting up a basic explanation notice for the thousands of users who are thinking "WTF is going on here".
Just like MSN did when they killed their backlink tool earlier this year.
Looks like the Overture tool is back again. Nice.
Dunken Francis - Aikido Auckland - Nov 1, 2007
I've tried overture several times in the recent weeks and it slamost sems as if some functionality has been blocked, almost as if to make people think "ahh, this is no use, I'll try something else" rather than just publically withdrawing it.
yeah, I really miss it too, I didn't use it often, but it did come in handy in short intensive blasts.
Lynny
Hey there everyone,
Just thought I would pop in here and
share real quick.
All the thoughts, tools and ideas
presented are absolutely terrific.
There is just ONE big huge gaping
hole with all the free keyword tools
that services have created to fill
the void of the disappearance of
the Overture tool.
And that is . . . (drum roll please)
Every single FREE keyword tool has
NO capability of saving your keywords
in a basket and managing your projects.
Well -- since July of 2004,
NicheBOT Classic has been
providing its constantly growing
userbase the ability to save their
keyword searches that are done for
free.
=====> http://www.nichebotclassic.com
I know -- it's okay to feel your
heart pitter-patter and get excited
like a kid in a candy story.
And I'm sure you would agree...
That's not only what I call
"useful" -- but I call that an
awesome solution!
You can create a FREE account
right here:
http://www.nichebotclassic.com/members/signup.php
Time to manage your FREE keyword
searches better, don't ya think?
And don't be surprised if you find
spreading the news to your friends
and business acquaintances about
this clearly useful resource.
Enjoy!
Best wishes,
Julie Akerson, Support Services
NicheBOTclassic.com
P.S. If you ever have any questions
that I, or my team, can handle, please
let us know at nichebotclassic {AT} gmail.com
It is back... but appears to be somewhat broken (on purpose?). Tried several search terms with no luck. Lately, I've been using google trends for a bit of insight on what people are searching...
(Yahoo! should be renamed to Yahoo?)