Understanding the Allintitle Operator in SEO Keyword Research

The provided source materials discuss the allintitle: search operator within Google and its application to keyword research. The data centers on differentiating allintitle: from intitle:, interpreting search results, and utilizing the operator for assessing keyword competition. The sources primarily originate from forum discussions, offering insights into practical application rather than formal research reports.

Allintitle vs. Intitle

The allintitle: operator functions as an exact phrase match search specifically targeting page titles. A search using allintitle:keyword tools will return results where both “keyword” and “tools” appear in the title tag. This contrasts with the intitle: operator, which requires only one of the specified keywords to be present in the title tag, allowing the other keywords to appear anywhere on the page. One source clarifies this distinction, stating that intitle: will return results with ‘keyword’ in the title, but ‘tools’ can be located elsewhere on the page, even outside the title.

Interpreting Search Results with and without Quotes

The use of quotation marks significantly impacts the number of results returned when using allintitle:. One user’s example demonstrates this: searching allintitle: seo tips and tricks for beginners yields 191 results, while allintitle: "seo tips and tricks for beginners" returns 70 results. The source does not explain why this discrepancy occurs, only noting the difference in result counts. Another user observed a similar, and even more dramatic, difference when searching for a different keyword: 139K results without quotes versus 529K results with quotes. This user acknowledges not understanding the reason for this variation.

Assessing Keyword Competition

Several sources highlight the utility of allintitle: for gauging keyword competition. The strategy involves identifying keywords with a relatively low number of allintitle: results, suggesting fewer pages are directly optimized for that specific phrase. One user describes a marketing style focused on targeting low search numbers coupled with a very low number of competing sites identified through allintitle:. They found 471 results for a keyword set and ranked well without article marketing or backlinks. Conversely, they deemed 14,000 allintitle: results to be an unrealistic market.

Software Tools for Allintitle Research

The discussion includes mentions of software capable of automating allintitle: searches across large keyword lists. Scrapebox is identified as a tool that can perform this function, although it is primarily designed for blog-related tasks. Another user was developing software specifically for allintitle: research, with planned features including support for different Google domains (e.g., google.fr, google.ru), proxy support, and export to CSV or TXT files. The software was intended to support searches with or without quotation marks.

The Value of Preliminary Checks and Further Analysis

One source recommends using allintitle: for “quick preliminary checks” but emphasizes the importance of supplementing this with further analysis. Before finalizing keyword selection, it is suggested to examine the top 10 results for PageRank (PR) and backlinks. This indicates that allintitle: should be considered one component of a broader keyword research process, not a definitive indicator of keyword viability.

Utilizing Allintitle in a Microniche Strategy

The sources suggest that allintitle: research is particularly valuable when employing a microniche site model. In this context, combining allintitle: data with Adwords research is considered important. One user notes that several threads discuss the importance of allintitle: research in relation to Adwords.

Conflicting Observations and Unverified Claims

The source materials present conflicting guidance on the number of results returned when using quotes. One user found that using quotes increased the number of results, while another found it decreased them. The reason for this discrepancy is not explained within the provided data. Additionally, an unverified source suggests that a Pinterest tool, Repinator, can drive significant traffic to a blog.

Conclusion

The allintitle: operator provides a method for assessing keyword competition by identifying the number of pages directly optimized for a specific phrase in their title tags. While useful for preliminary research, the data indicates that it should be used in conjunction with other metrics, such as PageRank and backlink profiles. The interpretation of results, particularly the impact of quotation marks, appears to be variable and requires further investigation. The sources highlight the potential of software tools to automate allintitle: research, but emphasize the importance of a comprehensive keyword research strategy.