Google AdWords has recently added a new feature that assists greatly in the task of effective keyword selection. Instead of giving a vague idea of the frequency that terms are searched for, AdWords now reports the actual number of searches.

The tool now shows the average number of searches performed for a phrase over the past 12 months. This is incredibly useful in selecting keywords that have enough volume to be the main components of your ppc campaign, but also selecting lesser (long tail) keywords to provide small volume (but highly qualified) traffic.

In addition, the new AdWords Keyword Tool provides an estimate of what you would need to bid in order to show consistently in position 1-3. This is also very useful in understanding how your budget will be used.