Keywords are the cornerstone of all Search Engine Optimization and it is essential that you know how to find the right keywords. You may ask: 'Why?' The answer is that it is keywords that furnish the join between your internet site and what members of your target market type into Google. Google's algorithms seek occurrences of search phrases in webpage. If the words are prominent then there is a good chance that the page has appropriate content, providing that the phrase appears more than once.
Let me talk a little more about keyword prominence. How do you separate your keywords from just ordinary text on the page? By utilizing them in your page title,headings, the filename of the page, in your metatags and by using styles for emphasis. All these are signals to the search engines that the phrase is important. Furthermore, the keywords ought to be employed two or three times on the page.
Concentrating on poor keywords on your web pages may, at best, bring users who don't see the value of and aren't interested in what your website has to offer. There is a strong likelihood they will bring you no traffic at all since your site will do so badly in the Google's results pages.
Audience Research - The Critical Step in Finding Keywords
Look through the eyes of your target market. What words would they use when trying to find what you offer? You ought to be very sure about what you are aiming to achieve. Is your website a single step in a process to a face-to-face meeting? Is the objective for them to download a brochure or complete a form? Or are you looking for an immediate conversion?
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The best approach is often not individual words, but short phrases. Brand names as individual keywords are probably okay if you are the brand owner. But if you don't own such a property, individual words are likely to be too broad. You need to pick out your site from the the millions ofothers. By combining broad but pertinent keywords into key phrases, you increase your chances of a high ranking if someone types in that specific phrase.
In trying to find keywords, you will invariably face a need to balance the number of searches and the number of competing websites. The more general the search phrase, the more competition you are likely to face. Consider a phrase like "financial advice". Lots of people will use this phrase either on its own or as part of a search query. However, there are also lots of webpages containing these words. A phrase such as "financial advice for retired people" will have fewer searches but also fewer competitors. The more specific your keyword phrase is, the lower the number of searches but the greater your chance of getting a click.
Your choice is zip from a big pie or a big slice of a little pie.
A Systematic Approach Is Required To Find Your Keyword Phrases
So where do you begin? Brainstorm. Capture all words and phrases you think of and use tools such as Word's thesaurus. Use your brand, product descriptions, services or features, and your web address. This is only the start.
Now get inside the mind of your customers. What language would they use when describing your business or service? Write them down. Go back the thesaurus. Remember that plural forms of words are looked upon as being different in the eyes of search engine indexes, so include them too. Don't forget too that individual words can often be too broad, so think of both individual words and short phrases.
Next, talk to friends and relatives. What would they say are your keywords? Is your physical location relevant? If so, then you should add local references. Do you know of any online forums relating to your area of business. If so, check there for more prospective keywords and phrases. Consider common acronyms and abbreviations. Even write down typical typographical or spelling errors for these words as well. Collect everything that may be valuable.
The Tools To Find Keywords
Lastly, supplement all of that good data with professional keyword research tools. These tools can furnish you with search volumes for particular keyword phrases and data on how much competition there is for a keyword phrase. In addition, they can give synonyms and alternative phrases. Microsoft, Google and Yahoo provide tools to access their own data. Keep in mind these keyword tools are designed to help users work out which keywords to use with their Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns. Nevertheless the data is very valuable.
Finding Keywords - The Final Steps
Once you possess your master list from the brainstorming sessions and the keyword research tools, you need to pare it down and sort the words for relevance to your site. Favor highly specific keyword phrases over broad individual words; there's likely too much competition for single words. Seek out keywords that identify specific sectors in which you can be distinctive.
On your web site each page should have one or more unique keywords for themselves, but all have a common theme. This is because search engines look for context and not just keywords phrases.
In the end, the keywords selected ought to reveal both the content and the themeof your website. Your list should contain no more than 15 or so keywords or phrases.
Paul Taylor is an Oxford University graduate and holds an MBA from Cass Business School, London.. His website provides free internet marketing resources and the extensive
internet marketing program.
