How to choose effective keywords?
If you've read our article on how
to optimize for search engines, you now know that it is
important to be very focused in choosing the "keywords" that
accurately describe your website's content.
The most important thing to remember about keywords is
that it is the keywords on the page that matter. If it's not in your
content, or if the search engine can't read your content because you've
used a frame or a flash design, then it doesn't matter what keywords you
stuff into your meta tags.
Let's suppose you have the content and the search engine
robots find your website and eagerly index all that it has to say. Then
keywords do matter. Some keywords matter more than other, because some
terms generate significantly more searches than others.
We don't all think alike, but a lot of people do think
the same way due to a common educational system and cultural influences.
We are all exposed to the same print and television advertising over and
over and over and over, so it's to be expected that these cultural
influences will influence word choice. It's also to be expected that
some terms will be used by one group of people while other terms will be
used by others to describe the exact same thing.
The aim of search engine optimization is to get as many
people in a target market as possible to your website. The keywords used
on a web page should be the words that most people in your target market
will use. You may be selling a passenger vehicle that has four wheels
and an engine, but your American customers will search for
"cars" while your British customers will search for
"autos." Your American customers will want to park their cars
in "parking lots"; Brits will want to park their autos in
"car parks." If your target market is Americans, speak
American; if your market is British, speak English.
The easiest way to determine which of similar words or
phrases will result in the largest number of searches is to use the
tools the search engines developed to help their paid advertisers figure
out where to run their ads. Those keyword analysis tools include:
Google Keyword Sandbox: https://adwords.google.com/select/main?cmd=KeywordSandbox
Google Suggest:
http://www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en
Overture Search Term Suggestion Tool:
http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion
Overture View Tools:
http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/rc/srch/
DigitalPoint Keyword Tracker:
http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/keywords/
After you've figured out the keywords that best describe
the content of your website, the next step is to structure the website
content around them. Notice we said "keywords" and not
"keyword," because it is the two or three word phrases that
people use when they refine their query that bring the target market web
traffic.
Now you know the secret of search engine
optimization. The first rule for search optimization is to know your
target audience. The second rule is to think of the words they would
think of if they were thinking about what you're trying to sell them.
Then write great content that tells those potential customers about your
services and products. Put that content into a search-engine friendly
website design. Then, submit your website to the search engines.
Simple enough? Right! If you need help with any of that,
we design search-engine friendly HTML website layouts. We can develop
interesting, keyword-rich content to describe your business. Email info@oakridgewebdesigns.com
if you have questions on this topic.
Tips for choosing effective
keywords