One of the most valuable tools on the Internet is keywords. If used correctly, they can drive a considerable amount of traffic to your homepage and increase sales. There are several things you need to know in order to create successful keywords for your blog, homepage, news articles and SEO copy.
Invest in tools like WordTracker, Trellian’s Keyword Discovery Tool or Google AdWords for solid and competitive keywords. Do not be fooled by the many online offers for free SEO or keyword tools, because often times these tools are not effective.
Next you want to get to know your target market for your products or services. Find words or phrases that best link to your business and what it offers. Usually it is better to use longer keyword phrases of two to four words that are specific to your business. Using general keywords can be detrimental to your marketing strategy and can keep your site at the bottom of search result pages. Therefore, you want to develop relevant keywords and phrases that will place your business homepage at the top of searches.
Do not use keywords that do not relate to your site. You might see more people visiting your site, but they will quickly leave it and mark it as spam, which can damage your brand name and customer relationship. The purpose of good keyword SEO is to not only drive traffic to your website, but to keep surfers on the site long enough for a sale. If the average viewer on your site stays for no more than 10 seconds, it is time to search for new keywords, ones that are specific and competitive. Google and other search engines might penalize your domain for supporting keywords that are not relevant to the products, services, or information your company offers.
Cater keywords to users, not to people well-versed in your field. You may know what to search for in regards to your topic, but most users will not. Therefore, you want to make your keywords simple and clear, keeping in mind that some users might not know that your business is exactly what they need. Play with perspectives a little. Maybe ask your friends, relatives and colleagues on what they think your business is about and use their content for keywords.
Another great tip for keywords is to make them local. If your business is geographically specific, you might want to use location in your keyword phrases. For example a health food store in Southern California might want to use a keyword like “Southern California organic health food store”.
Once you have set substantial keywords, you should be monitoring your web statistics, noting carefully how many viewers visit your site and for how long. Also check what keywords surfers used in order to find your site. You might find yourself attracting a completely different market than originally expected. By checking your site’s statistics, you can re-evaluate your business’s stance and make sure that you use the right buzz words for your site. Because you have finished with the first round of keywords, does not mean you should stop looking for new and innovative ways to word and market your products or services.
