Proper Keyword Research is the foundation of a successful Website.

Where most people fail in Keyword Research is not in finding Keywords for their Niche, Anybody can do that,. It is in optimizing their keyword selection process so that the search engines drive the right traffic to their Website so that they maximize BOTH traffic AND sales!

But keep this in mind about SEO: increased sales happen only IF:

** the keywords selected bring enough traffic;

** the keywords are obtainable in SEO competition (and)

** if the keywords will actually convert –  if they actually result in increased sales and opt-in marketing sales leads.

Otherwise, keyword research is really just wasted time. Actually it is worse then that, it can sabotage your entire Website/blog efforts!!

 

Strategic Keyword Research to the Rescue

 

We can't correctly perform Search Engine Optimization for our Website without first spending time performing keyword research.

Everyone has a different idea of how to do Keyword Research and there are no end to available keyword research tools out there each with there own angle on how to properly conduct keyword research.

Some people  use WordTracker, Keyword Discovery and others use Google's Keyword Research Tool. Click on this link to see an article on the top 5 FREE keyword Research Tools

In my own practice, I started with WordTracker for my sites and for my clients. I dabbled with Google and thought it was the best thing going. Then I spent $40 for a keyword research tool and said MAN! how did I ever do proper keyword research without this!. But soon I realized that it still did not cover all of the bases! I now use keyword Research Pro. It is the best Keyword Research Software System out there. Click on this link to read a review of their latest version of Keyword Research Pro. It will blow you away and like me you will say "MAN! How did I ever get along without this"?

 

Since most people are familiar with Google Adword "Keyword Research tool" I am going to use it as an example for basic Strategic Keyword Research. Now that Google shows an estimated number of average monthly impressions (instead of just the old green bar), the Google tool can really help with your keyword research. If you don't have an AdWords account, you can access the tool independently (just Google: Google Keyword Research Tool).

Grabbing the Best Keywords for your Website Using Google's Keyword Research Tool

 

Step 1 — Put your root keyword into the tool.

I suggest one phrase at a time, 1-4 words in length.

What is a "Root Keyword"? Start with a word or short phrase that someone might use searching for your products or services. Then, click: Get Keyword ideas and wait for the results.

Another option is to click: Website Content and let Google pull suggestions from your Website content.

The idea here is to get a lot of different keyword ideas. You really are brainstorming.

 

Step 2 — IMPORTANT, change the Match Type to Phrase, which adds quotes to the keyword results.

This makes the tool's result most closely match organic search, ignoring the "loosey-goosey" broad match phrases for AdWords. So if you put in a 3 word phrase for your keyword research you will get back close matches to that phrase instead of to the different individual words in the overall keyword phrase.

And under the Show/Hide Columns make sure your settings display Approximate Avg Search Volume. (If you're marketing a seasonal product or service you might change to a different setting.)

 

Step 3 — Analyze the results of your Keyword Research so far.

What we're all trying to find is the low hanging fruit: the best balance of traffic volume, ease of search engine optimization and traffic that will likely convert. Meaning if your site is on Poker. Don't try to grab the word "Poker" as your main keyword phrase, the established, big money competition will keep you out of the top page of Google forever.

I suggest targeting phrases that are at least 5,000 to 10,000 monthly average impressions. Conversely, keyword phrases with very high monthly impressions may prove too competitive in organic search. Find the best balance for your organic optimization skills and for your industry.

If your small business marketing needs to deliver you 200,000 monthly organic impressions and you choose keyword search phrases with between 5,000 and 10,000 monthly impressions, then based on my formula you'll need between 20 to 40 keyword phrases from search engine ranking to deliver you that 200,000 monthly impressions.

Of course, as you discover opportune phrases that are offer greater monthly impressions and that you're comfortable optimizing for, that will lower the number of phrases needed to reach your monthly goal.

Finally I like to grab some keywords that have little or no competition. This builds the "long Tailed Keyword List" For your Website. Meaning that all those smaller keywords can add up and often have less competition then the keywords that have 20,000 searches a month!

Make your keyword list from this criteria. I like to copy and paste into my email program.

Lastly on this point, you'll need good click-through rate data and conversion rate data either from your site or for your industry, to determine the number of monthly impressions you'll need to shoot for.

 

Step 4 in your Strategic Keyword Research — Evaluate the competing number of pages in organic search from Google.

Is this a number you're comfortable optimizing for?While you're on the SERPs looking over the search results, look at the AdWords ads and the organic results.

Does your service or product sound like it belongs on this page, for this keyword? Or, does it sound out of place?And for a search phrase to be good, normally you'll want to see several AdWords ads appearing for the search phrase.Make your list from this criteria, setting aside any keyword phrases from the previous step (at least for right now) where the competition is too steep. Phrases that look good but with too much competition, save for the future.

 

This brings up a good point: Keep good notes! Otherwise, you'll come back for the next round of research and have to re-do things that you shouldn't have to.

 

Step 5 — Evaluate the phrases still on your list for their likely commercial intention using the Microsoft Online Commercial Intention Tool (Google it)

.Now, this is a Microsoft tool…I use it and am glad for the data, but I don't make decisions about any keyword phrase off data from just one tool or from just one step in my process.

Having said that, I wouldn't select 15 phrases for optimization where each of them shows there's not commercial intent.

keep your list of phrases that still meet your criteria and move onto the next step.

 

Step 6 — Evaluate your remaining list in Google's Traffic Estimator.

What I look for is the relationship of average monthly impressions to estimated daily click throughs in AdWords. Do they make sense and suggest commercial intention?

If one Keyword research phrase has twice the monthly impressions as another, but only 1/2 the daily AdWords clicks, something may be wrong. You may want to look closer.

The goal isn't just traffic, it's traffic that converts — buys, signs up to your email list, calls or emails your company and becomes a sales lead, etc.

When you complete these Keyword Research steps, you should have whittled your initial keyword list down to the "lowest hanging fruit", the most opportune phrases (easiest to rank well in) COMBINED with the largest amount of quality traffic, COMBINED with traffic that should convert.

 

The Windows into Your Website

Keywords are the windows into your Website. If you target the wrong ones for your business, you won't have the traffic, sales or sales leads that you need.

If you're using an SEO Company to perform your work, make sure they do it the correct way — not the lazy way — and oversee their work. Your site, your responsibility!

If you're doing d-i-y Keyword Research, be really educated about what you're doing or your d-i-y effort could cost you more than hiring a qualified company.

 

NOTE: Another option available from some SEO companies today for those watching their budget is to function as a Marketing Coach (or in this instance Keyword Research Coach). This is sort of a hybrid between the retail price, full-service option and the go-it-alone, time consuming do-it-yourself option. 

Small business marketing and achieving the search engine ranking for your chosen keywords doesn't have to be difficult or expensive, if you start with solid keyword research. And if performed correctly, the end results will be keywords that work for your business.

Is your company a small business marketing online? Paul Marshall can help you increase the search engine ranking, for your chosen keyword phrases. Receive your Free Introductory Consultation, just visit: http://strategicwebmarketing.net

Based upon an original article (That I heavily modified based upon my opinions and experiences with Keyword Research) by: Paul Marshall

InterMarketingSmarts asked:

Wordtracker is great but you can do some great keyword research for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) using google adwords external keyword tool!

babyboy asked:


Hi:

My problem is I don’t have money to afford SEO or Google adwords banners, etc.

How or what’s the best way to get traffic and be able to research keywords and apply my keyword to a major search engine.

Are there any free sites our there that allow you to place keywords on there system for free? If so where are they. I really need this information bad. Thanks!!!

B.Boy

There’s little debate among search marketing experts that Keyword Research is a vital part of achieving success with pay-per-click and search engine optimization.

So What is Keyword Research Exactly?

In a nutshell, Keyword Research is the process of discovering and optimizing for the specific keywords and search queries that people are typing into search engines. By performing Keyword Research effectively, you will continuously discover quality and action-producing keyword opportunities, thereby establishing a big advantage over your competition.

What are the Steps Involved in Keyword Research?

Keyword research can be a complex process, and there are right ways to conduct your keyword research and wrong ways to go about it. But the good news is with patience and practice, anyone can master this technique to achieve search marketing success and growing profits for your business.

Wrong Ways to Conduct Keyword Research

Traditional Keyword Research methods are flawed. Some of the most popular methods for performing Keyword Research are to use:

Brainstorming sessions – sit around and think up keyword your customers might use to find you.

Third party keyword tools – choose from one of the host of free keyword tools across the Internet.

The trouble with these approaches is they’re inherently flawed. With brainstorming, you’re using guesstimates to assume which keyword people will search on to find your site, with no real data to back up your assertions. With free keyword tools, they generate static lists of keywords, which are based on estimated searches (not actual searches); are free to are public, so everyone in the world has access to them (no competitive advantage); and are not relevant to your specific website and your specific visitors.

So how do you do Keyword Research the right way?

Best Method for Conducting Keyword Research.

To ensure your search marketing efforts will prosper, you need to make sure your Keyword Research is done correctly. This means you need to get your data from your own website, through your own historical visitor data files. This way you’re guaranteeing your Keyword Research is:

Relevant – the keywords people used to find your particular website are right in your server logs and are related to what your website has to offer.

Competitive – your server logs are private, so unlike free third party keyword tools, nobody else has access to them. This gives you a distinct advantage over your competitors.

Fresh – people are finding your site everyday through search queries on the Internet. All this data is collected by your server logs,giving you a steady stream of new keyword opportunities each day.

Once you discover your new keywords through Keyword Research, you need to author highly-focused content on your website for them. By doing this, you’re ensuring your site content is of superior relevance to your audience and you’ll be rewarded by the search engines with higher rankings in the SERPs and more visitor conversions.



By: Ken Lyons

seomistakes asked:

This video demonstrates how to conduct your own keyword research for your own website SEO (Search Engine Optimization), explaining how to use one of the best free keyword research tools (Wordtracker) and showing how you should choose your keywords. Visit Top10SEOMistakes.com to find out more.