| Vol. 6, issue 11 - issued monthly |
Nov 2007 |
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In this issue:
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From the Editor: This months article goes to the old adage, "build it and they will come". Well not any more! There's just too much competition for on-line sales today. Doing your Keyword Analysis to choose the right words to target with the search engines is "key" in your site's sucess! As always, remember to Surf Safely - use your anti-virus and firewall's! - Michelle
"Back up my hard drive? How do I put it in reverse?" |
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"So you want to come up #1 on Google?" Tips on Keyword ResearchJust about everyone seems to want to come up #1 on Google. So what key phrases to your want to come up on? Real Estate? Come on! Have you done any research on what key words you really need your site to come up on? Hmmm . . . It's not magic, it takes some research. Every time I build a web site for a new client I discuss with them Keywords. I explain that search engines index TEXT and choosing the right keywords to optimize your site around is critical. Yet so many don't give it as much thought as their grocery list. Then after their site goes live they want to know why they are'nt on the first page of Google! If you are serious about good search engine rankings for your site you need to do your keyword research, or pay to have it done. It's not difficult, but it is time consuming, therefore not cheap. Here are some basic tips on how to do your own Keyword Research. Keyword Research Keyword research is the foundation for your search engine optimization efforts. These are the VERY WORDS you are trying to have the engines rank you highly for. So it is very important you select the right key words to optimize you site on. So how do you do this? Brainstorming - Thinking of what your customers/potential visitors would be likely to type in to search engines in an attempt to find the information/services your site offers (including alternate spellings, wordings, synonyms, etc). Surveying Customers - Surveying past or potential customers is a great way to expand your keyword list to include as many terms and phrases as possible. It can also give you a good idea of what's likely to be the biggest traffic drivers and produce the highest conversion rates. Key Word Research Tools Armed now with knowledge on how to recognize and choose between different phrases there remains only one question, how do you know which phrases are even searched? The Overture Search Term Suggestion Tool http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/ It indicates which phrases had the highest numbers of searches on Overture during the previous month. The biggest weakness it has is that Overture counts singular and plural as the same and also corrects misspelling so the totals are all lumped together in this tool whereas on the natural engines they are considered differently. WordTracker WordTracker is very similar to Overture's Search Term Suggestion Tool except that this tool differentiates between plural and singular searches, does not correct spelling (i.e. it gives the number of searches for misspellings rather than correcting them and giving a total for correct and misspelled words) and gives the results in predicted numbers of searches over all the engines per day rather than just one engine over a month. They have a great free trial that doesn't give you as many results but which can be very useful. When using these tools I recommend beginning with the Overture Search term Suggestion Tool and once you've narrowed down your choices, switch to WordTracker to insure that you're getting the right information in regards to tense (singular vs. plural) and also that the numbers match. Sometimes you will find that the numbers are completely different from each tool. In this event you will have to use your best judgment. Don't forget to check misspellings when using WordTracker! Phrases That Sell When choosing your keyword phrases make sure they are "buy phrases".
Many might go with their gut instinct and attempt to target "accounting". From this point an evaluation of competition should be performed and the pros and cons of each phrase and which will drive the most traffic to your site. What next? Now that you have done this great research it's time to optimize your site using these keywords. It’s important to have your keywords imbedded in your content, especially in the first paragraph and in header tags. If you have a particular product or service you want to come up on, it’s best to dedicate pages to this phrase. But this is more than just another article! Optimizing your site is best left to the professionals. |
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Just for Fun or Useful Links!Thanksgiving Survival Guide How to prepare, clean, cook, carve, and enjoy it all at Thanksgiving courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens. How Long are you going to live? Take this simple test to see how long you've got! |
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