When you're using Google or any other search engine, you usually type what you are looking for into the search bar, such as women's jeans. These are called keywords. Keywords help ensure that you are directing traffic to your website by using an SEO strategy. A successful SEO campaign starts with the right keywords, and there are ways to determine which words are going to be the most beneficial for your product or service. First, forget you are an expert and think about the average person doing an Internet search. If you sell mobile phones you may do an in-depth search like Bluetooth capable 32GB mobile phones, but a layperson may simply type in mobile phones.
How to Choose the Right Keywords
Find out what consumers are typing into the search bars. This is easily done by speaking directly to your customers to find out exactly what they are looking for specifically, and talk to your salespeople or representatives. You'll start to see a pattern emerge of consistent words and phrases used frequently, and these are going to help your form your SEO keywords. Be a detective. Check out websites that offer the same products as you and find out what keywords they are using. Make sure you are looking at successful sites.
How do you know which words are the keywords? Look on their website and click through the pages. Check the tags on the browser every time you click through, and also see what the image tags are. See which words seem to come up the most upon doing a visual inspection. You'll have to conduct a Google traffic analysis to see if the words you select will garner lots of hits, as well as variations of the words you choose.
Using metrics such as conversion analysis and traffic analysis helps you research which words will offer you the most success. It's important to take these steps before you invest valuable resources in your SEO promotions. You need to have a goal in mind that you know will pay off, and you can also spend the money to run a pay per click campaign (such as Google Adwords) using your keywords if you have the resources, because it can be a valuable tool to find out what users are searching for.
Once you begin to implement your keywords into your website, rather it be your web page content or blog, be wary of keyword stuffing. You want your keywords to flow nicely with your content, and placing them haphazardly on your website will only hurt your and your site in the long run.
Do Keywords Change?
Yes. Keywords change frequently, so it's important to stay on top of analytics to keep up with changing trends and try and forecast upcoming trends. Using tools such as figuring out the anchor text as well as the unique links on your web page will allow you to keep up with the competition. Before you pour your time into an SEO campaign, get the exact words selected to make sure you stay ahead of the competition. Measure your site against others to see how yours ranks, and use the Google Keyword Tool to see which words are used frequently.
Keywords and Social Media
Don't underestimate the power of social media when you're using SEO to get hits. Putting together an SEO strategy is more than simply website content; it's also a blog, a social media presence, links, and the ease of use of your site and its affiliated pages. Your sites will rise to the top if they are updated frequently, so stay up to date on blog content, video sites such as YouTube, and social media sites, using your main words frequently to bring up direct results.
What Do I Do Next?
Once you have honed in on single words, try groups of words that users may type into the search engine. Think about niches within your field and specific items, locations, or needs that your consumers have.
If you have any questions about keywords or would like suggestions on what keywords will work best for your business’s brand, give us a call at ROI Online. Through research and planning, we will work with you to determine the best keyword strategy for your company. We'd be happy to sit down with you.
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