|
Course No. 4
Finding the Right Search Terms
If you know your business, you probably have a handle on some basic search terms people might use to find your services or products. Take those initial keywords – even if they’re just a few – and tap into a world of diverse expressions and combinations that may never have even dawned on you.
This is just one search engine optimization service we offer. We do this using a few key tools and techniques. This vital step involves knowing how people search. Everyone starts with the broad terms like cars, toys, plastic, etc. Of course, your likelihood of ranking well for singular terms is pretty low.
You would need a well designed web site with tons of inbound links and regular updates to even stand a chance. For most businesses, you’re better off targeting 2-3 word search terms, like our service does with our search engine optimization service. People may search for “plastic,” but they’re not necessarily looking for what you offer. Your audience is just a small fraction of the many Internet searchers who pick “plastic.” On the other hand, “plastic injection molding” may be a better bet. Learn how people actually search, as our firm does with our search engine optimization service.
Many people search for “home loans,” but you may not want to miss an opportunity to optimize for “borrow money” as well. Try out Wordtracker. It captures the way people search. Its database includes 300 million actual searches from the last 60 days. It’s just a sample, of course, because there are an estimated 500 million searches a day. Part of a good SEO service includes selecting your keywords with tools like Wordtracker and others provided by Overture and Google.
Knowing your business and industry helps as well. Many consultants recommend checking out competitors’ web sites and see what they’re using as part of the search engine optimization service they offer. Just doing research may help you find words or be inspired by other possibilities that form in your mind.
Intuition is a great asset when you’re devising the best phrases. Ultimately, you may find a couple hundred potential search terms. That’s OK. After you do, make a list of 10 or 20 (maybe more if you’re a large company). Only use search terms you’re willing to include in your visible text.
Course 5 - Right Search Terms
| back to SEO Course Listings |
|
