Help Search Engines Find You
June 21st, 2010
How to Select Keywords Using the free Google AdWords Keyword Tool
Keyword optimization is the first key to successful SEO.
A keyword is a word or phrase that’s relevant to your business. A good keyword phrase for STUDIODOG would be, “web design company Poughkeepsie NY 12601”. It’s a good idea to use keywords in your page titles, throughout your page content, and as “anchor text” within your site.
Anchor text are the hyper-linked words on your website. Anchor text is important because it helps search engines understand what a page is about. The more keywords and phrases that are incorporated into your blog and website, the higher you’ll rank for that keyword phrase.
How to use the Keyword Tool.
The importance of RESEARCHING the most effective keywords and phrases you’re optimizing for on a specific page of your website is vital to the success of your efforts. When selecting keywords and phrases, remember — specific keywords drive quality traffic, generic keywords drive larger quantities of traffic, but not necessarily quality traffic.
Even if you’re not familiar with the basics of SEO, then Google Adwords Keyword Tool can help you find keywords for your website.
The Google Adwords Keyword Tool is pretty easy to use. To begin, go to the Google Keyword Tool site, enter a search term or phrase, enter the security check code (helps prevent spam), then view the results.
The results give you information that allows you to refine and match results with the number of searches for the search terms. By refining your search terms you can learn how to drive more web traffic to your site.
Making Sense of Search Results.
Search results are displayed in 4 rows of columns – competition, global monthly searches, local monthly searches, and local search trends.
Competition displays an approximate number of advertisers bidding on each keyword.
Global Monthly Searches displays the approximate 12-month average of user queries for the keyword on the Google Search Network. This data is specific to your Keyword Match Type selection.
Local Monthly Searches displays local search results if you specified a zip code, country or language for your search. Local search is gaining momentum, so use location-specific keywords “Web Design Company Poughkeepsie NY 12601” if local search is important to you. This display is the approximate 12-month average number of user queries for the keyword for those countries and languages. It is specific to your Keyword Match Type selection.
Local Search Trends displays a keyword’s fluctuation in traffic over the past 12 months. Each bar represents a different month. This statistic is specific to your targeted country and language as well as your Keyword Match Type selection. Search volume data is approximate.
Drive Traffic to your Website.
SEO builds credibility and should be part of your long-term marketing strategy, but takes time to achieve natural search results. Over time, your SEO campaign will drive traffic to your site and increase the quality and quantity of leads for your business.
When selecting your keywords, be sure that they are relevant to your business, have a decent local (or global if applicable) monthly search volume, and have a small number of other sites who are using the keyword. This will give you the best opportunity to move up the ranks for that keyword.
Because SEO techniques are ever evolving and since SEO is such an important part of a small business owners’ marketing plan, let STUDIODOG help you find the best organic or PPC SEO mix for your business. Let us know if you have questions or need help getting started.