Keyword Strategies
Recognizing the right keywords for your site, page(s), and post(s) is one of the most vital methods used to improve search engine rankings. Selecting suitable keywords for your site is critical when it comes to visibility. This is how the search engines deliver potential customers to your site.
Selecting Keywords:
Improved search engine positioning starts with proper keyword selection. Study your business and consider the words and phrases that connect best to the products or services you offer.
Consider the following while creating your keyword list:
Who is the target customer that would need or want your product or service?
Let’s pretend your site sells makeup. Think of all the terms that may relate to this product – moisturizer, buffer, collagen, bronzer, etc., and also imagine the uses for these products – cover up acne, hide scars, age lines, skin imperfections, etc.
People search using all forms of keywords and phrases. Improving access to your site includes the use of misspelled and pluralized keywords like moisteriser, bronser, pimpels, colagan, cologen, etc.
TIP – place misspelled words in your meta-tag keywords. These will not be seen by humans. The search engines may pick them up along with the other keywords placed within the content of your site, page, or post. Meta-Keywords bear very little weight with the search engines and Google ignores them altogether.
Don’t use minor words like “the,” “and,” “with,” or common terms such as “makeup” or “coverup.” The more specific the better.
A better selection in this case would be:”blemish scar makeup” or “acne coverup makeup.”
Use your keywords and phrases in the:
- Page title
- Page content
- Meta-tag description
- Meta-tag keywords
- Image ALT tags (relative to the image)
- URL names
DO NOT Spam. The search engines will eventually discover what you are doing and drop you.
- The keywords you choose must relate to your site and content.
- Keyword stuffing via hidden text, css coding, JavaScript, URL’s, repetitive use on the same page or post – No
- URL re-directs – No
- Page cloaking by way of JavaScript re-directs or 100% Frame – No
Once you have your keyword list, see what else is available and how competitive these keywords are.
Google AdWords Keyword Tool is a good start. This free tool will show you many variations of the word(s) and phrases entered along with the level of competition for each word or phrase including hit volume.
Essentially you want words and phrases that are relevant, high in volume, and low in competition.
Although useful, Google’s Keyword Tool is not the most up to date, or accurate measure available. For the best results you will want to use an advanced program.
The most effective program we have found, and use, is IBP from Axandra. It is one of the strongest, most recommended SEO tools available. There is a constantly updated suite of tools designed to optimize your site… and your rankings are guaranteed.
You can download the free version of IBP here.
Developing a solid keyword strategy is good business management and essential for your site’s success.
Should you need additional help with optimizing your WordPress site… please contact us.
