Keyword Research is Key!

Posted by Michelle Harrington on Oct 14th, 2008

Without keyword research you may not be aware of or targeting the most frequently used relevant keyword phrases for your internet marketing and Search Engine Optimization efforts.  Neglecting to do keyword research is like building a house but forgetting to put in a proper foundation.  Keyword research can provide you with the data to know what words and phrases internet searchers use when looking for products and/or services similiar to yours.  Not only is this information interesting, it’s a critical step in preparing an online marketing campaign (and it can help your print campaigns as well) and in optimizing a website to be found well in the search engines.

Anyone creating a new website or optimizing an existing one needs to do (or hire out for) keyword research to ensure that the website is targeting the right keywords so it can be found for those queries.  For instance you may think your most important keyword phrase is “tours kauai” when in reality the research shows that the keyword phrase “kauai tours” is used seven times more often.  Doing further keyword research gives you data that the keyword phrase “kauai tours” is searched on three times as often as the singular version “kauai tour”.   Keyword research is also valuable in deciding on which keyword terms to use when dealing with multiple variations of a word – for instance the general term “limousine” is searched on three times as much as the term “limo”.

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There are a variety of keyword research tools available online, including www.KeywordDiscovery.com and www.WordTracker.com The one I use is pricey and powerful (Keyword Discovery) but it’s worth the investment.  Both products offer a Free Trial and Word Tracker has affordable subscriptions starting at $59/month.  Google also offers a free keyword tool.

When I run a keyword report for a client I usually brainstorm a list of what I would search for and then ask the client to do the same.  Having both perspectives – a potential customer and someone who is connected to the business/industry – gives you two different perspectives to generate the initial keyword list.  I then begin the task of collecting keyword data on the brainstormed list, also identifying derivative terms that the keyword research tools suggest.  I select keywords to go on the final keyword list ONLY if they are highly relevant to the services or products that my client offers.

Upon completion of the keyword research I provide my client with a refined keyword report that is ordered from most searched keyword phrases to least.  I ask my clients to help me eliminate any phrases that are not laser focused on what they do or offer.

Once you have a keyword report, then the work of optimizing or building a website around the most widely used keyword phrases can begin.  You can have a really awesome website but if its optimized or centered around the wrong keyword phrases, it’s not going to do you much good.  Keyword research is often times overlooked in the process of building a website, but I have found that it is the key to success!

If you need professional keyword research performed for your internet project, please contact me for more information and a quote.

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Author | Michelle Harrington of Emagine Web Marketing
Michelle is a web development and internet marketing professional dedicated to helping small businesses in Hawaii achieve success online. Michelle provides free advice, tips and how to's on the Small Business Internet Marketing Blog.

One Response

1. How to Use the All in One SEO Pack | Internet Marketing Blog says:

   December 29, 2009 at 4:09 pm

   [...] Hopefully you have a customized keyword report for your business when you are writing blog posts and content for your website.   Be sure to [...]