Search Marketing Blog
Keyword Selection for Search Engine Optimization
Posted by Kent Schnepp on 07.07.2009As most readers of our blog know, keyword research is the foundation of all search engine marketing. However, keyword selection for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is significantly different then keyword selection for Paid Search Marketing. Paid Search campaigns allow you to test an almost unlimited number of keywords, whereas you must focus on a much smaller set of targeted search terms for Natural SEO. So how do you decide on which search terms to select for SEO?
The following critical steps are necessary for effective Natural SEO keyword selection:
Step 1: Search Volume
The easiest metric to assess in an SEO campaign is search volume. Basically, you are looking for the total number of searches that are conducted each month for a given keyword in the major search engines. There are several free tools available, such as Google’s AdWords keyword tool and search-based keyword tool, as well as Wordtracker’s free keyword suggestion tool. Simply enter each phrase in to these tools to discover how many searches have been conducted on the keywords in the past thirty days. This extremely valuable information identifies the popularity of each keyword selection.
Step 2: Search Phrase Relevancy
The next step, search phrase relevancy, involves assigning a subjective score to help you decide which keywords to use for your optimization efforts. Obviously, you don’t want to spend time optimizing your site around search terms that are not relevant to your products, services, or content. From your list of most popular search terms generated in Step 1, you will need to assign a subjective relevancy score to each phrase. I prefer to assign a relevancy percentage to each term. Branded terms are (of course) 100% relevant, whereas general terms are less relevant. Using our company as an example, the search term ‘EngineWorks’ would be 100% relevant, ‘Portland Search Marketing’ would be 90% relevant, and ‘Marketing’ would be 30% relevant.
Step 3: Competitiveness
Finally, you need to determine the competitiveness of your terms by searching for each phrase in Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. Through this process, you will be able to discover the total number of results in each engine for each phrase. In general, the higher the number of results for a given phrase; the more competitive the search term. It is more than likely that it will be difficult to achieve prominent Natural search listings for highly competitive terms. However, if your domain is well established (i.e., it has been around for a while, and has significant inbound links), you may want to go after more competitive search terms. If your site is brand new, you may want to concentrate on less competitive, more specific search terms.
Bonus Step: Trending
Another useful step when selecting keywords for SEO is to take a look at your seasonal keywords and trending data. Does your site have distinct seasonal trends, such as a calendar of events? If so, it may benefit from prominent rankings for keywords that happen to be related to these trends in the news or online. For example, if you are in the resort and hospitality space, keywords focused on major events such as a golf tournament might be used for effective ranking within the major engines.
Bottom Line
As you can see, keyword selection for SEO may not be overly complex. However, it does take time, tools, and a combination of analytics and creativity to be successful. Remember, your best results happen through effective evaluation of your keywords based on your success metrics and overall online marketing goals. Therefore, always implement the proven multi-step process above to ensure that you are targeting your most efficacious Natural search terms.
Keyword Selection for Search Engine Optimization | Webmaster group 07.07.2009 at 11:36 am
[...] Read more: Keyword Selection for Search Engine Optimization [...]
Search Engine Optimization Tutorials, Techniques, Tricks and Tips » Blog Archive » Keyword Selection for Search Engine Optimization - EngineWorks 07.07.2009 at 9:03 pm
[...] Read the original post: Keyword Selection for Search Engine Optimization – EngineWorks [...]
Christy 07.08.2009 at 7:13 am
Don’t forget the part where you look for other, related terms that might be used *instead* of the words you use. You may say, “consolidate debt,” but everyone else says, “pay off debt.”
When you’re looking at that keyword suggestion tool, play very close attention to the suggestions. You just might find a phrase that will get you more eyeballs. And if the competition hasn’t thought of it, you’ll gain a huge edge.
Adrian 07.15.2009 at 1:00 am
Very useful information – pointing out the tools required for successful SEO, which is ongoing process.