| ign="center"> | | | | their keywords. Yikes. That's a lot of pages to |
| I can't tell you how surprised I am that so many | | | | compete with! And yours is just a little site. |
| people who are new to promoting their product | | | | So, now, remember what you told that guy? |
| or service online, that don't know the importance | | | | "Novelty golf gifts." Let's do a quick search for |
| of keyword marketing. Believe me, your | | | | that. Oh wow, only 9,000,000 pages have that |
| keywords are one the most important aspects of | | | | more specific keyword phrase in their . What are |
| your website, even more so than content, and I'll | | | | the chances that I will be able to find your page if |
| explain why in a minute. | | | | you are competing with 9 million pages versus |
| If you came to do an interview with me, a | | | | 689 million pages? |
| renowned dog expert, about dog shows but I | | | | Um, sorry to say
both are millions and millions |
| never mentioned dogs ONCE in our conversation, | | | | of pages to compete against! |
| would you think I was an expert at all? Would | | | | So, what do you do? |
| you tell ANYONE I was an expert after that | | | | If you are new to your niche market online, the |
| experience? So, if someone you knew asked you | | | | best keyword marketing strategy is this: |
| if you knew anyone they could talk to about | | | | 1. Pick about 8 keyword phrases that describe |
| dogs
.would you refer them to me? Probably | | | | what your site offers, but don't have a bazillion |
| not. That's how search engines work. | | | | competing pages. Just do a search in Google and |
| Let me ask you something. Go take a look at the | | | | see how many pages you would be competing |
| keywords (just after the tag in your home page's | | | | with. |
| source HTML. Let me guess what they say. They | | | | 2. Go to and do a search for the phrases you |
| have in it the name of your web site, the name | | | | have chosen, and make sure they have enough |
| of your product, and a few, very broad | | | | people actually searching for those phrases! If you |
| keywords such as "golf" or "pets." Right? | | | | have a great keyword phrase that doesn't have a |
| So, when someone you meet on the street asks | | | | lot of competing pages, but only 2 people per |
| you what your website is about, what do you tell | | | | month search for that phrase, you aren't going to |
| them? Let's go with the golf example. You tell | | | | get many visitors to your site! A good amount to |
| them, "Oh, our site is all about golf. We have a | | | | shoot for is phrases that get about 2,000 |
| whole section on Ping and other brands of golf | | | | searches per month at |
| clubs, a section on the best golf courses in the | | | | A general rule of thumb is that you can double |
| US, golf clothing, and great novelty golf items!: | | | | the overture search counts (which are by month) |
| Now, go check out your keyword marketing | | | | and that is about how many searches there are |
| phrases: golf, golf clubs, clothing, Great American | | | | per month in Google (Google doesn't have a way |
| Golf Source. | | | | for you to find out how many people are |
| Well, those few words are what the search | | | | searching for exact keyword phrases each |
| engines are looking for when they come to check | | | | month). |
| out your site. They come and find your | | | | That's why a phrase like "Great American Golf |
| keywords. You're telling them your site is all about | | | | Source" is a terrible keyword to have in your list. |
| things like golf, clothing, American, Source, Great, | | | | Unless you are a household name like McDonalds |
| clubs
So, these engines are going to start | | | | or Q-tips
putting your business name or |
| giving your site the reputation for those words. | | | | product as a keyword marketing phrase is not as |
| A reputation? How does something like a web | | | | valuable to you as using a more descriptive word |
| page get a reputation? This sounds like I'm back | | | | such as "novelty golf gifts" |
| in high school! | | | | 3. Next, once you have put your keyword |
| Yep. The search engines take note of what you | | | | phrases, it is imperative that you actually use |
| are saying are the most important words that | | | | those words in the content of that page! If you |
| describe your web page. Then, they categorize | | | | are telling the search engines that you want to be |
| you so that when someone is searching for those | | | | known for "novelty golf gifts" but never mention |
| same words; your page will get served up with | | | | that phrase EVER in that page
.will you get a |
| any others that have those same keyword | | | | reputation for being an expert in the area of |
| marketing phrases too. | | | | novelty golf gifts? Chances are slim to none. |
| So, here I get online, and I'm looking for a golf | | | | So, search engines look for what you say your |
| gift for Father's Day. I go to Google and do a | | | | site is expert on, and then looks through your |
| search for "golf gifts." Do you think Google serves | | | | content to see that you really ARE an expert in |
| up your page to me at all? You told the guy on | | | | that field because your page talks all about things |
| the street you have great novelty golf gifts, but | | | | relating to your keywords. They take note, and |
| did you tell the search engines? | | | | the next time someone does a search for your |
| No. | | | | keywords, your site makes it into the list of |
| You told them your site is about Source, golf, | | | | pages that are served up to them. |
| clothing
.. | | | | There's a lot more you need to do now that you |
| So the chances of me ever finding your site is | | | | have your keyword marketing list set up |
| pretty close to zero. | | | | correctly. In my next article, we'll talk about some |
| Here, let's do a Google search for the phrase | | | | optimizing you should do to your pages to ensure |
| "golf" right now. Go ahead, pull up another | | | | that when you are served up in that list, that you |
| browser and let's do this exercise together. Right | | | | make it up high enough (like in pages 1-3
of |
| as I write this article, there are a total of | | | | 9,000,000) so that people will actually find your |
| 689,000,000 pages that have "golf" as one of | | | | link, click on it, and go visit your page! |