How to Select Keywords - An In-Depth Guide - page 2

by Mike Bradbury, 12/6/2006

Lengthening the List

At this point you should have a good list of pseudo-generic keywords. The next step is lengthening that list using your favorite Keyword tool (I will be using Overture in this example).

Each time you plug a keyword into your tool of choice, it will return the number of searches conducted for that term over a given period of time. It will also suggest keywords from the tool's database that are similar to the one you entered.

The basic idea now is to go through the list returned by the keyword tool and copy any and all similar terms as well as their corresponding search values, which relate directly to the site you're optimizing. Then, paste them to a spreadsheet program so that they can be further edited later.

Once you have copied and pasted, just go through the list row by row. Delete keywords that don't have to do with the website you're optimizing (which is why it's important to know what the site doesn't feature) and repeat with the next pseudo-generic keyword on your list. The idea is to identify as many keywords as possible.

Narrowing the List

So you have a long keyword list; it's time to narrow it down. I narrow my lists by deciding if the potential gain for a keyword is relative to the competition. In order to make that decision, I need to know three variables:

The number of searches on a particular keyword (already got those from Overture)
The Amount of Competition (I'll show you how to find your competition in this section.)
Will the keyword lead to conversions (this is up to you)

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Finding Your Niche Using Keywords

Using keywords to help find your niche in a competitive market is a "must". Make certain the keywords you identify really tell your potential customers what it is that you are offering. If you are selling a certain kind of widget having a particular characteristic, look for keywords that describe this characteristics that people might be interested in. The more precise you can be, the better your chances are of finding the angle for you to enter the market place. Read 'Finding Your Niche Using Keywords'.

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