| It seems keywords are making the top of SEO | | | | data, and site category. Regardless how |
| list time and time again. The problem is that | | | | general your site is try to have only one |
| some optimizers do not understand the | | | | focus audience, this zooms in on your target, |
| rightful purpose of keywords. Keywords should | | | | makes marketing the site easier, and more |
| not be solely embedded for the purpose of | | | | successful. When done eliminating you should |
| reaching the top of search engines. Search | | | | have a plentiful of keywords and keyword |
| Engine Optimization should not be the primary | | | | phrases. Generally, the goal should be to |
| focus of any website. The primary and number | | | | have at least a combination of 100 keywords |
| 1 focus should always be the visitors. If you | | | | and keyword phrases. This number may be |
| create a website for your audience and for | | | | greater or lesser depending on your site |
| your visitors then you should rank fairly. I | | | | category/niche market. Keyword research can |
| can't see why any legitimate website can not | | | | be accomplished a number of ways. I would |
| rank properly within search engines, after | | | | recommend using best judgment and sticking to |
| time and dedication. Search Engine | | | | your site topic. If your site is about "the |
| Optimization main purpose is ranking faster | | | | rules of playing baseball" then anything |
| within search engines. Instead of gaining a | | | | pertaining to the rules of baseball should be |
| good balance of traffic within 1 or more | | | | included as keywords. Remember think like |
| years, it is possible to gain a good balance | | | | your visitors, if you were a visitor looking |
| of traffic within 6-9 months with SEO. | | | | for 'the rules of baseball' how would you |
| Keywords play a major | | | | search...your search words would probably be |
| factor in SEO and search engines in general, | | | | something like "rules of playing |
| but the question is are keywords for the | | | | baseball"...."baseball playing |
| search engines or the visitors? The visitors | | | | rules"...."playing baseball rules"....rules |
| are the ones who are trying to find your site | | | | of baseball"...."baseball rules"...."how to |
| by typing in a keyword, but the search engine | | | | play baseball"...."baseball and the |
| is the one locating your site and delivering | | | | rules"...if your site contains the 'rules of |
| your site to the visitor based on the | | | | baseball' then each of those keyword phrases |
| searched keywords. Therefore I would have to | | | | will be sufficient for inclusion into your |
| say, keywords, visitors, and search engines | | | | active keyword list. A few links that can |
| all work hand in hand, but if you focus on | | | | help with keyword research are: NicheBot, |
| the visitor and not the search engine, then | | | | Wordtracker, Google Keyword Tool, Digital |
| you will reap greater rewards. A webmaster | | | | Point Keyword Tool. Some of the main |
| should have a plentiful of quality and | | | | attributes which you want to research is how |
| researched keywords, which becomes the sites | | | | often the keyword/keyword phrase is searched |
| core. To receive a good balance of keywords | | | | for within search engines, how much |
| you need to think like your visitors or know | | | | competition there is for the keyword/keyword |
| how your visitors think. It boils down to | | | | phrase, and if you are considering |
| research and tracking your visitors. Tracking | | | | pay-per-click then you would probably like to |
| visitors on your site is business-wise and is | | | | know the average cost per click for each |
| not an unethical practice, it's your website | | | | keyword/keyword phrase. You should not rely |
| (business). In an offline business you are | | | | 100% on any of these reports or other reports |
| well aware when a visitor opens the door to | | | | from any third-party because there are many |
| your business and comes in the store, the | | | | deterrence which may offset the reports, you |
| same applies online. It becomes unethical | | | | should collect data from each of them and |
| when you continue to track visitors when they | | | | derive a census report which will allow you |
| exit your site, when you invade visitors' | | | | to make an informed decision. |
| privacy, or when you intentionally collect | | | | |
| personal information about a visitor without | | | | Think about your visitors each step of the |
| their consent or knowledge. Tracking a | | | | way when using keywords. Which keywords will |
| visitor within your site does not need to be | | | | catch their attention, directly or |
| intense, the common web log files are helpful | | | | indirectly? Meaning, if a user searches for |
| enough. With the web log files you should be | | | | 'baseball rules' then when the search engine |
| able to track the keyword used to find your | | | | searches through billions of web pages...it |
| website, track where a visitor came from to | | | | should pull your web page into the results |
| find your site (the referrer), track the | | | | because you have a entire website dedicated |
| total number of unique visitors, track the | | | | to baseball rules and the entire site is |
| total number of all visitors, track how many | | | | centered around keywording. When the search |
| pages were viewed, track the path visitors | | | | engine crawls through the billions of web |
| take within your site, and much more | | | | pages it should see that your web page title |
| information is available through the web | | | | has "baseball rules" within the title, your |
| logs. There are many tools that can translate | | | | meta-tag description has "baseball rules" |
| your raw web log files into graphical and | | | | within the description, your meta-tag |
| legible text, such as: Nihuo or Web Log | | | | keywords have "baseball rules" within the |
| Expert which both offers a free log analyzer | | | | keywords, the link to the page is titled |
| download as well as an inexpensive analyzer | | | | "baseball_rules.htm", and the content on the |
| for more detailed stats and more features. | | | | web page itself has a proper amount of |
| There are other upscale web log analyzers | | | | keyword density, basically, the keyword |
| which are mostly for enterprises or larger | | | | phrase "baseball rules" is plastered |
| sites but are extremely detailed and | | | | throughout the web page mostly leading |
| rewarding, such as: Web Trends, Deep Matrix, | | | | towards the top of the page. I know most of |
| or Urchin (which has recently been acquired | | | | what I have just mentioned is Search Engine |
| by the search engine giant 'Google'). Knowing | | | | Optimization practices and techniques, yes, |
| your visitors can only benefit your site. If | | | | that is true, but in actuality the entire |
| you have a new website without any visits | | | | process is for the visitors not the search |
| then you will not have the benefit of knowing | | | | engine. If you create your site easier for |
| your visitors and you will have to create | | | | the search engine to find then the visitor |
| your visitors habits, by using good judgment | | | | will also find it easier and faster, but at |
| and research to determine which keywords best | | | | all times it is important to keep the visitor |
| suits your site. Your best effort should | | | | in mind. Many SEO practicioners would include |
| provide you with at least 250 keywords and | | | | any keyword about baseball such as: |
| keyword phrases, depending on your site | | | | "baseball"..."major leagues"...."major league |
| category. | | | | baseball"...."minor leagues"...."minor league |
| | | | baseball"...."atlanta braves"...."new york |
| Once you have tracked your visitors and/or | | | | yankees"...."baseball players"....etc. Those |
| have completed researching keywords, you are | | | | keywords are for the search engines not the |
| ready to make informed decisions and begin | | | | visitors. If a visitors enters "atlanta |
| the process of elimination. Many argue to | | | | braves" as a search keyword and your link is |
| stay away from popular or general keywords | | | | displayed as an result the visitor will be |
| because the market for popular and general | | | | disappointed when he clicks on your link and |
| keywords is flooded and over-crowded, you | | | | does not find any solid information |
| will never be able to compete. My sentiments | | | | pertaining to the "atlanta braves"...instead |
| exactly, but remember keywords are for humans | | | | he/she is greeted with "baseball rules". The |
| not search engines...so yes, I recommend | | | | visitor will immediately back out without |
| including popular and general keywords as | | | | referencing your site or indexing it for |
| long as the keyword(s) show room for | | | | later retrieval because it does not pertain |
| opportunity. Meaning, it has been used by | | | | to their search quest. Once in a while you |
| your visitors...as a solitaire keyword or | | | | may become lucky and get someone who stays |
| within a keyword phrase. Creating keyword | | | | because it does mention baseball, but if you |
| phrases is important because at least 95% of | | | | tracked conversions, it would surely sink, |
| internet users search using keyword phrases, | | | | using this method. The better you target your |
| not many use one word. With that said, you | | | | visitors the more success you will have on |
| should still include a few solitaire | | | | the web. Properly using keywords to target |
| keywords. Use singular and plural expressions | | | | your visitors and not the search engines will |
| for keywords. Once you have gathered all your | | | | aid in more ways than one. It will create a |
| keywords make two lists, one list can be | | | | healthy online circuit and greater chance for |
| titled active keywords...keywords which you | | | | success. Imagine if each time you search the |
| are currently using or plan to use in the | | | | web...you had a perfect search! You only |
| near future. The second list can be titled | | | | needed to search once, because exactly what |
| inactive keywords...keywords which have been | | | | you were looking for was found in the first |
| eliminated and may never be used. Eliminate | | | | results. |
| keywords based on your research, visitor | | | | |