Keyword Research and Selection The Definitive Guide to Gathering, Sorting and Organizing Your Keywords into a High-Performance SEO Campaign

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Introduction Why is it so darn important? Helps you know where your audience is How do they search? What words do they use? What’s their intent? Helps you know who your audience is Right keyword, wrong audience Right audience, different keyword searches Helps you target your audience properly SEARCH

Helps you know where your audience is

How do they search?

What words do they use?

What’s their intent?

Helps you know who your audience is

Right keyword, wrong audience

Right audience, different keyword searches

Helps you target your audience properly

Introduction Keywords are foundational Essential for all marketing Before you begin… Research, research, research Take the time to do it right

Essential for all marketing

Before you begin…

Research, research, research

Take the time to do it right

Introduction Not all keywords are equal Low volume keywords Produce little or no search traffic No traffic = no sales Poorly targeted keywords May produce lots of traffic Non-targeted traffic = fewer sales Smaller amounts of targeted traffic vs. Larger amounts of untargeted traffic

Low volume keywords

Produce little or no search traffic

No traffic = no sales

Poorly targeted keywords

May produce lots of traffic

Non-targeted traffic = fewer sales

Smaller amounts of targeted traffic vs.

Larger amounts of untargeted traffic

Introduction It ain’t easy doing it right Quality keyword research is: Sometimes difficult Usually time-consuming Always important Stay focused Research thoroughly Analyze carefully Target thoughtfully

Quality keyword research is:

Sometimes difficult

Usually time-consuming

Always important

Stay focused

Research thoroughly

Analyze carefully

Target thoughtfully

Phase I Finding Core Terms

Phase I: Finding Core Terms What is a core term? Represent page topic Two words (sometimes three) Broad but still on target Few qualifiers Keep term from being too broad Stay within niche Bag Sports bag Baby bedding Garage plans School supplies Kids ski clothing Cost segmentation Battery Motorcycle battery Battery chargers Flowmeters Snowmobile clothing Plastic key cards

Represent page topic

Two words (sometimes three)

Broad but still on target

Few qualifiers

Keep term from being too broad

Stay within niche

Words that are too broad What are they searching for? Won’t produce targeted traffic Doesn’t provide ROI Phase I: Finding Core Terms What’s not a core term? bag

Words that are too broad

What are they searching for?

Won’t produce targeted traffic

Doesn’t provide ROI

Phase I: Finding Core Terms How to find core terms Step 1: Pour through the website

Step 1: Pour through the website

Step 2: Brainstorm Phase I: Finding Core Terms How to find core terms What can I find in thesauri, taxonomies and ontologies? What is the average customer searching for? What are my visitors trying to accomplish? What terms are used in industry glossaries and reference materials? What solutions do I provide? Are there any geographical phrases that are relevant? What terminology describes problems I solve? What related categories can I find in search directories? What questions are my visitors asking?

Step 2: Brainstorm

What can I find in thesauri, taxonomies and ontologies?

What is the average customer searching for?

What are my visitors trying to accomplish?

What terms are used in industry glossaries and reference materials?

What solutions do I provide?

Are there any geographical phrases that are relevant?

What terminology describes problems I solve?

What related categories can I find in search directories?

What questions are my visitors asking?

Phase I: Finding Core Terms How to find core terms Step 3: Comb through competitors websites Ignore what you don’t offer Avoid trademarked terms TM

Step 3: Comb through competitors websites

Ignore what you don’t offer

Avoid trademarked terms

Step 4: Use keyword research tools Search out other core terms Scan results for something new Look for new core terms New words not previously found Phase I: Finding Core Terms How to find core terms

Step 4: Use keyword research tools

Search out other core terms

Scan results for something new

Look for new core terms

New words not previously found

Phase I: Finding Core Terms How to find core terms Step 5: Analytics & server logs

Step 5: Analytics & server logs

Phase I: Finding Core Terms How much is enough? There is no magic number Might have 10 or 10,000! Terms may change over time Some added some removed Not all will be valuable Will know more during analysis phase teacher supplies teaching supplies free teacher supplies teacher supply stores teacher supply free teaching supplies teacher supply store elementary teacher supplies

There is no magic number

Might have 10 or 10,000!

Terms may change over time

Some added

some removed

Not all will be valuable

Will know more during analysis phase

Phase I: Finding Core Terms Four factors of prioritization

Phase I: Finding Core Terms Look beyond “right now” Current exposure factors into current sales

Current exposure factors into current sales

Phase II Researching Search Phrases

Phase II: Researching Search Phrases What is a search phrase? Stemmed variation of the core term Core term with attached modifiers Stemmed variation of the core term with modifiers Any group of words that contain the core term

Stemmed variation of the core term

Core term with attached modifiers

Stemmed variation of the core term with modifiers

Any group of words that contain the core term

Phase II: Researching Search Phrases How to find search phrases The time factor

The time factor

Phase II: Researching Search Phrases How to find search phrases The research factor

The research factor

Phase II: Researching Search Phrases How to find search phrases The deletion factor Remove phrases with bogus words Eliminate phrases that change meaning of intent Delete unrelated terms Keep if unsure

The deletion factor

Remove phrases with bogus words

Eliminate phrases that change meaning of intent

Delete unrelated terms

Keep if unsure

Phase II: Researching Search Phrases How to find search phrases The split / combo factor

The split / combo factor

Phase II: Researching Search Phrases Combining core terms When to combine Fewer than 10 good phrases Exception for niche industries All phrases are low search volume How to combine Group most similar together Avoid inconsistent spellings Verify on-page unity

When to combine

Fewer than 10 good phrases

Exception for niche industries

All phrases are low search volume

How to combine

Group most similar together

Avoid inconsistent spellings

Verify on-page unity

Phase II: Researching Search Phrases Splitting into sub-core groups When to split Over 150 phrases See dozens of similar qualifiers Qualifiers with similar meaning Split as often as makes sense 10-15 similar qualifiers

When to split

Over 150 phrases

See dozens of similar qualifiers

Qualifiers with similar meaning

Split as often as makes sense

10-15 similar qualifiers

Researching Search Phrases Search phrase spreadsheet

Phase III Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords

Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords Phrase types

Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords Single word phrases High volume, low targeted traffic Pre-refined searches Haven’t qualified search yet Searchers re-do searches Produces poor results Low ROI Traffic does not equal sales Effort too great for results

High volume, low targeted traffic

Pre-refined searches

Haven’t qualified search yet

Searchers re-do searches

Produces poor results

Low ROI

Traffic does not equal sales

Effort too great for results

Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords Multi-word phrases Lower search volume, Higher targeting More conversions than higher searched terms More opportunities for exposure Multiple word combinations means more visibility

Lower search volume, Higher targeting

More conversions than higher searched terms

More opportunities for exposure

Multiple word combinations means more visibility

Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords Multiple phrase variations Plurals, singulars and stems “ s,” “es,” “ing,” “ed,” Changed word order pontiac used car used pontiac car Don’t focus on word order Use exact core phrase Use additional words independently Make sure copy flows

Plurals, singulars and stems

“ s,” “es,” “ing,” “ed,”

Changed word order

pontiac used car

used pontiac car

Don’t focus on word order

Use exact core phrase

Use additional words independently

Make sure copy flows

Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords Localized phrases Geo-targeting improves conversions Eliminates calls and emails from non-local customers Focuses your time on target audience Add geo-qualifiers as necessary Specific market segments City, county, state, zip, etc.

Geo-targeting improves conversions

Eliminates calls and emails from non-local customers

Focuses your time on target audience

Add geo-qualifiers as necessary

Specific market segments

City, county, state, zip, etc.

Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords Keywords that convert Analyze for convertability Searcher intent Meet searcher need Offer that specific product or service? Adidas should not optimize for “air jordan” Don’t target “discount” if you don’t offer it Don’t optimize “cheap” if you’re not Eliminate phrases that don’t convert

Analyze for convertability

Searcher intent

Meet searcher need

Offer that specific product or service?

Adidas should not optimize for “air jordan”

Don’t target “discount” if you don’t offer it

Don’t optimize “cheap” if you’re not

Eliminate phrases that don’t convert

Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords Measurable search volume Actively searched phrases No searches = no traffic = no sales When is no volume OK Different tools produce different results Inaccurate data in niche industries Geo targeted terms Start with lower-hanging fruit Easier for newer sites Quicker results on less competitive phrases Add competitive phrases as site strength builds

Actively searched phrases

No searches = no traffic = no sales

When is no volume OK

Different tools produce different results

Inaccurate data in niche industries

Geo targeted terms

Start with lower-hanging fruit

Easier for newer sites

Quicker results on less competitive phrases

Add competitive phrases as site strength builds

Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords Informational queries Answers “about” type questions “ How to create a gift basket” “ Best digital camera” “ Where to board in Nevada” Target as secondary Draws additional traffic Builds loyalty Researchers turn to shoppers Provides opportunity for links Product reviews Product comparisons How-to articles

Answers “about” type questions

“ How to create a gift basket”

“ Best digital camera”

“ Where to board in Nevada”

Target as secondary

Draws additional traffic

Builds loyalty

Researchers turn to shoppers

Provides opportunity for links

Product reviews

Product comparisons

How-to articles

Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords Analyzing phrases for quality What is the customer looking for? Is the query clear? Future / seasonal trends? What’s missing in SERPs? Where’s the ROI?

What is the customer looking for?

Is the query clear?

Future / seasonal trends?

What’s missing in SERPs?

Where’s the ROI?

Analyzing and Eliminating Keywords Don’t rely on your own analysis Seek out additional opinions Colleagues Assistants Managers Outside experts Clients

Seek out additional opinions

Colleagues

Assistants

Managers

Outside experts

Clients

Researching Search Phrases Search phrase spreadsheet

Phase IV Organizing Keywords for Success

Keywords are just the parts Organizing Keywords for Success Making SEO successful

Keywords are just the parts

Organizing Keywords for Success Organize for performance

Organizing Keywords for Success Assigning core terms to pages Analyze each page Leave out product pages Write down page topics Wedding rings Men’s wedding rings Women’s wedding rings Duffel bags Wheeled duffel bags Large duffel bags Assign core terms as appropriate

Analyze each page

Leave out product pages

Write down page topics

Wedding rings

Men’s wedding rings

Women’s wedding rings

Duffel bags

Wheeled duffel bags

Large duffel bags

Assign core terms as appropriate

Organizing Keywords for Success Build additional content pages When more keywords than content… Create more entry points!

When more keywords than content…

Organizing Keywords for Success Segmenting keywords Looking for general information Don’t know what they really want Optimize on higher-level category pages and articles Have narrowed down to product type Comparing features Optimize on category and comparison pages Have specific product in mind Looking for trustworthy place to buy Optimize on specific product pages

Looking for general information

Don’t know what they really want

Optimize on higher-level category pages and articles

Have narrowed down to product type

Comparing features

Optimize on category and comparison pages

Have specific product in mind

Looking for trustworthy place to buy

Optimize on specific product pages

Organizing Keywords for Success Search phrase spreadsheet

Organizing Keywords for Success Grouping phrases for on-page SEO Each page can target 5-15 phrases Group qualifiers with similar meaning Group qualifiers that are related cheap discount bargain elegant designer modern vintage antique old baseball basketball football 14 volt 18 volt 24 volt

Each page can target 5-15 phrases

Group qualifiers with similar meaning

Group qualifiers that are related

Organizing Keywords for Success Let the content guide keywords

Organizing Keywords for Success Search phrase spreadsheet

Conclusion

Conclusion Don’t rush Keyword research is an important process Take your time to do it thoroughly Rushing leads to mistakes Mistakes mean poor SEO performance Lay the foundation with the best keywords Greater chance for SEO success Less cluttered pages Better audience targeting Improved conversion rates

Keyword research is an important process

Take your time to do it thoroughly

Rushing leads to mistakes

Mistakes mean poor SEO performance

Lay the foundation with the best keywords

Greater chance for SEO success

Less cluttered pages

Better audience targeting

Improved conversion rates

All good? Or…?

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