By Peggy Tee ©
Creating good keyword phrases is the basic tenet of successful SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, which is an online marketing strategy specifically formulated to drive traffic to websites. Effective keyword selection is about knowing what your niche is, who your website is targeting, and what your potential audience is looking for.
Compile keywords
Having a large number of relevant and related keywords on your site can help increase keyword density, which in turn is good SEO practice. Brainstorm for specific keywords based on the major themes of your website. Use techniques such as stream-of-consciousness and discussion with friends or family to ferret out words, phrases or questions stemming from your themes.
Find your niche
Not all keywords are born equal. Some key words are broad, such as “flowers”, others more niche, such as “black orchids.” Finding your niche is key to creating SEO keyword phrases that stand above and beyond your competition. You can start with a few broad themes for keywords, such as “flowers”, “florist” or “delivery” but you should also include some niche keywords such as “same day” or “orchids” if that is what your website offers. If your site has knowledge, content or offers a service or product not offered by your competitors, be sure to press this competitive advantage. Be wary of using overly specific keywords; these may not be popular search phrases and will not bring traffic to your website.
Select popular keywords
Some phrases or words are searched more often. Use keyword analysis tools, available online, to rank your keywords and use those that are most popularly used in searches by users. Google Analytics offers this service. You can select keywords to populate your site and to increase your page ranking on search results.
Know your audience
Before you choose SEO keywords for your site, you need to assess who you are trying to reach out to. Is your website geared towards academic intellectuals, fashion followers, housewives looking for how-to guides or the casual web surfer? For example, a knowledge based website may use “scientific”, “explanation”, “temperature”, “air pressure” and “altitude” as keywords for a site exploring the science behind why water boils at different temperatures at different altitudes. In contrast, a more general, non science focused website may use “water”, “boiling point”, “height” and “altitude” as key words. In both cases, the keywords used are important for reaching out to the right kind of audience.