Selection and Management of Keyword Phrases

Category: Search Engine Marketing Guide

Selecting the right keyword phrases to use in your SEO and Paid Listings plans involves looking at your website content and structure from the perspective of the search engines and analyzing your observations against what users are asking search engines to find.

Since most searches are now done with multiple-word phrases-75% by recent statistics-it is crucial to focus your efforts on the keyword phrases that are best suited to the user’s goal. It is also important to look at the keyword phrases your competitors are focused on and how they are ranked. This process often results in hundreds or even thousands of keyword phrases, each having some relevance to your business. The leading search engine marketing firms use a combination of third party tools, internally developed tools, and proprietary methods to select the right keyword phrases for each website.

Determining which phrases to target involves looking at each phrase from multiple perspectives. While it makes logical sense to strive for the highest listing for every possible keyword phrase, that goal may not be reasonable or achievable. In some cases it may be wise to limit the focus to the most popular keyword phrases, while in other cases focusing on second- or third-tier phrases may be more effective.

If done properly, this analysis results in an optimal set of keyword phrases and related content that, when placed in the appropriate places on your website, increase the probability that:

• new customers will find your website instead of a competitor’s website
• customers are directed to the pages on your site best suited to their immediate need, and
• you achieve a positive return on investment.