Using Your Keywords
July 31, 2008
I usually assist my clients in deriving 10 or so keyword phrases. These are phrases that a prospect would use to search Google and find my client. An example of a keyword phrase for a local bike store might be “Bend Oregon Bike Shop”. Now that you have these keywords what do you do with them? What we do with keywords is as important as finding the correct keywords.
Embed Keywords in your Website Content
Google and the other search engines analyze who your site is relevant to. The search engines want to ensure that they place the most relevant sites on the top of their search. Our job is to BE the most relevant. Don’t be coy. Use your keywords throughout your text. In fact you want these keywords to represent between 2 and 10% of all the words you use on your site. It is best to keep them in the order you had for your phrase, but that is not as important is using them. Back to our bike shop example, including in the website, Smurf Bike Shop is the best in Bend, Oregon, is not quite as good as saying that Smurf is a Bend Oregon Bike Shop, but it is better than not saying it at all! Click here for my current favorite free keyword analyzer .
Methods for Embedding Keywords
One of the best methods for embedding keywords is to exchange pronouns with keywords. E.g., We Welcome You, could become Bend Oregon Bike Shop Welcomes You. Look for opportunities to add keywords in links, headings, and the verbiage that exists behind an image (alt tag).
Remember that while search engine rankings are important, customers are the MOST important. Do not try to force the wording on your website to meet the 2 to 10% goal at the expense of readability. However, with a little forethought, you can get both the right keyword “density” and good sounding prose. Repetition is important for both the technical aspects of search engines and for the readers. Using a different adjective or noun may not be in the best interest of your organization.
