SolveYourProblem
Internet Marketing Series
How To Choose Keywords
For Search Engine Ranking
Keywords are an essential component of producing
a web site. These are the words which the search
engines use to help categorize and rank your pages. For instance,
if your web site is about 'writing articles' then your keywords
could include 'writing', 'articles', 'article writing' and
so on.
The advice from many web designers and search engine optimizers
has been to find as many keywords as you can. They advise
you to search for keywords using a variety of online tools
and software programs which can identify leading keywords.
At first sight this seems attractive, but it actually defies
logic.
Let's take a look at the aim of a search engine. It's job
is to track down pages that meet the specific search term
that a web surfer has typed in. The more closely the pages
it serves up match the search term, the better it is for
users. Search engines need to be as accurate as possible
in delivering the right material to their users. Otherwise
the web surfer goes elsewhere.
Now imagine you are a search engine algorithm - the mathematical
program which calculates the probability of any web page
matching the search term typed in. If the page has hundreds,
or thousands of keywords you'll be a bit confused. For instance,
is this web page about 'article writing', or is it about
'feature writing for journalists'. They are different things.
You'll end up knowing the page is relevant but not that relevant.
So you rank it down the bottom.
But what if the page only has the keyword 'article writing'
several times? You're absolutely clear the page is about
article writing and so you rank it highly.
Admittedly, it's not quite as simple as this. But this is
the principle of search engine technology. It is trying to
find the most relevant pages that match the search term.
What this means for Internet marketers is that you need
separate pages for each keyword. Focus each page on each
individual keyword. Use the keyword in headings, sub-headings,
the page text, the page title tag and in the meta tags. Avoid
having pages which contain several keywords as that simply
confuses the search engines and lowers your rankings.
So forget the advice to have hundreds or thousands of keywords.
Go for single pages that match single keywords and you will
find your page traffic increase.
This
idea also works for Google AdWords. Each advert should
apply to just a handful of keywords - you get much greater
click through rates and therefore cheaper advertising when
you only have a couple of keywords per advert. If you have
hundreds of keywords you'll find you'll get greater results
by having keyword specific ads, rather than one advert with
hundreds of keywords.
So go against the advice of filling your pages and adverts
with keywords. Go specific.
