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eywords. That’s a term you hear associated with search engine opti-
mization all the time. In fact, it’s very rare that you hear anything
about SEO in which keywords aren’t involved some way. So, what’s
so special about keywords?Simply put, keywords are those words used to catalog, index, and find your
web site. But of course, it’s not nearly as simple as it sounds. There is a fine
science to finding and using the right keywords on your web site to improve
your site’s ranking. In fact, an entire industry has been built around keywords
and their usage. Consultants spend countless hours finding and applying the
right keywords for their customers, and those who design web sites with SEO
in mind also agonize over finding just the right ones.Using popular — and effective — keywords on your web site will help to assure
that it will be visible in the search engine results instead of being buried under
thousands of other web-site results. There are keyword research tools that can
help you find the exact keywords to use for your site and therefore for your
search engine optimization. Understanding the use of keywords, where to find
them, which ones to use, and the best ways to use them allows you to have a
highly visible and successful web site.The Importance of Keywords
Basically, keywords capture the essence of your web site. Keywords are what a
potential visitor to your site puts into a search engine to find web sites related
to a specific subject, and the keywords that you choose will be used through-
out your optimization process. As a small-business owner, you will want your
web site to be readily visible when those search engine results come back.59
IN THIS CHAPTER
The importance of keywordsUnderstanding Heuristics ....................................................................................................
Organic keywords vs. pay-
per-clickMaximizing organic keywordsHow pay-per-click worksKeywords and
Your Web Site
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