SEO: Search Engine Optimization Bible

Going back to brand keywords for a moment, if you don’t use the keywords contained in your busi-

ness name, business description, and specific category of business, you’re missing out. It seems as if

it wouldn’t be necessary to use these keywords, because they’re already associated with your site, but

if you don’t own them, who will? And if someone else owns them, how will they use those keywords

to direct traffic away from your site?

Before we go too much further in this description of keywords and how to choose the right one,

you should know that keywords fall into two other categories: those keywords you pay a fee to

use (called pay-per-click), and those naturally occurring keywords that just seem to work for you

without the need to pay someone to ensure they appear in search results (these are called organic

keywords).

When you think about purchasing keywords, these fall into the pay-per-click category. When you

stumble upon a keyword that works, that falls into the organic category.

When you begin considering the keywords that you’ll use on your site, the best place to start brain-

storming is with keywords that apply to your business. Every business has its own set of buzzwords

that people think about when they think about that business or the products or services related to

the business. Start your brainstorming session with words and phrases that are broad in scope, but

may not bring great search results. Then narrow down your selections to more specific words and

phrases, which will bring highly targeted traffic. Table 4-1 shows how broad keywords compare to

specific key phrases.

TABLE 4-1

Broad Keywords vs. Specific Key Phrases

Broad Keywords and Phrases Specific Key Phrases

Knives Hunting Knives

Indian Knives American Indian Knives

Damascus Knives Vintage Damascus Knives

Chapter 5 contains more specifics about choosing the right keywords and key phrases. The

principal for choosing keywords is the same, whether the words you’re using are in PPC pro-

grams or they occur organically, so all of the elements of keyword selection for both categories

are covered there.

When you’re considering the words that you’ll use for keywords, also consider phrases

of two to three words. Because key phrases can be much more specific than single words,

it’s easier to rank high with a key phrase than with a keyword. Key phrases are used in the same ways

as keywords, they’re just longer.

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Part II SEO Strategies

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