Keyword Research: An Easy 7 Step Process

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Keyword Research: An Easy 7 Step Process

Targeted traffic. All web site owners that submit their site's pages to search engines want targeted traffic in return. Search engines are looking for relevant content that are rich in searched keyword or keyword phrases. The trick is finding keywords that will drive targeted traffic to your site and creating content around these keywords. Keyword research is often an overlooked part of search engine optimization. The research will pay dividends in saved time and effort by targeting the correct keywords or keyword phrases. Use these 7 simple steps to create the targeted traffic you deserve. Keyword Research Step 1: Think Customer

Sounds simple enough, but how will the customer find you. What keywords or keyword phrases will they use to find you're site? Brainstorm and write down all keywords and keyword phrases you're target market may use. Create a new spreadsheet document, either in Excel or Open Office, select column A and begin listing your keywords and keyword phrases, using only one keyword or phrase per cell. The next Keyword Research Step is to determine the number of searches and results for each of these keywords. Keyword Research Step 2: Determine Search Values

To find a value for how many times a keyword or keyword phrase are searched we need to go to Digital Point and use their keyword suggestion tool. This tool is a combination of the Overture keyword tool and the Wordtracker's keyword tool, each present results of how many times a keyword is search daily from the last month. Enter the keyword or keyword phrase and submit the form. In your spreadsheet, name the column Searches, place the monthly search value beside your keywords. Keyword Research Step 3: Determine Result Values

Now go to Google and search each keyword. This is how you find how many web pages indexed by Google include the searched keyword. Near the upper right of the results page you will see something that says 1 - 10 of 1,000,000 . The number we need is 1,000,000 . Create a third column with the heading Results and place the value beside the searched keyword. Keyword Research Step 4: Determine R/S Ratio

Within your spreadsheet create a fourth column with the heading R/S Ratio. It basically is the ratio of the number of page that contain the keyword to the number of times that it is searched. The lower the number the better the results. Keyword Research Step 5: Determine KEI

What is KEI (Keyword Effectiveness Index)? KEI is simply measures the effectiveness of the keyword or keyword phrase more accurately than the R/S Ratio. KEI can measure the growth of increasing search values and result values. To find the keyword or keyword phrase's KEI go to Wordtracker. The higher the KEI the better the keyword or keyword phrase. Wordtracker rate KEI as poor (under 10, too much competition), good (10-100, less competition so good chance of reaching top), outstanding (100-400, best chance of reaching the top), and gift (400+).

Create a fourth column in your spreadsheet and label it KEI. Enter the KEI value for the corresponding keyword or keyword phrase. Keyword Research Step 6: Sort Data

With your spreadsheet sort the data (go to Data -> Sort). The first item we are going to sort is the KEI, use a descending sort to rank KEI from best keyword to worst keyword (high KEI to low KEI). Now sort the R/S column using an ascending sort. This sort can be skipped if there are no keywords with the same KEI. Keyword Research Step 7: Analyze the Data

Obviously we want to choose the keywords or keyword phrases that have the highest KEI and the lowest possible R/S ratio. If we find a keyword with a high KEI and a low R/S lets look at the Search column. What's the number of searches this keyword receives per month.? Is it high enough to focus your marketing efforts on that keyword? Another obvious point is if the keyword has lower KEI and high R/S it is best to avoid marketing to that keyword. Find the keyword or keyword phrases that have a 10+ KEI and a low R/S and enough searches per month to make your efforts worth while.

Keyword research will help you find the keyword niche that will market you site both effectively and efficiently. With out proper keyword research you may not be reaching your fullest potential in search engine traffic generation. Don't waste time and energy by not targeting you market first. Get the traffic you deserve, do your research, your keyword research.

Free Tools Resource: Digital Point - http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/suggestion/

Wordtracker - http://www,worktracker.com/

Google - http://google.com/

The Dowser http://dowser.sourceforge.net/ - a free keyword analysis tool.

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