The keys to keywords

Last week I joined a free call with Andy Wibbels to learn about a course he is offering called Keywords Essentials. This was a stretch for me because I thought this would be a techie call and over my head. I quickly realized this was not true at all. Andy started the call by explaining how he decided to offer this upcoming teleclass, which starts August 30 if you’re interested. He asked himself if he were to start blogging all over again what he would change. He said he was late to the keyword game and would have learned how to optimize them right from the get go!

Here’s the best definition I found using the search words “keywords definition”:

Words that may be used by viewers searching for information.

Marketingterms.com says, “Keywords are used by Web surfers to describe what they hope to find when performing a Web search. This statement of a real-time want/need has not gone unnoticed by Web marketers, many of whom have tried to benefit from keyword advertising buys and/or search engine optimization.”

Andy asked us to imagine that our target audience is desperately searching for us. They are people who want our services or products. Our potential customers are researching before they choose to invest and we need to know where to stand to be seen. He explains in an era of too many choices find ability is essential. Internet usage, he continued, is about entertainment or utility. What do your customers need to know? They want you to be useful, give them solutions, and there is a sense of urgency about their search. They need answers now. Here’s one key to keywords. Use language your customers would use when they search. Would average Joe type in “low-cost fares” or is he more likely to ask for what he wants? “Cheap flights.”

The resources Andy shared on this preview call were fascinating. The website Wordtracker compiles data on keywords and can tell you not only how often those words are searched but the results they receive. A popular keyword that yields a gazillion sites is obviously more competition than a popular keyword that yields a handful of sites. The key is to find out what keywords target fewer websites (that is, high demand and low supply).

If you’re searching for a low tech, comprehensive, actionable solution to learning more about keywords for your website or blog, Keywords Essentials may be just the key!

“Three keys to more abundant living: caring about others, daring for others, sharing with others.” ~William Arthur Ward