How to Select Keywords

When optimizing a site for search engines, there are a few basic steps that everyone should take before they begin. First thing is always to build a keyword list.

Getting Started: Know the Site Inside and Out

To create a great keyword list, you will need to know every page of the website. You should know what the site contains and also what it does not contain.

The first step is to come up with a list of somewhat generic keywords. For example, if you are a non-profit in Raleigh, the temptation will arise to try and rank number 1 for the term “non-profit.” Well, that’s a start, but ranking for the word “non-profit” is definitely wanting too much unless you are the Red Cross or Salvation Army, which is why it’s very important that you know the site well enough to come up with a good list of pseudo-generic “modifiers” for your keyword:

• Location (Raleigh non-profit, Triangle non-profit, etc.)
• Description of Services (literacy, save the planet, etc,)

Narrow the List

So now you have a long keyword list; it’s time to narrow it down. You should narrow the list by deciding if the potential gain for a keyword is relative to the competition. In order to make that decision, you need to know the amount of competition. You can easily find that by searching for those keywords and seeing the results. See how big and established are the websites on the first SERP page? If big websites with PR greater then 5 exist as competition, they are hard to beat. If they are older that 3 years it’s even harder. If they are using the latest web design technologies and their html and css respect the web standards, it might take a couple of years to beat them. This might be the time to decide for a different keyword combination.
These techniques will point out which terms have the most competition, but competition alone should not dictate which words make the final list.

Keyword Layout

Remember when selecting keywords: words on a higher competitive level should be placed on pages that will receive deep links. This way, you won’t have to remove highly competitive, but potentially lucrative terms from your list, provided that you make a concerted effort to perform link-building for the pages on which those terms reside.
For smaller terms, the more the better. They can be given their own pages or be mentioned on other highly trusted pages of your site.

That’s it.

You should have all the information you need to select a strategically viable keyword list. Remember, keyword research is the cornerstone of a successful SEO campaign. Knowing the competition for your keywords will aid you in site layout, as well as focusing effort on SEO only where it is necessary. Ultimately, it will make your optimization process more efficient, allowing your sites to rank for more keywords with less work, which is a goal that all SEOs strive to attain.