How to Plan the Best Keywords for Your Online Marketing Campaign
When someone queries a search engine by searching a word or a phrase, they are looking for a solution. If your company is providing the said solution, it is critical that keywords the potential customer typed match the keywords you assumed they would type. The most heavily used search engines on the Internet reward relevancy.
Planning your online marketing campaign using proper keywords can make or break your marketing efforts. The first step towards getting customers is getting noticed in search engines. The following are some guidelines on how to plan for the best keywords to maximize your online marketing campaign.
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes
Think like your customer. This is often easier said than done, since if it were easy, there would be no marketers. Advertising campaigns will be ineffective if you can’t define the terms in which your customer will be searching. Customers don’t always search for what you think they will. Sometimes they don’t know exactly what it is they are looking for, this is why you cannot assume the term they are searching for is going to be the name of the product you provide. Thinking outside of the box can prove invaluable when planning keywords for your online marketing campaign.
Plan a brainstorming session
Brainstorming should be an uninhibited process. Don’t be afraid to have too many keywords, since editing will happen later. Keeping with the theme of “putting yourself in the customer’s shoes” think about special jargon someone might use when searching for a product. Also, don’t limit yourself to single words – multiword keywords and phrases are also fair game. As a rule of thumb for the brainstorm process, too many keywords are better than not enough.
Make use of long-tail keywords
Research shows that single word searches are on the decline. Most searches that result into a converted customer contain 4, 5, or even 6 words. Very few total searches in any market come from the top ten keywords. Long-tail keywords help the consumer find exactly what they are searching for. For example, if someone is looking for “bike parts”, then the search results will surely be overwhelming. But if that search were changed to “Shimano 105 rear cassette new york city” your Shimano-carrying bike shop in the East Village will have a better chance of showing up on the list.
Scour the market for ideas
As long as your business is in an established industry, there is a wealth of information available in the form of advertisements and web content. Also, don’t be afraid to look outside of the web. Look through pamphlets and brochures for unique words that are relevant to your industry. When searching the web, take notice of paid search landings, since these are written with the idea of keyword optimization in mind.
Take advantage of third-party tools
Popular search engines contain tools you can utilize in order to generate related terms for your keywords. Take advantage of these. The process is simple – just submit a keyword URL and choose high-ranking words from the results. While these tools are very useful, keep in mind that they are not going to provide a 100% comprehensive keyword list. Be sure to consult several of sources for a varied list.
Augment your list
Multiply your keyword list by adding synonyms, variations, and permutations of phrases. This will ensure if a potential customer is searching for “cycling gear”, then the “bike accessories” that your online shop distributes will appear in the results. Specific product names, serial numbers, alternative spellings, singular and plural terms, and even common misspellings should be included. This will grow your list and help customers find your business no matter what they type into a search engine.
Remove keywords that are a poor match
As mentioned before, relevancy is key. Look through your list and remove any words that are irrelevant to your business. These can be determined by performing an organic search for questionable keywords or phrases. This will help later when organizing your “negative” keywords.
Managing keywords can be a tedious, time-consuming project. Luckily, the marketers at ClickTecs are professionals in the field. Your business deserves to be visible. Hiring an expert in keyword optimization can help your business flourish by putting you at the top of the list in search engine results.
About the Author : Jamshaid (Jam) Hashmi
A serial entrepreneur with extensive background in franchising and interests in multiple online business channels, Jamshaid (Jam) Hashmi has played an instrumental role in the franchise development and success of an international franchise company. His most recent entrepreneurial interests include launching ClickTecs, a Digital Marketing company specializing in Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing as well as Website and Mobile Application development. In 2007 he co-founded Search Result, an online marketing company that supplies services to Internet Marketing Consultants. A sought after public speaker, Jam has been the featured keynote at many franchise conferences and international summits. He regularly trains ‘C’ Level Executives and supports both new and seasoned business owners on Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Optimization, Mobile Marketing, Brand Reputation Management and Conversion & Measurement through web analytics. When he’s not scaling the heights of the Internet world, Jam ‘unwinds’ on extreme thrill-seeking adventures from the jungles of the Amazon to the highest summits. His passions include working with NGOs on humanitarian missions to areas around the world affected by disasters and poverty.
