Keywords are the specific words that appear in the titles, tags and content on a website or in a blog or in an ad that identify who you are and what you do to Internet users and search engines. Like signs on a freeway that direct you to gas or food or lodging, the right key words will direct Internet traffic to your website. But choose the wrong keywords and traffic will whoosh on by, never even aware of your existence.
One of the goals of search engine optimization is to find those specific keywords that will attract the attention of search engines and drive the most traffic to your website. It may sound simple, but there’s actually a lot of research, science, technology and experiential know-how that goes into determining the precise words that will best attract search engines. And that’s important because it’s the search engines that produce the list of responses when a potential customer asks for information on the Internet.
It’s like advertising on the freeway. It’s the businesses with the most and biggest signs that get the most customers. For example, if a driver is hungry, he’ll look for a “food” sign at the next exit and head for the first familiar eatery he spies from the end of the exit ramp. But if he’s been passing signs for “Grandma’s home cooking,” “Grandma’s homemade pies,” “Grandma’s stick-to-your-ribs comfort food,” you can bet he’ll be looking for the “Grandma’s” sign when he exits, even if he has to pass several other restaurants to get to it.
Search engine ranking is your “sign” on the Internet superhighway. The closer to the top of the first search page your website appears, the bigger and better your “sign.” Choosing the right keywords and combination of keywords (keyword phrases) is one of the critical factors in determining how search engines rank your site. As in our freeway example, it’s not the mundane words “food” or “cooking” that have you salivating by the time you reach the exit ramp, it’s their combination with “Grandma,” “homemade pies” and “stick-to-your-ribs” that conjure up a picture of food worth stopping for.
Just like freeway advertising, there are tricks and techniques in selecting keywords and keyword phrases that will lure search engines — and customers — to your door. Search engine optimization specialists use sophisticated analysis tools to identify the specific searching behavior of an industry’s prospective customers. Because every industry has its own unique set of buzz words, linguistic research is conducted to determine the specific keywords and keyword phrases most used by potential customers. Determining and using the precise words used by potential customers when they search for products or services like yours is vital. After all, your website won’t get many hits if your customers are searching for “apples” but you’re using “fruit” on your website. The more precisely your keywords match consumer search terms, the higher your search engine ranking – and that means more traffic coming to your website.
