Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith

I’ve read recently of SEO specialists who are asked to do the impossible – jump right in and optimize a site. “There’s no time for keyword research. Get links, links, links!”

 Every business needs links to their site to build authority, but every site MUST find and use keywords to attract the right visitors to their site. Using the right keywords is an integral part of your search engine optimization efforts.

What are keywords?

Keywords, or keyword phrases, are the words you use on your Web site to talk about your product or service.  They are also generally the words that searchers type into search engines (query) to find your site.

They are

• product or service words (boats, shoes, SEO, repairs), 
• descriptive words (gray slate, budget-conscious, experienced), or 
• (geographic words (Maryland, DC, Northern Virginia, etc.), to name a few.

Searchers are becoming more specific in their queries. Almost 60% of all searches are 3 or more words. When you write your content, you should know which keywords to use.

Searchers’ goals influence your choice of keywords. A searcher may be researching an item or they may be ready to buy.

Generally speaking, researchers want broad or general information, and buyers want more specific information. SEO ”rules” change every day, but this one has remained constant. 

If I wanted to find a hotel in Northern Virginia, I may search for “Northern Va Hotels” to get more information on pricing and specific locations; however, if I have already done my research and I’m ready to book a room, I may search with much more specific words, such as “Northern Fairfax Virginia Hampton Inn.”

You should have information on your site to appeal to both types of searchers; however, you may want to use different pages. If the focus of your site is selling an item, provide some pages that are purely informational. This will get more visitors to your site. It may also gain you links from other sites if they consider your information useful to their customers or readers.

Keywords are vital to SEO. Next learn how to choose them!

– Stacey Morgan Smith