The first paragraph: The process of submitting your website to search engines is a crucial step in attracting a surge of targeted traffic. These individuals are actively searching for your services or products when they input your keywords into the search engine. However, the question arises, "Are the keywords they're using the same as yours?" and if so, "How relevant are these keywords to what you're offering?" This article will guide you through the process of optimizing your website for search engines, focusing on keyword relevance and placement.
When you submit your website to a search engine, some will request a list of keywords relevant to your site. Others will send a spider to crawl your site and analyze your content. This spider takes an inventory of the words used most frequently on your main page and assumes that these words represent the theme of your site. Some search engines will base your listing on the keyword and description tags within your page's heading tag.
Our focus will be on optimizing your website for free-to-list search engines. We will also touch on pay-per-click and pay-per-inclusion engines. Before you start compiling your list of keywords, you need to conduct some research.
Start by imagining that you know nothing about your product or service. The best way to discover what keywords your customers may use is to ask them. Use your spouse or friends as test subjects. Without revealing what your site is about, give them a vague idea, as most of your customers may not know they need your product.
For instance, you might say, "If you wanted to earn some extra money for holiday gifts this year, what words would you type into the search box?" If your spouse or friend is willing, ask them to conduct 3-5 searches on at least three different search engines, using different keywords each time. Ensure they click on a few of the results that they feel are relevant to their search.
Take note of every keyword or phrase your test subject uses. Pay close attention to the websites they click on from the search results. This will give you an insight into how most of your customers will find you. After they click on a search result that interests them, ask them why they chose that particular site. Take notes; this information is invaluable!
The next step is to have your test subject conduct their searches again, but this time with a clear idea of what they are looking for. Tell them to be specific in their searches. Again, note down the keywords or phrases they use, the sites they visit from the results, and why.
Make sure to write down the URLs of the websites they visit. These are your competitors! In the following week, we will delve into some undercover work, transforming you into the ultimate internet spy!
If your spouse or friend isn't available for this exercise, try using the Keyword Finding Tools listed in the "Search Engine Tools" category at SEO Tools. Spend some time with the last resource listed, and you'll have your keyword list ready in no time!
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