How To Choose The Best Search Terms & Key Phrases - A Beginners Guide by Brian Cotsen

In part 2 of 'Turning Keyword Seed Lists Into Search Terms' we saw how we developed the 'seed' list of keywords into more accurate definers of our website and business using 'Modifiers'.

Having come up with over 70 possible search terms we now have to find a way of choosing only those terms that are going to help us with our SEM campaign.

In part 3 we look at how to choose the best of the search terms.

 

 

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Not all search terms have equal value to you in your SEM

Although we have now come up with a much longer list of search terms that more accurately defines the sort of business that we offer or the sort of products that we sell, not all of these search terms are of equal value.

Why?

The keyword search terms or key phrases that you choose for your website should only be ones that your target market are likely to use when searching for your goods or services.

Case Study

Abode Design's interior designers Lizzie & Emma studied colour theory and colour psychology when learning their skills as interior designers.

They might have come up with keywords or phrases 'Interior Design Colour Psychology Advice', thus offering a service that accurately describes what they do.

In theory then 'Interior Design Colour Psychology Advice' is a legitimate and valid search terms to target.

 

Only choose keywords & search terms that your target market will use

However we need to consider how often, if ever, the target market of Abode Design are likely to use the search term 'Interior Design Colour Psychology Advice'.

The likelihood is - not very often.

Abode's target market are not going to be other industry professionals but consumers who don't use technical language.

It is far more likely that Lizzie & Emma's clients are going to use search terms like 'Colour Scheme Advice', 'Help Designing A Colour Scheme', 'Home Colour Scheme Services'

So in the battle of the search terms:

'Interior Design Colour Psychology Advice' is out

'Help Designing A Colour Scheme' is in

Avoid using industry specific search terms or words, unless your target market is your industry peers or those using more technical language.

 

How do you know what sort of words your target market search with?

In Lizzie & Emma's case it is quite easy to brainstorm and come up with likely search terms that their target market will likely use to find their website & services.

However sometimes you need a little help to come up with words & phrases that may not be immediately obvious to you, especially if you are building a website about a more unfamiliar subject.

 

Keyword Suggestion Tools

There are a number of both free and paid for suggestion tools that you can consider in your quest for the best keywords and search terms to target for your SEM

In the next part we will take a look at some of the free and paid for keyword suggestion tools that you can consider.

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