In the Google age, keyword search and SEO are two of the most important components of a good website. Implementing the keywords is easy, but choosing those keywords can be a little more tricky. You have to be very strategic in deciding on these words. Here are some factors to consider during this process:
Google Search
What are people searching for when they find you? For example, if you own a furniture store, some common search terms that people might use to find your business are:
- Furniture
- Home decor
- Interior design
- Redecorating your home
Make sure you use terms like these in your keywords. When people search for these terms, your business likely provides the solutions they are trying to find. You just need to make sure they find you.
Target Audience
Who is searching for you? You target audience and their interests should influence your keywords list. These are the people you want to target, and they likely have a certain online presence through either social media or repeat search.
If you add words that they have in their profiles, or that they’ve searched in the past, your website is more likely to appear in their future searches.
Webpage content
What terms do you use in your business brand? These terms will appear frequently in your website content, and therefore (obviously) need to be in your keywords. If you’re familiar with Google Analytics or Google Webmaster Tools, you can download a list of keywords found within your website regularly and build a strategy to tailor particular pages to target certain keywords you wish to rank higher for.
A coffee shop website will have words like coffee, latte, cappuccino and tea throughout its copy. So when people search for these terms, this website is more likely to appear near the top. Whatever words you associate with your company, add them to your keywords.
Industry
Think outside your business here. What words are commonly used in your industry? What keywords do your competition use? Add those same words to your keywords.
You are competing for visibility in online search. When someone types an industry term into Google you want your business to appear above the competition. So you need to think of how they use keywords too.
By thinking strategically about the keywords you choose, you will give your business a much better position in the online world.