Keyword research
Keyword research is the process of finding out the words and phrases that your potential customers use online. We're all creatures of habit and what we type into the search boxes isn't random, it's influenced subconsciously by our language and culture. Our searches follow certain patterns, we share the same types of words, we're influenced by news stories and the latest buzz or fashion.
Many online marketers make the mistake of only doing keyword research at the start of a project. That's a mistake because people's search behavior changes over time. New products and new fashions emerge and with them, different keywords. These are opportunities you can capitalize on.
Keyword research is an ongoing process that you should build into your weekly schedule. You'll gain a deeper understanding of your markets, you'll spot emerging trends and new profitable niches before your competitors.
Use the following experts' articles to help you with your keyword research:
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The long tail of keyword research (and why single keywords are for losers) by Mark Nunney, 4 March 2010
In one month, a small website about management and leadership received 95,036 visits from search engines via 44,655 thousand different keywords. That’s a lot of keywords for a little site; and it’s a glimpse into the long tail of keyword research. For most websites, how to make a profit from the long tail is the same as how to make a profit.
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Keyword creativity in web design by Neil Davidson, 11 February 2010
Can Bob Arden save his web design business? Will brother Mike's keyword strategy deliver results? Has 2nd in command Laura betrayed Bob? Will Bob, Carl and Larry finally confront their past?
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How keyword research helped All About Spelling to online success by Jerome Smail, 8 January 2010
Unique visits to Marie and Greg Rippel's website, all-about-spelling.com, increased from five people a day to 4,000 after the couple used Wordtracker to find the right keywords to target. Jerome Smail of The Website Marketing Company and SEO site explains how they did it.
Read: How keyword research helped All About Spelling to online success
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Keyword creativity in web design 6: Making the perfect pitch by Neil Davidson, 11 November 2009
Bob Arden now realizes that he should have trusted Laura all along. It’s the day of the pitch, time to find out if he’s a winner or a loser.
Read: Keyword creativity in web design 6: Making the perfect pitch
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Keyword creativity in web design 5: Time to make amends by Neil Davidson, 11 November 2009
Bob has followed Laura into Buck’s, his local restaurant, to confront her about her deception and found her with Carl Carter. It ended in a fight with Carl Carter.
Read: Keyword creativity in web design 5: Time to make amends
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Keyword creativity in web design 4: Big brother is watching you by Neil Davidson, 11 November 2009
The pitch is being run by Larry Mackay, an old buddy that he had fallen out with years ago, and the competing agency is run by a once mutual friend, Carl Carter. Now Mike, his opinionated younger brother, has told him that Laura, his deputy at the agency, is working against him, helping Carl Carter with the pitch.
Read: Keyword creativity in web design 4: Big brother is watching you
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Keyword creativity in web design 3: Secrets and lies by Neil Davidson, 11 November 2009
After discovering that he's about to become a father for the first time Bob's determined to improve the business, starting with the latest new business pitch, a website re-design for Larry Mackay, an old buddy that he had fallen out with. He's listening to advice from Mike, his opinionated younger brother, particularly about how to bring keyword research into the heart of his web design process. Still, at the back of his mind, he's worrying about Laura, his deputy at the agency, and the secret she hasn't revealed yet.
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Keyword creativity in web design 2: Using keyword research to tackle new business by Neil Davidson, 11 November 2009
Bob Arden has just met up with Laura, his deputy, in Buck's, his local restaurant, after being away on vacation. Both have something to tell each other.
Read: Keyword creativity in web design 2: Using keyword research to tackle new business
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Finding profitable keywords just got easier with Wordtracker’s new Keywords tool by Mike Mindel, 30 September 2009
Keywords with a high search volume and a low level of competition can bring search marketers quick profits. Wordtracker now helps you find these moneymaking keywords quicker, easier and more effectively than ever before.
Read: Finding profitable keywords just got easier with Wordtracker’s new keywords tool
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How to beat Wikipedia to the top of Google...and CNN, the BBC, USA Today, ABC News... by Mark Nunney, 26 August 2009
With permanent search engine optimization (SEO) you can secure and defend the keywords you are successful for and find new keyword niches to target. Mark Nunney explains why SEO never stops and how you can use this to beat the toughest of competition.
Read: How to beat Wikipedia to the top of Google...and CNN, the BBC, USA Today, ABC News...
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3 ways to build large keyword lists using Wordtracker's new Keywords tool by Ken McGaffin, 30 June 2009
Whenever Ken McGaffin wants to create a new website or add content to an existing one, he begins with keyword research. He spells out the reasons why this is so important, and demonstrates how you can carry it out with the aid of Wordtracker's new Keywords tool.
Read: 3 ways to build large keyword lists using Wordtracker's new Keywords tool
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Keywords tool help video number 1: Getting started with the Wordtracker Keywords tool 23 April 2009
The dashboard is the home of all your keyword research. It’s where you find saved Projects and start new work.
Read: Keywords tool help video number 1: Getting started with the Wordtracker Keywords tool
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Keywords tool help video number 2: Searching for keywords 23 April 2009
Find the right keywords for your SEO and PPC campaigns, for content ideas, product research, market research and offline marketing campaigns
Read: Keywords tool help video number 2: Searching for keywords
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Keywords tool help video number 3: Evaluate the competition and choose your keywords 23 April 2009
Assess the competition for any keyword and find the most promising targets for search engine optimization and your Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising
Keywords tool help video number 3: Evaluate the competition and choose your keywords
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Keywords tool help video number 4: Filtering & saving your search results 23 April 2009
Filter Wordtracker search results to remove irrelevant keywords and then save those you want to a List
Read: Keywords tool help video number 4: Filtering & saving your search results
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Keywords tool help video number 5: The related keywords tool (the orange tool) 23 April 2009
Make lateral searches and find new keywords related to your seed word
Read: Keywords tool help video number 5: The related keywords tool (the orange tool)
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Keywords tool help video number 6: Quick ‘Search & Save’ 23 April 2009
With any listed keyword, use ‘Search & Save’ for a quick ‘drill down’ search and to save the results to a List
Read: Keywords tool help video number 6: Quick ‘Search & Save’
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Keywords tool help video number 7: Exporting your keywords 23 April 2009
Quickly export your keywords for use outside Wordtracker
Read: Keywords tool help video number 7: Exporting your keywords
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Keywords tool help video number 8: Managing Lists & Projects 23 April 2009
Save and organize your keyword research in Lists & Projects
Read: Keywords tool help video number 8: Managing Lists & Projects
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Keywords tool help video number 9: Planning your SEO campaigns 23 April 2009
Plan your SEO campaigns by organising your keyword research to match the structure of your website
Read: Keywords tool help video number 9: Planning your SEO campaigns
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Keywords tool help video number 10: Planning your Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns 23 April 2009
Plan your Google Adwords PPC campaigns by organizing your keyword research to match the structure of your Campaigns and Ad Groups.
Read: Keywords tool help video number 10: Planning your Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns
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Keywords tool help videos 21 April 2009
10 videos to help you get the most from Wordtracker's Keywords tool.
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Wordtracker 7-day video tutorials: Day 1 Search engine success starts with keywords 7 April 2009
Welcome to the first in our seven day series on getting the most out of Wordtracker's Keywords tool.
Once you've watched the tutorial, click here to sign up for a year's unlimited access to the Keywords tool
Did you know we offer a risk-free guarantee? At any time during the first 30 days you can ask for your money back and we'll happily refund you.
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Wordtracker 7-day video tutorials: Day 2 Assess your market with keyword research 6 April 2009
Welcome to the second video in our seven day series on getting the most out of Wordtracker's Keywords tool.
Once you've watched the tutorial, please click here to sign up for a year's unlimited access to the Keywords tool.
Did you know we offer a money-back guarantee? At any time during the first 30 days you can ask for your money back and we'll happily refund you.
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Wordtracker 7-day video tutorials: Day 3 How to build an effective keyword strategy 5 April 2009
Welcome to the third video in our seven day series on getting the most out of Wordtracker's Keywords tool.
Once you've watched the episode, click below to:
Sign up for a year of unlimited access to the Keywords tool
Did you know we offer a risk-free guarantee? At any time during the first 30 days you can ask for your money back and we'll happily refund you.
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Wordtracker 7-day video tutorials: Day 4 How to optimize your web content 4 April 2009
Welcome to the fourth video in our seven day series on getting the most out of Wordtracker's Keywords tool.
Click here to find out more about pricing for the Keywords tool
Did you know we offer a 30 day money-back guarantee? At any time during your first month's subscription you can ask for your money back and we'll happily refund you.
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Wordtracker 7-day video tutorials: Day 5 Pay per click (PPC) for testing and profit 3 April 2009
Welcome to the fifth video in our seven day series on getting the most out of Wordtracker's Keywords tool.
Click here to find out more about prices for the Keywords tool
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Wordtracker 7-day video tutorials: Day 6 How to use keywords in linking text 2 April 2009
Welcome to the sixth in our seven-day series on getting the most out of Wordtracker's Keywords tool.
Click here to get a year's unlimited access to the Keywords tool
Risk-free trial
If within 30 days you don't feel that you are receiving real value, we'll return every penny that you paid – no questions asked. That's how confident we are that the Keywords tool is the most powerful, effective, rank-boosting keyword research tool on the market today.
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Wordtracker 7-day video tutorials: Day 7 Expand into new markets and beat your competition 1 April 2009
Welcome to the seventh video in our series on getting the most out of Wordtracker's Keywords tool.
Once you've finished the series, you can get a year's unlimited access to the Keywords tool
A risk free offer
You have absolutely nothing to lose – just sign up and start your research!
If within 30 days you don't feel that you are receiving real value, we'll return every penny that you paid – no questions asked. That's how confident we are that the Keywords tool is the most powerful, effective, rank-boosting keyword research tool on the market today.
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The SEO pro's secret path by Mark Nunney, 18 November 2008
Your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) should focus on achieving success for the keywords that will deliver the most profit. That seems obvious but how do you find and prioritize those keywords? SEO pro Mark Nunney introduces the process so you can apply it to your own site.
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Why SEO for profit must target groups of keywords by Mark Nunney, 17 October 2008
You know targeting keywords is important, but targeting single keywords with your SEO is unlikely to be profitable – SEO for profit must target groups of keywords. Here we’ll tell you why and explain how.
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TrustyGuides.com uses Wordtracker as a market research department by Neil Davidson, 31 August 2007
In 2004, Christopher Cummings had a big idea for a new website. Then he realized that success depended on much more than a big idea. And it was something very new to him, the intelligent use of keyword research data.
Read: TrustyGuides.com uses Wordtracker as a market research department
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Keyword inspiration - Aaron Wall of SEOBook.com shares his secrets by Aaron Wall, 31 August 2007
Keyword research often starts with a seed list - a quick brainstorm of keywords that might be important. The better your keyword seed list, the greater your opportunity to generate a comprehensive keyword portfolio. Aaron Wall, author of SEOBook.com shares his secrets for generating a fantastic seed list every time.
Read: Keyword inspiration - Aaron Wall of SEOBook.com shares his secrets
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Pushing your keyword research beyond the norm by John Alexander, 22 July 2007
If your web pages are not focused on the right keyword phrases then you may find that other pages are much easier to find in the search results than yours.
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Keyword Basics Part 3: Choosing your best keywords by Ken McGaffin, 22 February 2007
You know how sometimes you make a list of say, three things and then by the time you get to the end of the list, you remember that there’s something you really must include and your list of three becomes a list of four? This is Part 3 of Ken McGaffin's Keyword Basics series
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Stop the slaughter of innocent copy! by Karon Thackston, 7 February 2007
Keyword density is one of the worst things to happen to search engine copywriting. Without any regard to flow or customer experience, website owners around the world began shoving keywords into their copy like wild men. Web copywriting training expert, Karon Thackston, explains the folly and how to avoid it.
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High quality writing and keyword research create The Definitive Caribbean by Neil Davidson, 29 January 2007
James Henderson, an award-winning writer and an expert on the Caribbean is also the author of the Cadogan Guide to the Caribbean and The Bahamas, now in its sixth edition. He was in the perfect position to create a content rich.
Read: High quality writing and keyword research create The Definitive Caribbean
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Keyword Basics Part 2: Discovering the keyword matrix by Ken McGaffin, 28 December 2006
This is the second in Ken McGaffin's Keyword Basics series and a simple method for expanding your lists of profitable keywords. The secret of writing great online copy is simple: use keywords - the words people use when they search - in your copy.
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Three good reasons to target long tail keywords! by Stephen Mahaney, 22 December 2006
Seasoned professionals in the arena of online marketing know it's clever to use keywords that target potential customers who are "late" in the buying cycle. So, how do you find out what these keywords are? ...and why are they so important?
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Keyword Research Guide 24 November 2006
We created a fictional company, Virginia Veg, and asked experts to provide real answers to the problems facing its CEO, Susan Webster. The result is an e-book packed with insight, tips, and techniques on keyword research that you can apply easily to your own website.
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Find the keywords and you’ll find the marketplace by Ken McGaffin, 24 November 2006
Email
From: Ken McGaffin, Linking Matters
To: Susan Webster, Virginia Veg
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Exploring beyond keywords into behavioral research by John Alexander, 22 November 2006
If you have ever studied search engine optimization, then you'll know that most educators place tremendous importance on performing good keyword research. But for many website owners, their source of traffic is an after-thought.
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An ingenious way to use Wordtracker… that’s actually easier too! by Robin Nobles, 25 October 2006
You'll find most of your 'revelations' or 'insights' by using the Comprehensive Search feature of Wordtracker. Try entering one part of a search phrase and let the tool figure out the best 'full use' of the phrase.
Read: An ingenious way to use Wordtracker… that’s actually easier too!
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Keyword quality and the Wordtracker database by Ken McGaffin, 6 October 2006
Search engines get bombarded with automated queries from ranking monitors, popularity analyzers, bid optimizers and other tools. This deluge of non-human activity distorts keyword counts, and if it is not identified and eliminated will leave you with very poor keywords.
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When keywords don't deliver by Nick Usborne, 25 November 2005
If you've been working with keyword optimization for a while, you know there are times when some great keywords drive tons of traffic to your site, but the resulting conversion rate is terrible.
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How to choose keywords before they skyrocket in popularity by John Alexander, 25 November 2005
Long before the days of researching phrases with the helpful online resources of today, keyword selection was often left to guesswork. However, guesswork is just not good enough in highly competitive standards.
Read: How to choose keywords before they skyrocket in popularity
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Why keywords matter by Ken McGaffin, 23 November 2005
Why do some sites get a lot of traffic and others zero, the following diagrams helps to show why this happens.
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The ultimate keyword primer by Stephen Mahaney, 27 October 2005
Every aspect of crafting a website-for-profit revolves delicately around carefully chosen and strategically placed keywords. Behind the scenes of every top-ranking sales page lies a company's systematic campaign to win dominance in an escalating battle over specifically targeted keywords. The stakes can be high. Billions of $$ have already been earned and billions more are in the queue waiting to be tapped.
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Keyword phrases in linking text by Ken McGaffin, 27 October 2005
Often simple things really matter. And the use of keywords in linking text is one of those simple things that turn out to be hugely important. Linking text, sometimes called anchor text, is the clickable text that takes people to another page or resource. You need to choose that text carefully.
