How to choose Keywords

[jclubb]

Am starting a company and in the process of developing the website. I would like to get a head start on content and want to know the best way to choose keywords and tips on how to write optimized content.

[mosaicpro]

I usually guide my clients based on this.  Check  Perfect Keyword Targeting & On-Page Optimization

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/perfecting-keyword-targeting-on-page-optimization

[RyanKent]

Hi Jeremy.

Your keyword selection will be directly related to how much quality content you have to offer on a given topic. If you were to write about "golf clubs" then you can write a single page on the topic and that page could be the only one mentioning golf clubs on your site. Alternatively, you can have an entire site dedicated to golf clubs with hundreds of pages discussing "golf clubs", "wooden golf clubs", "iron golf clubs", "putters", "professional golf clubs", "women's golf clubs", etc.

To get a general idea for getting started, I would recommend taking a look at Wikipedia. They do several things exceptionally well:

• Their URL contains the phrase the page being targeted such as: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_club_%28equipment%29

• The page has an H1 tag with the key word title in it. Their H1 tag is located at the top of the page.

• The content itself begins by talking about the keyword. Notice the articles first words "A golf club is used..."

• Notice if you right-click on the image and choose SaveAs, the image name contains "golf clubs" in it.

There are many articles and even books about how to write content. The above tips are just a few important ideas to get you moving in the right direction. I would also recommend reading the Beginner's Guide to SEO. It is a relatively short, outstanding guide which can help answer some questions.

[jclubb]

Thanks Ryan that's very helpful.  Any advise or procedure on choosing which keywords would be best to use?

[RyanKent]

That would depend entirely on your goals, your content and a few other factors.

Can you offer some idea of your subject? Perhaps a topic you are considering writing an article about? Is the purpose of your site to sell products or services? Membership? Or are you a non-profit site offering general information?

I would prefer to offer some helpful advice rather then information which will probably be too generic for you to find useful.

[jclubb]

Sure. We are a travel agency and will concentrate on selling amazon river cruises with this particular website.  I am thinking to build a list of 10-15 (or however many necessary) keywords and see which are the easiest to get into position 1 with - over some time of course.

[RyanKent]

I would suggest using Google Adwords Keyword Tool.

Type in "amazon river cruise". Configure your audience (what countries you are targeting, languages, etc) and then see what the difficulty and popularity is for your keyword. You will also learn about other keywords that may be related such as "rainforest cruise" or "amazon tours".

If you are really trying to rank well and there is competition, I would recommend targeting only one keyword per page. If the competition isn't strong you can target two keywords per page.

When you write the content, use the guide ennovation offered as it is fantastic. The key is not to write random 500 word articles on a given topic. They internet is full of those articles already. Go through and read the content from the 1 - 10 ranked pages, then write something better then anyone else. Write the best article that has ever been written on the topic. Then you will earn links and improve your rankings even more.

[makeusawebsite]

Keyword research is the most important part of any SEO campaign, as it represents your foundation.  All subsequnt work is going to be based on your initial keyword research.  Get it wrong, and you may found yourself spending many wasted hours on keywords which are simply not worth it.

If you are new to SEO, my advice would be to get some help with your keyword research, or at least get a second opinion.

The Google keyword tool is going to be one of the most important long-term tools you will use, and it will help you to effectively choose and find keywords. However, you must consider how strong the competition is for any keyword to give yourself the best chance.

Best of luck.