The Power of Words
Words can have a tremendous amount of power. They can spark political scandals, inspire nations, and change the course of people’s lives. Words on the internet can have a tremendous amount of power too; unfortunately many people just aren’t sure how to use them in the most efficacious way. People look to keywords as the magical ticket to driving more traffic to their websites…if only they could be sure which words are really “key.” People attempt to use cast wide nets, so to speak, using as vague a term as possible in the hopes that it will land in more favorable ranking spot on search engine results. They pepper their websites with phrases and terms and links, as if it were some sort of code that grants them success in their businesses. Now, it’s true that words are powerful things, but (as with many things in life) words alone do not possess any magical properties that will make your website king of the internet.
We would be amiss if we didn’t discuss the concept of keywords in our discussion of SEO and SEM. After all, there is a large part of search engine marketing that is structured around using keywords. The use of keywords is an important part of achieving search engine rankings, of assuring your potential clients that your website is the one that they have been hunting for, and for encouraging other sites to link to yours. But people often make the mistake of assuming that the more general the phrase, the better it is for their business. SEO experts explain that trying to land a top ranking in search engine results with generic phrases is difficult, costly, and often ineffective. If we stop and think about it, that really does make perfect sense. After all, the things that we are looking for in our own online searches are often very specific. Let’s revisit our puppy example from a couple of weeks ago: Customer A is looking for a Cocker Spaniel puppy from a breeder in Grand Rapids, Michigan. At the end of the day, that’s really what s/he wants, not a German Sheppard puppy, not a puppy in Alaska. So, if you are a puppy breeder you may feel the pressure to be the top result in with the keywords “puppies for sale.” But with keywords that generic, it is still unlikely that Customer A will find you or, just as frustrating, the customer seeking German Sheppard puppies in Alaska will find your site which is selling the Cocker Spaniels. Neither one does you any good at all. So, focus your targeted keywords with more specific and descriptive phrases so that customers who really want what you are selling are able to find you. There does need to be a sort of balance when it comes to keywords, it’s true. If you get too specific, you’ll find that you have narrowed the market rather than expanding it. But in all the clutter of the internet, make sure that your keywords are precise so that they are directing the right kind of traffic to your website.
Don’t feel that you have to put all your eggs in one basket either, when it comes to keywords. Remember, there are no magic properties when it comes to keywords and searches. There are actually multiple searches that would apply to your website and your business. It is advantageous to work towards healthy rankings in a variety of searches that really focus on quality leads. Be sure to give your website extra weight as well by insuring that your content meets the customer’s expectations. Keywords are all well and good for search engines, but if you have only superficially sprinkled them in your website or made it difficult for the customer to find the information once they have landed on your page, you are going to lose business. Make your words powerful by giving them meaning within your website as well. At the end of the day, it is content that will really optimize the internet as a sales and marketing tool for your business.
