15 replies to this topic

[Full Tank Studios]

Hello everyone.

I am new to SEO....
How to I go about researching keywords for clients that I am building websites for?

Where do I go? What do I look for? And most importantly, how do I use the info effectively once it is found?

Thanks.

FTS

[qwerty]

You can start out by going to WordTracker. If you search on wordtracker here you're bound to find a lot of information on how to use it.

Another thing you can do is study the sites of companies in the same field as your client -- especially the ones that do better than your client in SE results. Look at what words they're stressing in page titles, heading tags, and general on-page text. Look at pages that link to them and the text used to anchor those links.

[DanThies]

1. There's a sticky message here on keyword research tools.

2. If you're a designer, you might want to consider outsourcing the keyword research to experts. I provide this service, and I'm sure I have some competition out there.

3. There are plenty of books out there on how to do optimization. PM me if you'd like a free copy of mine.

[powerofeyes]

Hello ,
Finding keywords more relevant to the site should be left to the clients to decide. First tell them to suggest keywords most relevant to their site. Then you go to the search engines and do a full analysis of all the keywords they give you. And also check the number of results. If you feel you can achieve those rankings by SEO then accept those keywords. If you are not convinced with your clients keywords. please go to the search engines and check for relevant keywords.
try different search 2 or 3 word combinations if you feel it is most searched by clients then optimize your site for those keywords.
Or you can use wordtracker and other softwares to get the best keywords.
Regarding how to go about your designing you have to go through some SEO sites and books for this,
for basic SEO knowledge please visit,
net mechanic
thanks,,
vijay

[Scottie]

Finding keywords more relevant to the site should be left to the clients to decide.

I believe that finding the right keyphrases is the MOST important part of what you do as an SEO- pick the wrong phrases and it doesn't matter if you are #1, you still won't get any traffic.

You and your client should agree on keyphrases working with known industry terminology and tools like Wordtracker to help you pick the ones most likely to bring traffic and business.

As Jill says, it should be pretty easy to get to #1 for "guinea pig SEO" but how many people are going to search for that term?

[Jill]

If you are not convinced with your clients keywords. please go to the search engines and check for relevant keywords.

How does the search engine help you find relevant keywords?

Jill

[powerofeyes]

Hello Jill,
Being an experienced SEO you should be knowing searchengines help in keywords suggestions.

How does the search engine help you find relevant keywords?

Ok for example a client wants to optimize for the word - real estate.(usually all clients are too ambitious and want more common words). But as a SEO we know targeting geographical locations will give them good relevant hits when they rank high in search engines. And so what I usually do ill ask there location and say they say san clemente and surroundings. ill go to google and type san clemente real estate. immediately I get results for san clemente real estate, san juan capistrano real estate, orange county real estate, aliso viejo real estate, laguna niguel real estate etc like this it clearly states the surroudings. ill give these words to clients and get it approved so simple :th umbup:
thanks,
vijay

[Cygnus]

How does the search engine help you find relevant keywords?

Jill

I like using Overture's keyword tool when researching possible keywords; not all are accurate, but it's a helpful tool.



Cygnus

[seo guy]

Generally I do an initial Keyword consultation and ask a client for all keyword they can think of in a brainstorming session, then I do lateral research with suggestion databases like wordtracker as well as pull the stats from oveture wordtracker etc for the keywords that the client chose and then come back to the client with the results (whether good or bad) plus my own suggestions for KW's, remember that educating the client is much easier that arguing with them and that way you can establish realistic targeted goals in a synergic effort

[Scottie]

Welcome SEO Guy!

[daniel]

As Jill says, it should be pretty easy to get to #1 for "guinea pig SEO" but how many people are going to search for that term? 

Well I just did!!

...and you're not wrong. Should be easy to get your site at the No.1 spot for that term.

It could be considered as a very selective niche market to someone.....

[daniel]

Funnily enough, this forum is on the first page of results for guinea pig seo on Google.....

[Jill]

LOL...and it's not even from this thread. That's too funny.

I'm surprised it wasn't my newsletter article where I think I talked about guinea pig seo.

You see, my daughter's guinea pig, Chip, is now doing SEO for keyword phrases that no one searches upon. Just like 75% of the other SEOs out there.

They're all guinea pig seos!

Jill

[daniel]

Jill, I think you've managed to coin a new SEO phrase.

I was warning someone the other day about using SEO companies who could guarantee top rankings. Like you say, unless anyone's searching for a phrase - it's worthless, even if you appear at the top.

What I should have said to her is to watch out for Guinea Pig SEO.

(Jill, you don't have any guinea pig smilies...)

[nimlet]

I use wordtracker and the UK overture search suggestion tool, they are both really helpful. I also used the results from a google adwords campaign as well for an existing site which needed some work doing to it. The adwords campaign was good because it gives you exact figures but the other two are good if you are not doing a pay per click campaign.