28 replies to this topic

[webstream]

Everyone talks about adding keywords, I want to talk about eliminating keywords. What I mean is I sell "widgets" online, but I don't want people who have already purchased the Widget to come to my site for installation help, or products claims bought else where.

Imagine walking into a store and asking the owner how to install the kitchen cabinets you just bought from his competitor! They have already purchased so "Good bye!"

When I use keywords like "widget" and "buy widgets", etc... I may still do really well in placement with the SEs for "installing widgets". Is there a way to discourage SEs for including your site with specific keywords, like "installing"? Is there a way in the meta tags to inform SEs not to include this site based on specific keywords?

Webstream

[Farhan]

Very interesting

Have you already excluded the word "installing widgets" from your Title Tag, Body Text, and other meta data?

If not possible to exclude completely from the body text, you can consider using a less popular synonym of the word.

[Jill]

There's no way that I know of to do that sort of thing. All you can do is try not to use those types of words (like installing) on your pages, and hope for the best.

Also, if your Titles and Descriptions are clear, people will hopefully not bother to click on them in the SERPs as they will see you're not about installation.

That said, who cares if they do come to your site for something you don't do? The great thing about regular SEO traffic is you're not paying per click, so it's not that big of a deal to get untargeted traffic along with your targeted traffic, imo.

Jill

[Scottie]

If your site is helpful to them, maybe they will buy their next widget from you, no?

[Farhan]

Or they may recommend someone to buy from your site. You can even ask them for this favor when you provide free advice/consultation on installing.

[Think Web]

Also, if your Titles and Descriptions are clear, people will hopefully not bother to click on them in the SERPs as they will see you're not about installation.

You're right about keeping the Titles and Descriptions clear so that people steer away from clicking your site when it's an obvious mis-match.

Unfortunately, some people have trigger fingers and still click through to obvious wrong sites.

That said, who cares if they do come to your site for something you don't do? The great thing about regular SEO traffic is you're not paying per click, so it's not that big of a deal to get untargeted traffic along with your targeted traffic, imo.

I agree...sort of.
Sometimes these people fill out forms and send emails requesting information that is totally irrelevant to the website and company. Someone has to respond to those requests.

We all want clean and accurate SERP's don't we? :halo:


Along these lines...Remember the post I made about Negative Meta-Keywords?
Negative Meta-Keywords

I mentioned this idea to Daniel at the Google Dance this summer. He said it was a good idea and that he'd take the idea in-house.

We'll see where it goes.

[webstream]

Sometimes these people fill out forms and send emails requesting information that is totally irrelevant to the website and company. Someone has to respond to those requests.

Yes, so often people don't read everything, or don't care on the internet and go there anyway. But they would not do that to a brick-n-mortar store.

Or they may recommend someone to buy from your site. You can even ask them for this favor when you provide free advice/consultation on installing.

Not all products have a lot of repeat business. Maybe the majority of people only buy a widget once in 7-10 years. How much time are you willing to give up for people who purchased somewhere else and you are hoping they might refer you?

Even though you eliminate those keywords (like "installing" or "installation") you may still be high in popularity based on similar key phrases, such as: "Brandx Widgets". You may not use "Brandx Widgets Installation", but "Brandx Widgets" gets you in the top searches, soooo click! It's even worse if this gets you the wrong people in paid keyword click-through.

I take it there is nothing you can put in a meta tag?

Thanks!

Webstream

<fixed quotes>

Edited by scottiecl, 09 September 2003 - 12:57 PM.

[Think Web]

I take it there is nothing you can put in a meta tag?

Not yet. If Google likes my idea, it may happen down the road.

[webstream]

SEs allow users to filter their searches (+/-) and they allow web sites to say which pages not to index. It just seems logical to allow keywords to be eliminated if the web site owner so chooses.

When I work with smaller businesses many will say I am only interested in people from my local market.

I have a large retail chain coming soon who wants to promote only consumers within his metropolitan area. He doesn't want to chase shoppers on the other side of the country. His products are nationally recognized yet his target audience is much smaller.

Webstream

[dzinerbear]

Might I suggest this:

Would it be a lot of work to include a page on your site giving people information about installing these widgets?

If it's not a big hoo-haw to do then it'll achieve a number of things:

(1) people will be grateful they got the information they needed, they might tell other people looking for widgets that you're a great source,

(2) it might cut down on the number of e-mails you get and have to answer,

(3) it'll be more information about widgets that might help boost your widget ranking,

(4) and people will think you're great, "Wow, I didn't even buy from him and he still helped me, what a great guy.

I know you don't want the traffic, and such a page might just get you more traffic, but the buzz off we don't want to help you because you didn't buy from us isn't a very nice attitude and it doesn't rack up good karma.

Good luck
Dzinerbear

[webstream]

I know you don't want the traffic, and such a page might just get you more traffic, but the buzz off we don't want to help you because you didn't buy from us isn't a very nice attitude and it doesn't rack up good karma.

Not replying at all to lots of email inquiries is that good karma? How many brick-n-mortar stores have "part" of their store dedicated to giving things away for free to people who are not in the market to buy their products? But it will help get "bodies" in the store, right? (We could argue this forever.)

I actually recommend, encourage and build private portals for clients where those who buy can login and get 24/7 support! Videos, FAQs, full instructions, etc... Now the private install section becomes another sales hook for helping close sales! My real issue becomes keywords to target potential buyers, not those who already purchased. Even though there is a section dedicated to installing my clients don't want consumers looking for free installing advice.

I think the thoughts are all great, but I am really trying to keep this focused on eliminating unwanted keywords, which appears there is no way to actually do the with the SEs directly.

Thanks everyone!

Webstream

[webstream]

One last thought.... if you had a keyword you did not want a SE to spider could you substitute hexidecimal values for the ASCII characters? The browsers will automatically convert to ASCII.

Example: & #102;& #108;& #111;& #111;& #114;& #115;

Webstream

Edited by webstream, 10 September 2003 - 09:28 PM.

[Lorelle]

You could hide text by putting it in an image...

[Scottie]

Welcome Lorelle!

Nice to see you here!

[webstream]

You could hide text by putting it in an image...

Good thought, but what if the text string is within text paragraphs pulled from a database?

Webstream