Solving the Keyword Mystery: Clue In on How Customers Search for Your Business

1

@StoneyDStoney G deGeyter

SOLVING THE

KEYWORD

MYSTERY

CLUE IN ON HOW CUSTOMERS

SEARCH FOR YOUR BUSINESS

2


WHY KEYWORDS HAVE VALUE

SOLVING THE KEYWORD MYSTERY @PolePositionMkg #PPMedu

Source: Trellian

How we search with keywordsDecember 2013

1 word

2 words

3 words


http://www.keyworddiscovery.com/keyword-stats.html


Keywords are the foundation for all marketing



Shopping

Price Trust Policies Shipping

EducationHow to Ways to Ideas for News

aboutRecent events

QuestionsWho What How When Where Why

Every keyword search starts with a desire



SEARCHES start with a desire

SEARCH RESULTS provide answers

SEARCHER gains

knowledge

SEARCHER Learns and Searches

Again

Until GOALS

achieved

Cycle of search activityWHY KEYWORDS HAVE VALUE


Keywords help you know your audience

Searcher Interest NeedBusiness

Students

Hobbyists

Education

Information

Ideas

Strategy

Direction

Community

Every SEARCHER has an INTEREST in a specific NEED



StyleTechnical How To News Promotional

FormatBlogs Case Studies White

Papers Downloads

LanguageProducts Services Features Benefits

Keywords help you target your audience



Single-word

Multi-word

Phrase variations

LocalizedConvert-ability

Search volume

Info queries

•High volume, low targeted traffic•Low ROI

Single-word

Multi-word

Phrase variations


Search volume

Info queries

Single-word

Multi-word

Phrase variations


Search volume

Info queries

• Lower search volume, Higher targeting

Single-word

Multi-word

Phrase variations


Search volume

Info queries

•Plurals, singulars and stems•Changed word order

Single-word

Multi-word

Phrase variations


Search volume

Info queries

• Geo-targeting improves conversions• Add geo-qualifiers as necessary

Single-word

Multi-word

Phrase variations


Search volume

Info queries

• Analyze for convertability• Eliminate phrases that don’t convert

Single-word

Multi-word

Phrase variations


Search volume

Info queries

• Actively searched phrases• Start with lower-hanging fruit

Single-word

Multi-word

Phrase variations


Search volume

Info queries

• Answers “about” type questions• Target as secondary

Not all keywords are the sameWHY KEYWORDS HAVE VALUE

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STEP 1: CORE TERM RESEARCH


Download these spreadsheetsSTEP 1: CORE TERM RESEARCH

http://ppmkg.com/corewordshttp://ppmkg.com/keywordphrases


snowmobilesnowmobile helmetsdiscount snowmobile bootssnowmobile accessorieswinter clothessnow equipmentFXRmen’s snow gearsnowmobile clothingKLIM snowmobile clothingBell helmetsbest snowmobile helmets

What is a core term?STEP 1: CORE TERM RESEARCH

“A core term is a broad, 2-3 word phrase that accurately describes a product or service you offer.”

--Stoney deGeyter

------------------

Pick the Core Terms:

--------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------

Let’s begin


Why single words don’t work

Bean Lady Worms

Sandwich Sleeping Duffel

What do these words have in common?

Bag

Bag Bag of

Bag Bag Bag



Document as you goSTEP 1: CORE TERM RESEARCH


Analyze your contentSTEP 1: CORE TERM RESEARCH

URL Core Term

Targeted Page


Title tags

Meta keywords

Meta description

Text

Navigation

Learn from your competitionSTEP 1: CORE TERM RESEARCH


What can I find in thesauri, taxonomies and ontologies?

What is the average customer searching for?

What are my visitors trying to accomplish?

What terms are used in industry glossaries and reference materials?

What solutions do I provide?

What terminology describes problems I solve?

What related categories can I find in search directories?

What questions are my visitors asking?

Brainstorm for ideas

Are there any geographical phrases that are relevant?



Wordtracker

Google Adwords

Keyword Discovery

Use keyword research toolsSTEP 1: CORE TERM RESEARCH


Buy Blue Widgets

California Widgets

How to Use Widgets

Red Widget Review

Discount Widgets

Custom Widget Design

Find relevant pages for keywordsSTEP 1: CORE TERM RESEARCH

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STEP 2: SEARCH PHRASE RESEARCH


snowmobile helmetssnowmobile helmethjc snowmobile helmetsmodular snowmobile helmetsbest snowmobile helmetsnowmobile helmets for saleyouth snowmobile helmetssnowmobile helmet reviewsgmax snowmobile helmetspolaris snowmobile helmetskids snowmobile helmetsmodular snowmobile helmet

What is a search phrase?STEP 2: SEARCH PHRASE RESEARCH

“Any 2-6 word phrase that reflects your specific products or services.”

--Stoney deGeyter

Core term: snowmobile helmet


Head vs. long-tail targeting

}More volume

}More conversions


Head

Long Tail




In-Site Search

Search Sugges

t Competition

AdWordsMa

ke crap

up

Where to find search phrases

Keyword Tools



free

ukcheap

unrelated

untargeted

inaccurate

ridiculously long

changed context

bad grammar

search operators

nonsensical

Take out the garbageSTEP 2: SEARCH PHRASE RESEARCH


No search volume

Poor audience targeting

Low profit margin

Inability to meet

demand

Four crucial elimination factorsSTEP 2: SEARCH PHRASE RESEARCH


• Intent• Desire

Searcher

Look for ROI phrasesSTEP 2: SEARCH PHRASE RESEARCH


increases traffic & sales deceptively makes keywords look poor

More

Exposur

e Low Exp

osure

Performance mattersSTEP 2: SEARCH PHRASE RESEARCH


“cordless

telephone”

headset?

cordless “teleph

one headset

”

Don’t assume searcher’s intentSTEP 2: SEARCH PHRASE RESEARCH


How many are too many?

Evaluation

Elimination


31


STEP 3: ORGANIZE KEYWORDS INTO TARGETED GROUPS


Broad Topics

Immediate Concerns

Specific Desires

• 12v motorcycle battery charger• snowcross snowmobile helmet• retail credit card processing

• motorcycle batteries• snowmobile helmet• retail merchant

• motorcycle battery charger• snowmobile racing helmet• retail merchant processing

Three primary ways of searching



Researchers Shoppers Buyers

ResearchPurpose:

Deciding on Needs

ShopPurpose:

Comparing Aspects

BuyPurpose:

Looking at Specifics

InfoPurpose: Seeking

Knowledge

Pass visitors through these stages

Searcher shopping phases


Blog This


Categorize keywords by searcher intent

Research

Shop

BuyInfo



Research (main category

)Shop (sub

category)

Buy (produ

cts)

Info (blog)

Determine which pages work best

Core Term



The one-keyword-per-page myth



Cheap•discount•bargain

Organic•natural•raw

Present•gift•surpriseby

mea

ning

…by

rela

tion…

Basketball•baseball•football

Foxtrot•Waltz•Tango

Oscars•Grammys•Emmys

It’s all in the grouping



Travel bags

Wheeled travel bags

Wheeled leather travel bag

Overnight travel bag on wheels

Wheeled sports travel bag

Overnight travel bags

Leather overnight travel bag

Durable overnight travel bag

Heavy duty overnight travel bag

There are multiple ways to group keywords


Do what’s best for your site.

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STEP 4: PUTTING KEYWORDS INTO ACTION


Keyword tool numbers rarely measure up



Achievable

Quickest results

Most profitable

So many keywords, where to begin?STEP 4: PUTTING KEYWORDS INTO ACTION


What is it you really want?

TrafficSales



Answer questions

Provide expert advice

Review products

Expand on benefits

Write information

articles Add Content

The not-enough-pages mythSTEP 4: PUTTING KEYWORDS INTO ACTION


The paid search testSTEP 4: PUTTING KEYWORDS INTO ACTION


Poorly Target

ed

High Bounce Rates

Low Conversions

Sometimes you get it wrong

Get over it


Thank You! @StoneyDStoney G deGeyter

Marketing

Solving the Keyword Mystery: Clue In on How Customers Search for Your Business