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The Keyword Tools Trap - Keyword Selection is an Art, 
Not a Science, By Scottie Claiborne


When it comes to keyword selection, clients always want to 
optimize for the most searched terms (according to keyword 
research tools) and those alone. It takes some convincing to 
get them to go after lower search volume, but more relevant 
phrases. It's become a regular part of the cycle with my 
clients, especially those who are learning about SEO and the 
process of optimizing a site.

Real Searches vs. the Numbers Game

Last week, a client wanted to know why I had suggested several 
phrases to them that showed zero searches in Wordtracker. The 
reason? Those phrases were showing REAL referrals in their logs 
for several variations. People were actually using those phrases 
to search, and although they found my client's site, it wasn't 
doing a good job of focusing on these relevant searched-for 
terms.

The Keyword Research Process

I usually have the client provide me with the typical words they 
think someone might be using to find the product, service or 
information that they offer. We look at what competitors are 
optimizing for and then I look at their log files. When possible, 
I talk to the client's salespeople and a few customers about the 
words that describe the products or services.

Then I may play with AltaVista (http://www.altavista.com) to see 
what phrases it thinks are related (you see a list of related 
searches to the right of the search results in AV). Then I'll 
hit Wordtracker (http://www.highrankings.com/wordtracker) and 
the Overture suggestion tool 
(http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/) to
get an idea of how people are searching in that industry.

Other keyword research tools that may be helpful are:

* Search Term Research by PrioritySubmit
(http://www.prioritysubmit.com/research.html)

* Keyword Research Tool by Webmaster Toolkit
(http://www.webmaster-toolkit.com/keyword-research-tool.shtml)

* Keyword Suggestion Tool by Digital Point Solutions
(http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/suggestion/)

* Google AdWords Keyword Tool by Google
(http://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordSandbox)

* Keyword Suggestions for Google by SEO Chat
(http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/keyword-suggestions-google)

* Keyword Generator by Espotting Media
(http://www.espotting.com/popups/keywordgenbox.asp)

(Thanks to "BobMutch" for the list of keyword research tools -- see
more great info on his Free Seo Tools page
(http://www.seocompany.ca/tool/free-seo-tools.html).

These tools are a great help in suggesting possible phrases that 
you may want to optimize for, but they are limited. They aren't 
inclusive of all searches, and they can't foretell the future. 
Just because people searched on a term last week doesn't mean 
they'll search for it next week.

Many people today simply run through Wordtracker, grab the 
results that have a high KEI, and set about optimizing for those 
phrases. Some of the problems with this tactic are:

* They believe that general phrases are relevant because they 
show a high number of searches. However, general phrases often 
bring traffic -- but no sales. Specific phrases bring traffic 
that converts.

* Wordtracker's KEI function doesn't tell you much. It doesn't 
really show how many other pages are competing for your phrases, 
and it doesn't matter anyway. You are only concerned with the 
top 10 results!

* Many keyword phrases are seasonal -- seeing what people 
searched for last month doesn't always tell you what they will 
search for next month.

Common-sense Keyword Selection

What many people miss is the common-sense aspect of search: what 
words will people who want to find your goods or services use to 
search for it? Besides consulting keyword research tools, your 
client, their salespeople, and their customers, here are 3 
additional ways of finding out what people are typing in at the 
search engines to find what you offer:

1) Trade organizations or industry news sites
2) Usability testing/surveys
3) Log files

A note about log files -- they can be deceiving. If you have a
high-traffic phrase that is garnering lots of referrals, and you 
have a high exit rate from the page that is receiving those 
referrals, it's likely people aren't finding what they wanted. 
On the other hand, log files are a treasure trove of information. 
You can find some great search terms that are not very 
competitive and maximize them on your site.

Competitive phrases may not be as competitive as you think 
(check the top 10 search results to see) and the highly 
searched-upon phrases may not be as lucrative as you would hope. 
People often refine their search 2-3 times before getting the 
results they expect.

When it comes to keyword research, the bottom line is that it 
pays to know the industry. Use all the great tools available to 
help you come up with variations and alternate terms to target, 
but use common sense when targeting terms. Go for the ones that 
are going to convert!

This article originally appeared in the High Rankings newsletter. 
(http://www.highrankings.com)

================================================================
Scottie Claiborne is the owner of Right Click Web Services, 
(http://www.rightclickwebs.com/) a firm specializing in usability, 
search engine optimization, and internet marketing. Copyright 
(c) 2003 by Right Click Web Services. All rights reserved under 
U.S. and international law. 
================================================================

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