| These days most professional search engine | | | | Instead of researching the exact product you want |
| marketers all have access to the most common | | | | to explore in a phrase (for example "candlestick |
| research tools. | | | | holders,") try using a single word like "holder" to |
| But before we get started, have you ever | | | | determine exactly what type of "holders" are in |
| wondered why some people experience limitations | | | | highest demand with lowest competition. You may |
| initially in performing effective keyword research? | | | | discover many other products with much better |
| What are the most common elements can that block | | | | windows of opportunity. |
| some people from doing fast and effective keyword | | | | Examples using a root word of "holder"....(my research |
| research? Why can't some people find the best | | | | time here was 90 seconds - each phrase under 10 |
| results as quickly as others? Let me help throw a | | | | competing) |
| little light on these subjects. | | | | "motorcycle wheel holders" KEI 676.0 Competing |
| A few years ago, I wrote an e-book called, | | | | pages on Google 1 |
| Wordtracker Magic and I've spent time helping teach | | | | "southwest pot holders" KEI 768.0 Competing pages |
| students about how to quickly tap into the best | | | | on Google 3 |
| keyword phrase trends and niches very quickly. Let's | | | | "hanging vine holder" KEI 924.5 Competing pages on |
| start by outlining a couple of the more common | | | | Google 2 |
| errors some people can make initially, when first using | | | | " folbe fishing rod holder" KEI 1156.0 Competing pages |
| Wordtracker. | | | | on Google 9 |
| For a while, I actually had the privilege of working | | | | " .30 Remington shell holder" KEI 1444.0 Competing |
| with Wordtracker support and answering peoples | | | | pages on Google 1 |
| keyword related questions on a regular basis, a few | | | | 3. Try working with descriptive verbs. Instead of |
| years ago. That was a great learning experience. | | | | researching a specific product using comprehensive |
| What I learned was that often, people were | | | | search, try researching descriptive verbs like "new" or |
| sometimes not finding the best niche phrases | | | | "old" or "rare" or "limited" or "reconditioned" or |
| available, simply because many people naturally | | | | "polished" or "bronzed" or whatever...? Try using any |
| tended to want to "guess" at keywords, rather than | | | | type of descriptive terms to explore all kinds of |
| fully explore the existing fresh data. | | | | interesting data. |
| Some people say and use the word "research," but | | | | 4. Did you know there are differences between the |
| then tend to want to rely on their own "logic" or | | | | written word and spoken dialogue? |
| recent real world experience to examine specific | | | | Instead of researching common descriptive terms, |
| phrases. In short, whether we admit it or not, there | | | | try exploring natural sounding "dialog." Try to |
| is a tendency for some of us to "guess at the | | | | remember to explore "words" based on dialog, not |
| keywords" that we *think* that make the most | | | | just on written copy. Your customers often will say |
| sense, but at the same time we miss a wealth of | | | | things to you in their dialog that give you a great |
| information in the process of having such a narrow | | | | starting place to explore data. |
| focus. | | | | 5. Don't forget to research and explore the world of |
| First tip: Stop guessing at what keyword phrases | | | | color. What happens if you enter a single term |
| people "might" be entering into the search box. | | | | representing a color like "red," or "aqua" or green or |
| One of the biggest blocks to the process of | | | | any color? |
| exploring the fullness of Wordtracker's available data, | | | | 6. Explore any type of data at all in terms of a root |
| is simply that most people naturally tend to guess at | | | | word. |
| keywords, rather than explore all of the data. Many | | | | Don't forget to explore everything and anything that |
| Wordtracker users start out with the idea of trying | | | | comes to mind. From a topic you notice on the news |
| to dictate to the tool, which keywords that they | | | | to something that may not even be a word at all. |
| ..THINK.. are most relevant. But the truth is every | | | | What happens if you try to explore a number or a |
| time we guess at the terms that make the most | | | | price like $9.95 instead of a word? |
| sense, we are not really letting Wordtracker reveal | | | | 7. Instead of just thinking of your research as |
| its best information. | | | | "keywords" try thinking in terms of your audience's |
| Think about the process more in this way....The more | | | | "topics of interest." |
| you "think like everyone else thinks" (usually drawing | | | | 8. Instead of researching keyword phrases try |
| keywords that are already lodged into your mind | | | | watching for "behavioral trends" or keywords that |
| based upon your experiences)....then the more you | | | | "tell a story." |
| will be thinking like the rest of your competition. The | | | | Examples of keywords that are telling: |
| more our eyes and our thinking and our ability to | | | | "miniature doll instructions" KEI 961.0 |
| observe is attracted towards keywords that "make | | | | "golf swing instruction dvds" KEI 1741.0 |
| the most sense" to our brains the more we tend to | | | | "how to build secret compartments" KEI 280.3 |
| discover exactly the same keywords as the rest of | | | | "building a basement in your home" KEI 512.0 |
| the world are discovering. So we can get | | | | "easy build shed kit" KEI 520.0 |
| disappointed real quick and have the feeling that | | | | "How to Build an Icehouse" KEI 661.0 |
| there just are no real "niche phrases" available | | | | "build a reptile rack" KEI 676.0 |
| anymore. In this mindset, we only find limited results | | | | "how to build military bunkers out of sand bags" KEI |
| based on logical guess work. | | | | 729.0 |
| What this usually means, is huge numbers of | | | | "how to build custom furniture" KEI 1444.0 |
| competing pages all trying to rank for deadly dull, | | | | 9. Consider any type of tools that you might |
| obvious phrases. | | | | research using terms like "calculator" or "maps" or |
| Of course you can build your skills so you can | | | | "directions." |
| compete with highly competitive phrases and you can | | | | 10. Consider exploring topics related to specific |
| win the game too, but that's not the point. A much | | | | seasons, which may be appropriate for your Web |
| wiser approach is to learn how to "think differently" | | | | audience. |
| in order to allow yourself the ability to explore the | | | | 11. Consider exploring common acronyms (related to |
| data that 99% of your competition never will see or | | | | your industry) to open up more "unexplored data." |
| find. | | | | 12. Try to discover and satisfy the searcher by |
| Why not tap into important keyword phrases that | | | | delivering up highly valuable content that meets their |
| are legitimate (with fair to high usage but that have | | | | needs first. Make your objectives come second and |
| MUCH lower competition because most competitors | | | | give the searcher what they are looking for first |
| never even find it or often they never even see it? | | | | based upon your research. |
| The focus of genuine keyword research is not to | | | | 13. What if you are feeling stumped...about keyword |
| guess at keywords, but to learn how to quickly | | | | research? Try a reverse approach. If you feel |
| explore the best data, OTHER than the common | | | | challenged because the keyword you're researching |
| logical keywords that are already lodged into our | | | | seems to have no potential, try and explore your |
| minds. | | | | audience's "searching behaviour" first to see what |
| Second Tip: Stop relying on allowing your "logic" and | | | | else they want or need based on the conditions, then |
| your "experience" to dictate how you will explore | | | | create the exact high quality content that they're |
| data. | | | | looking for. |
| This is easy to say but in the beginning it takes a | | | | Examples: Instead of common terms like "Web |
| little practice to do. | | | | design" try to chunk it down to the services or |
| Sometimes when you research single keywords using | | | | special aspects you offer as a designer. You might |
| Wordtracker's powerful comprehensive search | | | | try root words like "database" or "content" or other |
| functionality, you will discover multiple instances of | | | | aspects that you offer in your services. |
| how a specific word is being used within a phrase, | | | | 14. Develop your lateral thinking skills to press beyond |
| but without any guess work at all. Try working with | | | | a keyword hunt mindsest. While most people are |
| a single, action related "root word." | | | | thinking about what keywords to use, try to expand |
| Now listen carefully. It does not have to be a word | | | | your scope to focus on discovering the fullest |
| that your logical thinking dictates. For example, what | | | | possible picture of what your customer REALLY |
| happens if you research a term in its most generic | | | | wants, what they really are doing, by simply studying |
| form and let Wordtracker piece together exactly | | | | their searching behavior on the major search engines. |
| how that word is being used. This is one of the rare | | | | 15. Don't forget to explore the most common, |
| times when using human brilliance or natural logic can | | | | everyday type single terms that most people will |
| actually prevent you from seeing the most powerful | | | | assume have no potential. |
| truths in your process of research. By avoiding "logic" | | | | Example: From exploring a boring sounding word like |
| you will explore more legitimate working data than | | | | "word"....in 90 seconds I found: |
| 99% of most other Webmasters ever do. | | | | "free wedding program word template" - KEI 289.1 - |
| Let's give you a few creative examples to get you | | | | 1 competing page in Google |
| started.. | | | | "Words to a Spanish Song" - KEI 462.3 - 4 competing |
| 1. If you are a real estate agent, instead of using an | | | | words in Google |
| obvious logical phrase like "real estate" (with 323 | | | | "What Does the Word Hinder Mean" - KEI 841.0 - 4 |
| million competing pages on Google) or using a | | | | competing pages in Google |
| keyword acronym such as MLS (over 40 million | | | | "WORD TRIVIA QUIZZES" - KEI 5712.0 - 10 |
| competing pages on Google.) | | | | competing pages in Google |
| Let's try a researching a single "root word" term like | | | | "Words That End with Letter Q" - KEI 53,730.0 -10 |
| "listing" just all by itself.....leaving Wordtracker to do | | | | competing pages in Google |
| the hard part. | | | | Is there any greater discovery than having an |
| Here are a few examples which I grabbed in under 3 | | | | understanding of a target audience's "search |
| minutes of Wordtracker research: | | | | behavior"? |
| (each example here with under 1000 competing | | | | Best described, if you are researching your data well, |
| pages) | | | | it's like a light coming on in your mind. It's like flipping |
| At the time of writing this article..... | | | | a switch on to an huge "idea generator!" Truly it is |
| "house listings parry sound" - Currently only has 90 | | | | like looking through a porthole on the world's |
| competing pages for this exact phrase. | | | | searching behavior. |
| "Wyoming MN home listings" - Currently only has 197 | | | | Wordtracker will give you absolutely AMAZING detail |
| competing pages for this exact phrase. | | | | if you take time to think about it laterally and outside |
| "michigan real estate listing" - Currently only has 197 | | | | of the context of just a "keyword hunt." Don't let |
| competing pages for this exact phrase. | | | | the natural tendency to "guess at keywords" stop |
| "Wisconsin Home listings" - Currently only has 697 | | | | you from exploring all of the hidden evidence that |
| competing pages for this exact phrase. | | | | just needs a little practice to uncover. I never get |
| "Central Virginia land listings" - Currently only has 95 | | | | tired of exploring behaviorally related trends that are |
| competing pages for this exact phrase. | | | | easy to gather like "low hanging fruit. |
| 2. If you are an affiliate marketer. | | | | |