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What Google Instant means for your SEO content strategy

September 9, 2010 • posted by Heather

You may have noticed that Google operates a little differently now (and if you haven’t noticed yet, you soon will.) Google Instant, the latest search enhancement on the block, shows results as you type a query into the search box. What makes this different than Google Suggest is that the search results change on the fly, adapting to what you type. It’s localized and personalized – but there are no algorithmic changes. That is, the tasty SERP filling is the same as before – it’s the wrapper that’s changed.

Google claims that the new feature will help people search faster and refine their queries more efficiently. (As interesting cultural commentary, Google mentions that the average time it took to type in a search query before Google Instant was nine seconds. Are we so busy that shaving 2-5 seconds off our search time is that big of a benefit?)

Let’s see what this means. My search term was “hockey gear.”

Immediately, you notice one thing – PPC ads are highlighted with the current layout. The suggestion drop down box pushes many of the SERP results below the fold, and emphasizes the PPC ads at the top. A huge chunk of above the fold organic screen real estate is gone (although the screen goes back to “normal” after you’ve finished typing and chosen your search term.) Although long-term terms are represented, users will see results from “head” terms first.

Of course, there are posts saying that Google Instant is the death of SEO (been there, heard that.) And some may feel that, by default, SEO copywriting is dead along with it. But it’s not – not by a long shot. At the same time, the new interface seems to make some “foundational” SEO steps even more important. Let’s talk about what that means…

  • Keyword research means checking out actual search results. One thing that Google Instant encourages us to do is expand our keyword universe as Google sees it. That means that keyphrase research is more than just using a tool and calling it good. It means checking out what Google suggests (taking into account personalization and localization) and going from there. BlueGlass has a great post about how use Google Suggest for keyphrase research.
  • Consider keyword modifiers. Popular head terms are always competitive. However, adding a modifier before the main keyphrase changes the game – and makes the search listing easier to get. For example, here’s a listing for “amsterdam hotels”:


As opposed to the search for “cheap amsterdam hotels”


  • Titles are more important than ever. Assuming people adjust to the ever-changing nature of Google Instant (and the jury is still out,) people will be quick-scanning the SERP. They’ll be looking for relevant results, yes – but they’ll also be looking for “what’s in it for me” statements.  If you review listings for the “cheap amsterdam hotels,” you’ll see that one listing promotes 80% off, and the other promotes rooms from 20 Euro per person. Boring, “keywords-separated-by-commas” Titles may not fly in Instant’s lightening-fast world.
  • If you haven’t optimized your content now, what are you waiting for? No, magical Google fairies will not take your so-so content and propel it to the top of the search engine charts. If you’ve waited to make your content search engine friendly, you probably won’t want to wait any longer – especially if your company relies on holiday sales.
  • The long-tail is dead. Long live the long tail. As I mentioned earlier, it seems that Google is pushing folks towards more profitable (for them) “head” terms. However, just because Google suggest something doesn’t mean that people will click on it. At the end of the day, people will still refine their search – and that refinement means long tail terms. Ian Lurie from Portent Interactive and blogger at Conversation Marketing has said, “Long-tail search is going to be more important, since folks can just keep typing until they see what they want.”  Yes, Google Instant’s on-the-fly results seem to add some extra “noise” to the refinement process – but we’ll see if people act on these suggestions, or tune them out like “banner blindness” (would it be “results blindness?”? or disable the feature.  Or heck, this could be the “enhancement” that drives folks over to Bing. We shall see.

What say you about Google Instant? How is it changing the way you approach your SEO content marketing?

For more information, read:

Search Engine Land’s Google Instant: The Complete Users Guide

FOX Business: Google’s Instant Search Could Boost Ad Prices

Search Engine Land’s: Will Google Instant Kill The Long Tail?

WebProNews: Does Google Instant Mark The End of SEO?

ReadWriteBiz: How Will Google Instant Affect Your Company’s SEO?

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Online SEO copywriting and content marketing training – sale until 9/15

September 8, 2010 • posted by Heather

Looking for a great deal on online SEO copywriting training? Until September 15, 2010, I’m offering 25% off the online SEO Copywriting Training. That brings the price down to less than $450 for the three-month training (from $599.)

The training is more than just reading a book or eguide. I hold group conference calls, share ideas, talk about the latest strategies and give you a chance to ask questions. You’re getting customized help without the customized price.

Just imagine how quickly you can make that money back if your content was optimized for search engines and conversions.

It’s a no brainer.  But you have to act now to get the discount.

Sign up for the online SEO copywriting training with coupon code: FC513 for your instant discount.

(Please feel free to forward this post to your colleagues and retweet the coupon code. This could be my last sale of the year, so I want folks to get the best deal!).

Thanks!

Filed under SEO Copywriting Certification,Tips and techniques

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Is SEO copywriting the right career for you?

• posted by Heather

Like this post? Well, I like you!  And I’d love it if you’d subscribe to the RSS feed and sign up for the weekly SEO Copywriting Buzz newsletter? OK? Thankyouverymuch.

There’s something about September that starts folks thinking about changing careers. Maybe it’s because we’re used to “back to school” time and the dawn of an unknown school year. Maybe it’s because we don’t have summer’s sunny distractions. Whatever the reason, I’ve receive five emails from folks considering SEO copywriting as a new career choice. And heck, if Yahoo can consider SEO content jobs like “bloggers” and “content managers” in their Hot Careers list, well, SEO copywriting has to be cool.

Why?  Because SEO has become nearly synonymous with web copywriting and content marketing.  If your clients are asking about search engine rankings, It is no longer enough to know direct response copywriting exclusively, no matter how fabulously well you may excel in the craft.  As the reality of search engine optimization has taken center stage in copywriting and content marketing campaigns, the demand for SEO copywriters has also grown.

Can you make money? Yes? Can you work from home and support your family with your SEO copywriting skills? Yup, I know many folks who do just that. I also know some very savvy SEO copywriters who choose the in-house life, helping lead their company’s SEO content campaigns. In short, you have a lot of options.

If you want to be a freelance SEO copywriter – or work as an in-house writer – here are some things to consider:

  • Know that good SEO content writing is more than just writing. It’s understanding what makes people think, act and buy.  Study the art of art of copywriting and learn how to write in a way that connects with a target audience and elicits an emotional response.  Not only will understanding the psychology behind what you’re writing help your writing be even better, but it also will help your client make more money.  The books Buyology by Martin Lindstrom and Influence: Science and Practice by Robert Cialdini, PH.D are excellent. I would also recommend reading  Jonathan Fields’ blog – good stuff, great writing.
  • Know your SEO. Go to conferences, read books, articles, and blogs…in short, learn everything you can about SEO.  SEO copywriting requires the writer to be familiar with SEO principles and best practices, to understand how the search engines work, and to know how to research key phrases and write top-converting titles.  No, you don’t have to be a super-tech. But you do need to know some foundational SEO stuff.  Conferences to consider are Search Engine Strategies, AWAI’s Web Writer Intensive and PubCon.*)
  • Understand that money will not magically drop from the heavens. I cringe when I see sites touting that you can make thousands of dollars a day as a SEO copywriter.  Can you make thousands? Yes. But not at the beginning. Start up is start up no matter what business you run. And if you’re planning to work in-house, the same rule applies – you’ll have to pay your dues before making the dough. That doesn’t mean that you can’t make a very good income. It just means that building a career takes time. For more information, check out these FAQs on becoming a SEO copywriter.
  • Work with experienced writers whenever you can. The best copywriters I know have worked with “master-level” copywriters and leveraged every training opportunity they could find. Why? Because learning how to write is more than reading a book and calling it good. It’s learning what we don’t know and honing our skills. It’s working with a writer one-on-one and having them gently say, “Um, there’s no benefit statement here.”  If you’re a freelance SEO copywriter, find a mentor (for instance, Pam Foster mentors copywriters.) If you work in-house, work with the best writer there (or if you’re the only writer, beg to work with a consultant.) You’ll value your mentor relationship throughout your career. Trust me.

If you’re considering SEO copywriting training as a way to launch (or refine) your skills, I will be offering a discount soon on the online SEO Copywriting Certificate training. Follow me on Twitter @heatherlloyd and you’ll be the first to hear about the discount as soon as it hits the virtual streets. Stay tuned!

*Speaking of PubCon, you can receive 20% off if you register  with coupon code rc-6066515. The super-special early bird rates end 9/10, so  register right now for the best price.

Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,In-house Content Marketing,SEO Copywriting Certification,Tips and techniques

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Keyphrase evolution: from seeds to ripe fruit, grow your list!

September 7, 2010 • posted by Laura

Hello!  Glad you’re here, because today’s how-to “SEO It” is both essential and creative! We’re gonna get into how to grow and refine our killer keyphrase seed list using fun, free tools!  The words for today’s lesson are specificity, seasonality, and trends.

Last week, we dipped our toes into the murky SEO waters and fished out our core, killer keyphrases, then organized and prioritized them into an Excel (or simple legal pad) list.  That accomplished, with some satisfaction (yes?) let’s look at how to grow and refine that list to round out our overall smart keyphrase strategy to optimize conversions!

Ready?  Open up that Initial Seed Research spreadsheet, in whatever form, where you should see your seed keyphrases, their respective search volumes, and the relative priority you assigned to each one, from 1 (highest priority) to 5 (lowest, yet important).

Now, we’re going to run those keyphrases through — yes — our search engine of choice one more time.   This time, we’re tuning into keyphrase specifity:  just because a keyphrase may be relevant to your business, it may not be the best one to use on your site.  For example, think of a payroll service where companies can outsource their accounts payable.  Although the keyphrase “accounts payable” applies to the company, the search results are not specifically focused around someone looking to outsource their accounts payable.

Refining the search with the term “accounts payable outsourcing,” the results are much more targeted and potent for this website:

At the bottom of the search engine results page, you should note additional keyphrase suggestions, under “Searches related to: your keyphrase.” If these additional search terms are applicable and specific to your site, then congratulations!  You’ve just found even more keyphrases!

Next, let’s run a few of our keyphrases through Twitter to get insights into our product/service’s market seasonality, trends and real-time buzz. (We reviewed this strategy in a previous post, but it’s well worth a revisit here.)

Recalling our “leather bracelets” example, from the keyphrase brainstorming post, let’s see what comes up when we run it through Twitter Search:

Going back to our original keyphrase list, the term “leather snap bracelets” may well not have been on it!   If it’s an up-and-coming trend that you hadn’t thought about, voila!  You’ve found a new keyphrase that you know people are talking about!

Finally, let’s take a deeper look into our keyphrases using Google insights.  This free (and yes, fun!) tool is another way we can anticipate keyphrase seasonality, focus our marketing message, and determine market trends.

For instance, let’s say that you run a clothing store.  Notice the trend difference between “men’s clothing” and “women’s clothing”:

There are more searches for “men’s clothing” during the holiday months, while traffic remains fairly flat the rest of the time.  So,  as a clothing retailer, you should make sure that your men’s clothing pages are written, uploaded, and optimized before the holiday months.

If you look to the right of the Google insights page, you will see “rising searches” – another source of additional, trending keyphrases that you’ll want to pay attention to for your ongoing, evolving keyphrase strategy!

So are you about done with all this research?  Does it seem to be taking forever? Take heart:  that means you’re doing it right!  The good news is that once the hard, grinding work is over, with the completion of your initial “seed” keyphrase list, you’ll be able to easily update and refine your list every few months or so by checking for new terms and deleting those non-performing ones.  Yay!

Next week, we’ll talk about how to fill in the other tabs of your Excel (or legal pad) keyphrase document, divide up your keyphrase list, and start creating your per-page SEO strategy!  From there, you’ll have everything in place to start writing.

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3 tips for DIY small business SEO content writing

September 2, 2010 • posted by Heather

It’s so great you’re here! Won’t you subscribe to the RSS feed and sign up for the weekly SEO Copywriting Buzz newsletter? It’ll only take a second – and you’ll never miss out on the latest SEO content news, tips and strategies. Thanks!

I’ve said it before – small businesses can write killer SEO content. When their passion for the written word is translated to the page (or, in this case, to the site,) the end result is entertaining, persuasive and powerful.  I’ve profiled two small businesses, Portland Adventure Bootcamp and Studio Blue Pilates who have both gone the DIY route and seen some spectacular results.

However, many site owners – even folks who are fairly SEO savvy – make some common copywriting 101 mistakes. Here are three most common ones:

  • Embrace your size – don’t hide it! Why is it that we’re all size queens when we’re talking about our company? Even if we’re a company of one, we say “we” when we talk to prospects (As in, “We’d be happy to discuss your marketing strategy,) count pets as “team members” and make ourselves sound as big as the big boys. People, small (business) is beautiful. Really. Small businesses provide many advantages that big firms just can’t offer: Flexibility, customization, customer service – sometimes even pricing. Making your company sound bigger than it is can actually lose sales – if people get a whiff that you’re not being completely honest with them, they’ll scoot to your competitor.
  • Let your passion shine through. There’s something about the writing process that makes people feel that they’re back in high school English class. The purpose of your site is to connect with your customers, and you can’t do that if you start your home page with, “Welcome to our website. You’re visitor number [insert counter here.]” To break through your block, sit down and think of what you’d tell a prospect during a phone conversation. Now, write that down. See the difference? One version is formula and personality-free, while the other version lets your passion shine through.
  • Tell people how you can help. It’s easy to think, “Well, I’m a Pilates studio, so the benefits are pretty self-explanatory.” Yes they are  – to you. Your prospects aren’t as familiar with your product or service. They don’t have the history. They aren’t thinking, “Pilates will help me sleep better and have more energy throughout the day.” In fact, your prospects are often thinking negative information like, “Last time I tried an exercise program, I didn’t lose an ounce. Can these guys help me, or is it more of the same B.S.?” Showcasing your benefits isn’t “bragging” or “talking about yourself.” It’s merely helping your prospects understand how your product or service meets their needs.

Why aren’t I mentioning keyphrase placement?  Of course DIY small business owners should go through the necessary keyphrase research and SEO content writing steps  – that’s just smart marketing. At the same time, focusing on these three foundational copywriting steps in addition to your keyphrase placement will help convert curious prospects into committed clients. It’s really that easy.

Have a SEO copywriting tip for small businesses? Tell us about it!

Filed under Small business,Tips and techniques

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SEO content marketing roundup, week ending September 1st

September 1, 2010 • posted by Laura

Hey, I’d love it if you subscribed to the SEO Copywriting RSS feed! Take a minute and subscribe right now – thanks!

Greetings and welcome to this week’s SEO copywriting and content marketing roundup!  The latest news and links tend to cluster around these topics: the multi-faceted and changing face of search engine ranking, outsourcing vs. in-house content marketing, off-site SEO, and yes, the SEO and content marketing fallout from Google’s recent activity at the patent office!

So, who would’ve thunk that it’d be a bad thing to be #1 on Google? Actually, this article’s (seemingly) iconoclastic take on the dangers of ranking No. 1 on Google offers an astute and reasoned view of SERP ranking as an unworthy measurement of SEO mojo:  iMedia Connection.

A thorough case study, Are all Results on Search Engines Equal? examines the relative performance of traditional search engine results versus those up-and-coming, potential threats to the (now two) behemoths, Google and Bing, with implications for SEO, SEM, and social media marketing.

Now how about the mobile SERP scenario?  This SEOmoz post explores the usability of mobile search engine results, in great detail, while raising the question:  will Google eventually combine both mobile and traditional SERP’s into one index?

Onto content marketing:  To in-house or outsource it?  Strong cases for outsourcing are presented by both Junta 42 (Joe Pulizzi) and “expert advice” via Hubspot.  (For one thing:  do you really have the time to do your own content marketing, and keep on it, as well?  Now, be honest….)

There was a positive plethora of pieces to do with offsite SEO (link-building), so a completely subjective sampling follows: Testing the Water with Link Bait, and How to use your Bounce Rate for Link-Building Purposes.

Finally, here are the links to the latest news and fallout analyses of Google’s newest patents for valuing links and ranking blogs, as well as its move towards filtering blog searches.  What does it mean for us?

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Select your killer keyphrases easily with this simple method

August 30, 2010 • posted by Laura

Welcome back!  In this post of our ongoing Monday SEO how-to series, we’re going to get into how to filter our keyphrase list to capture our most powerful keyphrases with a simple tool: Excel.  How cool is that?  Let’s get to it, then!

As you (hopefully!) recall, last week we built our keyphrase “seed” list in our ongoing development of a smart keyphrase strategy geared towards optimizing conversions.  If you need to take a step back and get a grip on the market research preceding this nuts-and-bolts post, please do!  (There are several listed in the blog archive!).  It’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the why’s and wherefore’s before you tackle the exact how-to’s!  We’ll be right here when you return, and we’ll see you soon!

Moving on, then:  how do we go about organizing our keyphrase “seed” list so that the keyphrase variations produced through Google’s keyphrase research tool can be prioritized and filtered?   A great way to start is to open an Excel spreadsheet document:

  • First, create a tab labeled “Keyphrase Seed List.”  Review your initial Google keyphrase research results and list those keyphrases that are applicable to your business.  (And eliminate those keyphrases that are not, altogether.)
  • Insert the average search volume in the cell next to each applicable keyphrase.
  • Now, in the next cell, rank how important each keyphrase is on a scale from 1 to 5, with “1” being the most important.
  • TA DA & Congrats!  You’ve now generated your initial keyphrase seed list!

Okay!  Now we’re organized and have our initial, killer keyphrases prioritized, 1 thru 5.

Next comes the process of keyphrase filtering, which may best be described as “What to do when….”

1.  …Two keywords accurately describe a product or service, such as “laptop” and “notebook,” or “automobile” versus “car?”  It is possible to use both variations of a search term on alternate pages, such as “laptop” on some pages and “notebook” on others, especially if you find that people are searching for both terms in equal numbers.  However, if the average search volume for one of the two alternate terms in very low, go with the more trafficked term.

2.  …People don’t search for our branded service/product name?  This is a big problem with e-commerce retailers.  They may have a product that’s a “plastic osmosis liquid miracle,” when what the product really is — and what most people would be searching for – is a “water bottle.”

If your branded product names aren’t searched upon, then try to associate them with keyphrases that people are actually more likely to use to describe your product.  In our water bottle example, let’s simply splice the brand name with the winning keyphrase to create: “plastic osmosis miracle water bottle.”  That allows you to keep your branded term, while combining it with a term that people are far more apt to search upon.

3.  …You want to use a product make/model as a keyphrase?  Great!  Once people get to the tail end of the buy cycle, they will indeed be searching highly specific terms.  Use those specific make/model keyphrase on your products page!

4. …You’re a B2B company with a keyword that is highly specific to your industry.  Is it OK to use it?  By all means, yes!  This is one of the times that a keyword is so tuned in to an industry that the search results should be most relevant and capture targeted traffic.   Just to make sure, though, it’s a good idea to run the keyword search on a couple of different search engines; if the results match your offerings, then definitely include the keyword/phrase on your list!

Stay tuned, as next week we’ll dig even deeper, using fun and free tools to grow our selection of  killer keyphrases to use throughout our site!

Filed under SEO Content marketing,Tips and techniques

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SEO content marketing roundup, week ending August 25th

August 25, 2010 • posted by Laura

After last week’s super-social SES San Francisco summit, it’s no surprise that the latest and greatest SEO copywriting news and links have turned a bit inward and introspective in their content.  But before we get into the emotion and psychology behind SEO and content marketing, let’s pause and celebrate the success of this blog, noted by Hubspot as one of the top awesome SEO blogs that everyone should read!!

Psychology and emotion are huge elements of SEO content marketing and copywriting, yes?  The Psychology of SEO, posted in Search Engine Journal, breaks it down nicely so you can better wrap your head around it, from finding your focus to understanding your own self-limiting mental constructs.

Speaking of self-limiting psyche-outs, check out this post: Is Your Freelancing Psychology Broken? An honest look at what we think we believe vs. what we actually do is a bit, well, unnerving and good reading!

So, having conquered our own inner demons, how do we go about ridding ourselves of those without?  When do you to say goodbye to an SEO client?  This post offers a helpful outline to employ when defining your own fine line between “should I stay or should you go?”

Balanced and fair, now:  what should you look for in an SEO copywriter? And who better to answer this question than Success Works’ CEO Heather Lloyd-Martin?  A succinct and most insightful guide addresses the ten questions the business owner should ask their prospective SEO copywriter.

Finally, a melancholy goodbye to Yahoo as the force behind its organic search results in the U.S. and Canada, as it officially hands over the reins to MSN’s Bing:  So Sad, Yahoo Finally and Officially Gave Up On Search.

But let’s wrap this up on a high note, shall we?  Belying the title, SEOmoz’s Answering Hard SEO Questions adds some welcome levity to the subject!

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Develop a Smart Keyphrase Strategy to Optimize Conversions

August 22, 2010 • posted by Laura

As promised, today we’re going to delve into the nitty-gritty of generating keyphrases to optimize content that targets all phases of our prospects’ buying cycle:  awareness, research, and purchase.  To capture our prospects “clicks” in each phase of the buying cycle, we’ll want to devise a keyphrase strategy that places our brand front and center, throughout.  So without further ado, let’s get into how to develop an effective keyphrase strategy for conversions optimization!

Building your core keyphrase “seed”  list

Every SEO copywriting and content marketing campaign works with a core (“seed”) list of researched keyphrases that reflects the entire buying cycle,…and yes, that can translate into one monster of a list!  If you have a ten-page site, your seed keyphrase list will most likely contain fewer then 100 keyphrases.  At the other end of the spectrum, if you’ve a large e-commerce site, you’re probably looking at thousands of keyphrases across product categories, brands, and sub-categories.

Regardless of the relative depth and complexity of your site, the same SEO strategy/conversions goal applies:  Get found, then convert!

Let’s begin at the beginning.  Your first task, while seemingly daunting, is actually very simple:  brainstorm your keyphrases.  Put yourself in the customers’ shoes and try to figure out the terms they would most likely use to find you.  Don’t forget keyphrases that reflect customer preferences, such as:

  • Your location (essential if you want local traffic)
  • Product brand names
  • Product makes/models
  • Individual/Unique (U.S.P.)

If you’re working on a large site with multiple sections, and feeling overwhelmed, simply choose one section of your site and do SEO research just for that:  “Eat the elephant, one bite at a time!” (The same advice applies to smaller sites.)  The ultimate goal is to conduct keyphrase research across all site sectors/buying cycle phases, incorporating your brand terms, products/services, and general, overarching keyphrases.

Brainstorming brilliant keyphrases

Let’s start with this example:  Your client is in the business of selling bracelets both locally and nationally, through their website.  And let’s assume that you want to focus your efforts on “leather bracelets” versus other possibilities for that section of their e-commerce site.

Some possible “seed” keyphrases to begin your research could be:

  • Leather bracelet
  • Leather bracelets
  • Braided leather bracelet
  • Women’s leather bracelet
  • Men’s leather bracelet
  • Women’s jewelry
  • Men’s jewelry
  • Silver bracelets (for contrasting results/negative research)

Now, let’s do some keyword research using Google’s free tool.  Here are the initial results for the search term “leather bracelet”:

What do these initial results mean?

“Advertiser competition” refers to how competitive the search term is if you were to run an AdWords (PPC) account.  But don’t let a highly competitive phrase discourage you!  Depending on who/what your competitor’s are, the size of your site, and other SEO factors, it could be very possible to rank in the top ten of search engine results.  This presents a great opportunity for you to assert your unique selling proposition!

“Approximate average  search volume” or “global” results gives you a rough idea of how heavily searched the keyword phrase is over a 12-month period, while “approximate search volume”or “local,”  shows the monthly/seasonal search trend statistics.

In considering the yearly-averaged, approximate search volume, understand that even poorly trafficked terms can be important to your campaign, depending upon what you’re selling.  This is especially true of B2B marketing:  there may be only three searches/month for a particular piece of industry-specific equipment, but capturing just one of these web surfers could result in a huge, six- figure sale!

For your content message, you’ll want to look hard at the “approximate/local search volume” results of keyphrase research.  People tend to search more for different products/services at different times and seasons of the year.  Referring to our “bracelets” example, it’s clear that searches for “silver leather bracelet” spiked in April.  It follows that you’d want to generate a lot of solid content around “silver leather bracelet” for a spring SEO campaign focus.

So try this:  run your most general keyphrases through Google’s keyword tool, and see what happens.  Now, you have your SEO “seed” list.  Then run those keyphrases from your seed list though the keyword research tool, and see what happens…A more refined list!  That’s how you can “drill down” and distill the most effective, high-octane keyphrases, from the most general over-arching terms down to the most specific, to use throughout your content to capture your prospects’ clicks!

Stay tuned, as next week we will discuss the process of “keyphrase filtering”!

Filed under SEO Content marketing,Tips and techniques

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Capturing clicks with powerful keyphrases: targeting the buying cycle

August 16, 2010 • posted by Laura

Today, we’re setting aside market research and turning our attention towards discovering powerful keyphrases to capture our prospects’ “clicks.”   As you well know, simply building the site does not mean that they will come, anymore than hanging an “open” sign in your storefront window will generate business!

As with an actual store, you need to consider your:  competition, marketing, strategic position (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats),  perfect customer profile, and finally, your U.S.P. (unique selling proposition).

And, as with actual stores, you also need to strive for:  Location, location, location! By location, I’m referring not only to your search engine results page (SERP) ranking, but where on your website you place your critical keyphrases.  How do you beat out the competition with a superior keyphrase strategy?

Keyphrase research and strategy are, well, key to your success in SEO copywriting and content marketing, period.  To neglect this step is risky at best.  More likely, it will kill the best of your copywriting and marketing efforts.  So read on, and see how to target your prospects’ buying cycle to develop a successful, conversions-driving keyphrase strategy!

A solid first step is to develop a keyphrase list that addresses your prospect wherever they’re at in the buying cycle:  are they merely browsing?  are they actively researching?  are they ready to purchase?   Then you can optimize your web pages throughout your site accordingly…and you will be rewarded, both by search engines and by conversions!

The Buying Cycle


Let’s start with the assumption that your prospect is merely aware of your product (in this example, digital cameras), and is “browsing” around the web:  this can be described as the “awareness” phase of the buying cycle.  This is represented by the bottom part of the triangle.  The prospect knows they want to buy a digital camera, but s/he doesn’t know what kind of camera, or the desired features.

At this point, the prospect is typing in general search terms (such as “digital camera”) to help spark some ideas.  To capture clicks from your prospects in this “window shopping” phase, you will want to use general, overarching keyphrases in your content. The most opportune places?  Your home and subcategory pages.

The middle section of the buy cycle represents the “research” phase of the buy cycle. The prospect has done some initial searches which have sparked some choices.  Now, s/he’s looking for specific information, reviewing options, and narrowing down the choices.  Chances are, s/he’s typing in search phrases like “digital camera reviews,” or “compare digital cameras.”

To hone in on this stage of the buy cycle, you’ll want to have review pages and articles, such as “how to select a digital camera,” and “comparing SLR digital cameras.” The SEO tip here:  whether you sell products or services, consider writing articles and/or blog posts.  Content is a great way to reach your prospects when they’re looking for information, and once they find your site, they can surf around and see what else you have to offer!

Finally, we come to the top part of the triangle, representing the “purchase” phase of the buy cycle.  This means your prospect is ready to buy or contact you for more information.  Keyphrases reflecting more specific and focused search terms, such as the camera make or model, should be incorporated in your site and where?  Yes, your product pages, where you would optimize for products-related keyphrases (such as “Snaptix 10.1 megapixel zoom prices”).

Ideally, your site should have keyphrases representing the entire buy cycle.  To recap, your home and subcategory pages would contain general keyphrases, you’d have review pages and articles to capture folks at the “research” phase, while your products page would expertly focus on keyphrases specifc to your products/services.

By developing a site-wide keyphrase strategy, your brand is front and center during all phases of the buy cycle:  location, location, location!

Stay tuned, as next Monday we’ll delve into the nitty-gritty of building your keyphrase list!

Filed under SEO Content marketing,Tips and techniques

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