Two Reasons Why Keyword Optimization Must Matter To Content Marketers
Speaking specifically about articles and blog posts, there are two essential reasons why keyword optimization matters if you want your content to be found by search engines and for these to send traffic that is ready to spend money.
Many new content marketers make the mistake of only considering one of these and are then puzzled why nobody clicks on the affiliate links or resource boxes in their brilliantly crafted content pieces.
If you have experienced this and felt confused and frustrated, then I’m going to help you to understand where you are going wrong so that you can learn how to easily revise your strategy.
If you want to attract traffic AND be paid then your keywords must comply with BOTH of the following criteria.
Keyword Optimization Determines Whether Your Content is Found or Not
Imagine you were driving your car looking for a place called ‘The Old Tree Stump’. You have no map and no idea where you you are. What would help you to find your destination? A simple road sign.
Your keywords are like road signs for those looking for information. Use the right keywords and Google will list your article in its index.
The more specific your keyword phrase is and the more strategic you have been with its placement, the better the search engine can match what you have written with what readers are searching for, and the greater the chances your article will be read.
Keyword Optimization Determines Whether Searchers are Ready to Buy or Not
Let’s go back to ‘The Old Tree Stump’. This is literally a very old tree stump that has become a landmark and tourist attraction. It’s heritage protected and by law has no monetary value because there is no charge to see it.
There would be no point in you buying the site, putting up a sign to attract tourists and expecting to be paid. People are not expecting to pay for anything so they won’t. They just want to see the tree stump.
Just up the road is another sign pointing people in the direction of ‘The Tree Stump Cafe’. It’s a pub, restaurant and shop. It has a monetary value because people expect to pay for services there.
This would be a good acquisition if you wanted to make money because when people follow the sign and arrive there they will have wallets in hand.
The two road signs are almost identical but lead to very different places and attract very different people and outcomes.
In the same way there are profitable keywords with a monetary value and those with none. When people use profitable keywords to search then they are more likely to be ready to purchase something.
One way to determine whether a keyword is revenue oriented is to search for it in Google and see how many paid (PPC) advertisements are found on the search page. PPC advertisers will not advertise on the page unless there they have the potential to generate an income. Typically, the more advertisements there are, the higher the monetary value of the keyword.
A more sophisticated approach would be to use a keyword generator tool.
Is There a keyword generator tool That is Better Than Others for Keyword Optimization?
The free Google Adwords External Keyword Tool is a good place to start. However any tool is only as useful as the person driving it. You will still need to have a good knowledge about keyword optimization to make the best use of the tool.
There are a number of paid software options like Market Samurai and Microniche Finder which automate certain functions when it comes to refining searches. Not only is this a great time saver but necessary unless you are a very skilled ‘keyword miner’.
Which software you use will be a personal preference. The best way to determine what suits you best is to use the free trials offered. Evaluate the training, the ease with which the software operates and whether you will receive unlimited support and updates for the price paid.
And now it’s up to you. What have been your experiences with keyword research and do you have a favorite keyword generator tool?
Please leave me a comment and if you found this post useful it would be awesome if you could share it with your followers wherever they might be. Thank you.
My goal? Helping you achieve yours.
Tagged with: keyword generator tool • keyword optimization • profitable keywords
Filed under: MLM Online Marketing
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Hi Marcus,
You explained very well the need to do keyword research and use SEO techniques. Enjoyed the reading.
Jiri Majkus
Internet Marketing Coach and Author
Jiri Majkus´s last blog ..How To Promote Live Event That You Are Using For Recruiting People To Your Network Marketing Company
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Marcus Baker Reply:
June 3rd, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Thanks Jiri. Pleased it al made sense.
~Marcus
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Hi Marcus,
Your mention of profitable keywords set off a light bulb in my mind. I had focused on popularity and neglected profitability up until now.
Thanks for providing the switch
I enjoyed The Old Tree Stump analogy; an effective means of teaching how keywords work.
Enjoy your day!
Ryan
Ryan´s last blog ..What’s The Best Way To Start Your Day Afraid, Angry And Anxious?
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Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 8:56 am
Hi Ryan,
I made the same mistake as you with keywords for a long time so know what you mean. Pleased it was a help.
~Marcus
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Hey Marcus,
Great job explaining this. Most individuals don’t do this because they don’t understand it. Only if they just took 5-10 minutes a day to play with it until they get comfortable. I know is a boring task, however, it must be done!
Chat with you later…
Josh
Josh Garcia´s last blog ..Adopt This Specific Leadership Skill and Be Prepared For Success
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 8:55 am
I agree Josh. It is fundamental to online success so people are really just wasting their time and efforts until they do.
~Marcus
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Hey Marcus,
This is my nemisis, so every nugget of info I can pick up I appreciate!
Thanks for the great analogy, makes more sense now!
Have an awesome day!
Twila
Twila Jacobs´s last blog ..How To Make Your Blog Comments ‘Nest’
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 8:53 am
Hi Twila,
Good stuff. Keywords was an area I always thought I understood until I actually started paying more attention to this and I realized I knew very little so I know how you feel.
~Marcus
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Hey Marcus,
Thanks for the keen insight on the two types of keyword optimization, the first I knew, the second, woo hoo, another piece of the ever changing puzzle.
Mike
PS Can I have a ride in your Time Machine? I read your post at 2:45 PM and you posted at 8:30 PM.
Just kidding, aren’t Time Zones wonderful? I saw a documentary on building a bridge from Alaska to Siberia, depending on your direction of travel the one hour trip will get you there Tomorrow or Yesterday.
Michael Cole´s last blog ..Residual Income, The Ultimate Goal For Network Marketers
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 8:52 am
Hi Michael,
Pleased the post was helpful! I know what you mean with time zones. It does my head in some days as I don’t know exactly I am in time.
Loved the Alaska story.
I had some friends who took the Concorde when it still operated on one new year’s eve and ended up celebrating the new year about three times if I remember correctly.
~Marcus
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Marcus,
Good point. There is definitely a right and wrong way to put content onto internet land. I’m glad you explained that here and you did a good job of keeping it clear.
Choosing “buyer” keywords is absolutely critical.
Mark
Mark Gubuan´s last blog ..Sneak Preview of The New Business Builder Training Module
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 8:48 am
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your comment. I had to learn this the hard way but it made all the difference when I did.
~Marcus
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This is great advice Marcus you definitely can find any ole tree stump with the right keywords so it is up to us to find the ones that work.
Steve Shoemaker
steve shoemaker´s last blog ..Article Marketing Basics For Business Building
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Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 8:46 am
Thanks for stopping by Steve. Hope you find the the paying ‘tree stumps’.
~Marcus
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Luv the analogy of the tree stump Marcus. Well thought out.
This is an area that is well worth investing in to know & understand fully.
Luv the post and well worth shareing!
Maria Eves
MLMTrainingBase
Maria Eves´s last blog ..WP Blog Themes
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Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 8:45 am
Hi Maria,
Thanks for the positive feedback. I think understanding keywords is an area that does not receive enough attention. I know this was true for me until I made a concerted effort to really get to grips with it.
~Marcus
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Marcus, great stuff bro. This is very valuable SEO tips. I particularly love the part about how Optimization can determine if your prospects are ready to buy or not.
Great stuff.
~BT
Brian Tomlinson´s last blog ..Personal Development: The Cross Roads of Success
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 10:08 am
Hey Brian,
Thanks for the feedback my friend. I think it’s a point many new marketers don’t get. I know I didn’t.
~Marcus
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Good job as always. I have both of the keyword apps and in the process of evaluating them. Keep up the good work.
thomas´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at
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Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 12:07 pm
Great Thomas. They are both quite different. Just take your time over deciding. I have a feeling Market Samurai will suit you more.
~Marcus
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Hey Marcus,
Great way of explaining this! I have been paying much more attention to keywords lately. But, there is still so much to learn about it.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom!
Have a great day!
Ilka
Ilka Flood´s last blog ..7 Reasons Why Women Make Natural Network Marketers
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Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Hi Ilka,
Well done for focusing on keywords, it will serve you well.
~Marcus
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Hey Marcus,
Really great advice Marcus. I always like how you relate it to real life situations. It makes it far easier to get the message across. And optimizing your keywords is something that should be followed if you want more laser targeted traffic.
Cheers.
~Jerome Ratliff
Jerome Ratliff´s last blog ..What Are the 4 Tips in How to Win and Influence People to Take Action
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Hi Jerome,
I hoped the real life situations would help rather than confuse people so great to get the feedback Jerome. Thanks.
~Marcus
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Great tips Marcus,
I am with Twila on this one. It is work in progress for me
when it comes to Keyword research. I am learning and
feeling better about it every day.
Thanks for adding value.
Tommy D.
Tommy DiPietro´s last blog ..How To Start A “Fame Monster” of An MLM Blog Lady Gaga Style Part II
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
No problem Tommy. Pleased to be of help. You are doing the best thing by staying a learner when it comes to keywords!
~Marcus
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Great post Marcus..
I really like Micro Niche Finder.. it makes keyword research really really easy & simple to do because it automates the “refining’ process like you mentioned..
thanks for sharing this with us
talk soon
Hector
Hector Cuevas´s last blog ..3 Brand-Killing Mistakes You Should Avoid At All Costs
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 4:57 pm
Thanks Hector. I don’t find too many people who use it because they don’t know about it. I guess there are a lot of keyword tools out there. Thanks for stopping by!
~Marcus
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Thanks Marcus! I totally agree with you.
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Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Hi Emily,
Great to have you visit and pleased you agree.
~Marcus
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Thanks for the tips Marcus! I always like reading your stuff! I’ve just recently been implementing keyword research with those tips you gave and it has made A LOT of difference.
Erin Smith
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 4th, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Hi Erin,
Great to hear that! Amazing how much of a difference it makes not so? Thanks for visiting.
~Marcus
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Great post Marcus. Keyword research is one of those stumbling blocks that many choose to simply “go around” and it makes their efforts ineffective. It really is one of those learn as you grow, and grow as you learn tasks, that really never ends. Keep on putting out the great info!
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 6th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Hi Steve,
Welcome, nice to see you here.
I agree with you that keyword research is an ongoing learning area. Unfortunately a few too many marketers just ignore this.
~Marcus
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It seems so obvious but so many miss it, profitable targeted keywords.
Marcus, I personally us Micro Niche Finder, haven’t used any others to compare, but it is very good at finding profitable keywords. One of the reasons I like it is that it is so easy to use.
Does anyone have experience with Keyword Elite?
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 6th, 2010 at 10:22 pm
Hi Peter,
Yes I like using Microniche Finder for the same reason. I have never tried Keyword Elite but maybe someone else here will have some feedback. Thanks for stopping by again Peter.
~Marcus
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Great blog post , and i agree with you that keyword research are the most important aspect if you like to get targeted traffic from the search engines
Thank you
Mohamed Fawzy
[Reply]
Marcus Baker Reply:
June 9th, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Hi Mohamed,
It is the key to targeted traffic my friend. Thanks for stopping by.
~Marcus
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