Use Long Tail Keywords To Increase Traffic
Locating a website owner who doesn’t want to see an increase in traffic is something akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Increased traffic can equal more sales, more readers and more advertising revenue. Tapping into the power of long tail keywords has become the latest craze for making this happen, and rightfully so.
The theory behind long tail keyword comes from a Wired Magazine article in which Chris Anderson spoke of the benefits of catering to the minority. Rather than selling high-demand products, Anderson suggested that in going for niche items their collective sales could outperform more popular products. The theory translates quite nicely for website owners, as well.
Anyone who uses Internet search engines very likely already understands what long tail keywords are. These are nothing more than the phrases that people type into search engines to find sites that are more targeted to their needs. Rather than sending a searcher to a site that’s rich with the most popular keyword, this type of search targets results. In essence, it sends people to the sites that fit their desired niche or need.
The idea here involves taking advantage of the way people actually use search engines when they want very specific information. Instead of landing on a site with cursory information about a topic, a user that inputs phrases is more likely to find sites that fit the specific need. A person looking for information on the cast for a specific television show, for example, might type in the show’s name. Or, they might include the words “cast list,” “cast and crew” or “actors in” for example. These particular terms generally don’t have the competition for ranking that other search terms might. This means it might be easier for a site owner to obtain traffic based on the new keyword phrases.
Long tail keywords don’t work exactly the same way that more popular keywords might, but they can be rather effective. By working to drive smaller, steady streams of traffic to a website, long tail keywords can pay off with increased traffic, conversions and even search engine rankings. These words make it easier to compete and lead where the competition isn’t as high.
Putting the long tail keyword strategy to work on a website requires finding the right words to use. There are several easy ways to do this.
One way that site managers often use is to purchase or use a tracking program such as HitTail.com. This program analyze a site and makes suggestions on long tail phrases that might work. HitTail is easy to use and very helpful. Another method involves actually looking at the phrases visitors to a website type in for internal searches. This can be a great way to find out exactly what things visitors are searching for, which can lead to better optimization. The Google Adwords Keyword Tool and other similar programs like Ad Word Analyzer software can also be quite beneficial.
Other options for optimizing traffic with the right phrases exist. They include looking at the competition to see what long tail keywords they use and even just allowing a natural development to take place. The latter involves simply adding more content to a website on a regular basis, using core keywords and phrases as the backbone.
Getting started in optimizing a website with long tail keywords isn’t very difficult. Most people suggest looking at competition sites to see what they do and then figuring out the best phrases to use in the optimization process. Next comes a need to increase content that could help in tapping into the traffic. And of course, do consider using keyword tools to speed up the research process.
Driving traffic to a website isn’t always easy. Going through the backdoor by targeting niches can be one way to make this happen. Long tail keywords are the key that can unlock it all. It is extremely important to use them.
Jeff Alderson is a Florida based software developer. He is an expert on PPC and SEO tactics. To boost sales, Jeff suggests using a keyword tool to find money-making keywords
28 SEO Steps to Win Search Engine Rankings
28 SEO Steps to Win Search Engine Rankings
Search Engines are built to help the searchers. Search Engines strive to put the best fit/standard websites on top rankings so that searchers get their required info within few clicks.
How do Search Engines know a website’s standard and its relevance with searched keywords? What are the steps you should follow for a complete SEO to improve your website’s rankings?
This article covers Search Engine Optimization in two levels - the first is On-page optimization, and the next is Off-Page Optimization. An effective On-page optimization together with good Off-page optimization will improve your Search Engine Rankings.
On-Page Optimization
1. Define your Business & Target Audience
The first step in any business starts with analysis. Determine what kind of services your website is to provide and what kind of audience you want for your website?
2. Don’t Purchase a New Domain
If you already have a good domain name don’t try to purchase a new one, as some search engines look for the age of the website as a ranking factor.
3. Choosing your Domain Name
If you are planning for a new website, try to get a domain name with keywords included. If you target regional customers, you can have your domain based on the region, say for example .uk or .au or .in
4. Make your Website look Clean & Simple
Now you have a domain name and you know whom you want to target. Website design is the key factor which keeps your visitor to stay for a while in your website and navigate your services. Make sure your website design has a good feel & look, clean and simple.
5. Evaluate your Website
If you have an existing website, and now you want to do SEO for it, then evaluate your website:
Navigation structure - think in a visitor’s point of view - Can someone navigate and reach the product/services they are looking for? Make your navigation user friendly, no visitor should leave your website due to confused navigation.
Check for W3 compatibility of your website.
Check for any broken links in your website and fix if any.
Your website should load fast so that it doesn’t check on your visitors’ patience.
6. Observe your competitor
Find your competitor websites. Analyze and gain knowledge on their tactics, the keywords they use, the techniques applied. With the help of this analysis you will learn what is working and what is not working, which will help in your SEO process.
7. Research on Keywords
List the Keywords your target audience would search for and the ones used by your competitors. Make use of keyword research tools like Overture to know more on your related search terms. Now refine your list and make your final list of target keywords.
8. Structure File name
If you have control over your file names - modify file names with your keywords included.
9. Search Engine Friendly Sitemap
A well structured search engine friendly sitemap can help Search Engines to index all your pages. With good anchor text for your navigation links you can improve your rankings
10. Write an Attractive Title
Why is your web page title so important? The web page title is displayed in SERPs which in turn help in attracting your visitors. Web searchers do their search with a term and look for titles in the result pages that best fit their search. Hence make your title attractive, with targeted keywords included. Try to incorporate related keywords too. For example you target for Montessori School, you can write title as ‘Montessori School, the Preschool for your Children’. (in this way you add 2 related terms).
11. Meta Description Tag
Description tag is also displayed in snippets of any SERPs. This description helps to motivate searchers to visit your website. Make an effective and optimized description tag. Snippets are also taken from surrounding text of the searched keyword. You may need to edit your content a little to make your description look good.
12. Meta Keyword Tag
Though there is saying that Search Engines like Google doesn’t look for Meta keyword tag, there are some smaller search engines, which still follow the conventional way and spider the keywords tag. So there is no harm in making of the Meta keyword tags. Your meta keyword should contain keywords that appears in your body text.
13. Have Robot tags
If you don’t want any of your files of your website to be indexed, say an image or a text file, you can write your robot file insisting the search engines not to crawl those pages.
14. Alt Tags for images
As the name infers it acts as an alternate text for any image. This tag is both user friendly and search engine friendly. Search engines cannot read images; instead it indexes the alt tag given for any image and assumes it as the description for the image. This alt tag is not so important by Search Engines, as many spammers try to put irrelevant alt tag for the images to improve their rankings. However for an image link with a proper alt tag (keywords included) will work as great internal anchor link.
15. H1 & H2 heading format
Though no one is sure on whether this helps in rankings, try applying the header options, as this practice is good for any web development
16. Improve Keyword Prominence, Density & Proximity
Keyword prominence will increase if you have your keyword at the beginning of text part of your webpage. Keyword density refers to the ratio (percentage) of keywords contained within the total text content of the page. Keyword proximity refers to the closeness between two or more keywords. And this is yet another factor which has not much proven records but still exist in SEO practice.
17. Make Content look rich
As many SEO experts say content is the king. Optimized content with keywords included, along with other SEO factors working well the website can rank well in Search Engines
18. Keyword Rich Anchor Text
Anchor text for both internal links and external links is powerful element for Search Engine rankings. You can notice websites which doesn’t have the keyword in their web pages rank well which is all because of their anchor text of their inbound links.
Here a good article on Link Anchor Text and Search Engine Optimization to understand the importance of anchor text in Search Engine Optimization
19. Make Flash files work for you
Its better to avoid including flash files into your website. But under compelling circumstances, you can try adding keyword rich text somewhere in your file, since Search Engines like Google can index the text part of flash files
20. Bring your PDF files on SERPs
PDF file is a good source for keyword rich content. Most Search Engines can read & index PDF files and a few search engines shows PDF files in SERPs too. Make sure you have a good title and file name for your PDF file
Have a look Google guidelines for Webmasters
Off-Page Optimization
Why Search Engines give so much of importance for inbound links?
It is easy for any website owner to optimize their website with good content, navigation, title, etc. But does that mean it’s a good website and people would love to check it out?
Search Engines try to know and evaluate the standard of a website through many factors and the most significant of them is incoming/inbound links. When a website receives inbound links from related & standard websites, it obviously means that it is worth looking at.
Search Engines learn about your website through inbound links and to be precise it’s through anchor text.
So natural linking with different & targeted keyword rich anchor text works great for any website.
Here are a few ways to increase your inbound links/ backlinks.
21. Search Engines
Submit your website manually to search engines including regional search engines.
22. Directories
There are many directories available online for free submission. Submit your website into the category that best fits your services, most importantly with good anchor text. Try submitting in your own regional directories to improve your local business.
23. Forums
Participate in your industry related forums & discussion boards. Post your comments, thoughts and also provide a link to your website (without spam).
24. Blogs
Having your own official blog helps to post your company’s updates, product release, etc., and also inbound links. There are directories for submitting blogs. Submit your blog with proper keyword tags which helps in your blog listing.
25. Articles
Write keyword & content rich articles on your own and post in article junctions available online. There are article junctions which accept articles in HTML format, so you can include your links with good anchor text. Write fresh articles on your topic, post and see your traffic increasing.
26. Press Releases
You can post Press Releases, which also works like Article junctions & directories; however it should look more like a Press Release and not like an article.
27. Bookmarks
Social book marking - it serves two purposes: It gets you incoming links and it popularizes your website in your community. Make sure you put keyword rich tags for your bookmarks.
28. Classifieds
You can see some websites displaying free classifieds. You can put your advertisements there with link to your website.
Have a look at http://www.yourpracticeonline.com.au. Learn how all these steps worked for them.
Your Practice Online, Medical Web Designing company providing web services for health professionals and medical organizations including web design, development, multimedia health education and integrated web marketing.
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