Choosing the right keywords is the first step to a better search engine ranking. But how do you know which terms are right for your business? Consider these tips:
Remember the basics:
Enter your keywords in order of importance, and be sure to use keywords that actually appear in your page content. Don't repeat keywords more than twice (and not consecutively!), separate your keywords with commas, and keep the list to under 256 characters. (Our Site Solution and SiteBuilder meta tag tools will limit the length of your keywords to 256 characters automatically.)
Be specific.
Because there's so much competition for general keywords, you'll need to choose specific phrases to set yourself apart. For example, if you choose shoes as your keyword, you'll never get good results — it's far too broad. Instead choose terms or phrases like women's patent leather high heels or canvas basketball sneakers san francisco. The more specific your keywords, the more targeted your traffic.
Include variations.
People will search for your site using all sorts of search terms, including plurals, misspellings, and synonyms. Be sure to consider these when choosing your keywords.
Use only relevant keywords.
Don't stuff your meta tags with keywords that don't relate to your page's content. Search engines consider this practice spamming and will penalize you.
Think about your audience.
Which terms would your customers use to find your site? If you're not sure, ask your friends, family, and coworkers for ideas.
Look at your competition.
If you're having trouble thinking of search terms, take a look at competitors' sites. Which keywords are they using? Do they include terms you're missing?
(To review a page's keywords, select Source or Page Source from your browser's View menu. The page's title, description, and keyword tags will generally appear near the top of the page's HTML code.)
Tip: Once you choose your keywords, be sure to include them in your page content as well as in your meta tags!