Things You Must Consider About Keyword Density

There will always be a wide number of questions about keyword density from new and older marketers alike. It is important that you remember to always take the advice given with a grain of salt and realize that trial and error really is the best way to work out what works and doesn't work for you. However, knowing the answers to the questions below can when the time comes to make those painful decisions that every person doing business, whether online or off, must face from time to time—the decision to keep a project going, scrap a project, or seriously overhaul the keyword efforts that are currently in place.

Can keywords be used as anchor text?

While keywords that are used as anchor text for links has little impact on the overall keyword density of the content on a website; it does offer some benefit to associate the page being linked to with those keywords. When using article marketing to bring in traffic and boost page rank, it is critical to use targeted keywords when linking from the article to the website. In order to avoid penalties for keyword stuffing it is a good idea to link similar keywords in your inbound links so that all of the incoming links are not identical.

Are keywords necessary for title tags?

This is another use of keywords that can have a major impact on how well a website ranks among various search engines. Placement is important. Put the most important keywords near the beginning. Make a concentrated effort to use variations so that you aren't using one specific word within the phrase more than three times in the entire title tag though twice should be sufficient.

Is there an order to follow?

There are wide ranging theories on this. Keep in mind that the algorithms are subject to change frequently and without warning. Search engines are making a valiant effort to encourage website creators to write for their living breathing audiences rather than for the sake of their algorithms. With this in mind it is better to use the keywords frequently enough that your audience knows the point you are trying to make but doesn't feel as though they are being overwhelmed by that point. Sprinkle the words into the article and throughout the article rather than trying to have them stuffed heavily at the top and conspicuously absent as the article continues.

Do you have to use the same phrase throughout?

It is important to note that this is changing to some degree as search engine algorithms become more sophisticated. For the time being though it is important that when optimizing for a specific keyword, that the keyword phrase is used exactly throughout the article. You can use synonyms and similar phrases for emphasis or in order to avoid keyword stuffing but should avoid using them in your calculations for keyword density.

When these questions are answered you will be better equipped to come up with a plan for keyword density within your own web pages. Always test and make changes whenever necessary to ensure that your pages are on the rise within the search engine rankings.

How to Choose Your Keywords Carefully and Profitably

Need a little advice when it comes to choosing the right keywords? Who doesn't? Picking the right keywords is one of the biggest and best things you can do to boost your business and optimize your website for the search engines. If you optimize your site for the wrong keywords the battle is a complete waste of time, effort, money, and energy. You do not want to invest time in keywords that are not going to pay off when all is said and done.

Demystifying the Keyword Selection Process

While it may seem like a big mystery; once you learn how to choose keywords, the process becomes much easier over time. The first thing you need to determine is the type of site you are creating. Those that are database driven (or dynamic sites) can be optimized for a virtually limitless supply of keywords. If your site is a static site, which is a site that isn't driven by a database you are more limited in your options for keywords and need to be far more selective. For this reason it is better to determine the type of site you are creating before you begin the keyword selection process.

Now that you've narrowed down the type of site you can begin to select your keywords. Static sites perform better with highly targeted long tail keyword phrases and variations that include singles and plurals. Selecting one or two keyword phrases and focusing on those within a static site will pay off much better than spreading the focus between too many keywords, which could seem like stuffing to the search engines. Dynamic sites, on the other hand, are a giant buffet for keywords. You can optimize for as many keywords as you are interested in creating pages to promote them.

Brainstorm a list of potential keywords or keyword phrases based on the type of site you are creating. Once you have a list you can use the following criteria to eliminate and narrow your list.

How long is the phrase?

The longer the phrase, the more likely it will be to generate traffic that converts into sales. As long as the phrase is being searched; it can convert into sales. For this reason you should avoid creating phrases that are so long that no one is searching for them. You want phrases that are being searched so that you can get the traffic that will convert to sales. You also want phrases that have less competition.

Who will be using the phrase?

One thing you don't want to do is create a website that attracts those who are only looking for information and not looking to buy. It does little good to create a wealth of traffic if you aren't making any sales for your efforts.

When you use these ideas in your keyword strategy you should find that you are not only selecting keywords that generate traffic but also keywords that convert into sales.