Local Internet Marketing - Local Search

Keywords are the corner stone of search engine marketing.  They are literally everything.  Search, no matter what, is all about words people use to describe what they want.  SEO revolves around key phrases (keywords) used to describe a product, service or business and the same keywords have prices associated with them via pay-per-click.

So with all the value and importance on the key words used to describe and successfully market a website, what tools are the best to help me as a new business owner understand how someone goes to Google and searches for what I have to offer? 

Remember the “IT” commercials that ebay had running last year, and even this year, I think.  Not only can you get “IT” on ebay but whatever words your customers use to describe “IT” should be your focus in search engine marketing.  I think the common response and creation process for keywords is to bid on the official name and variations of the official name and call it good.  I’m a dentist so I need to bid on city dentist.  Well what about dental, family dental, wisdom teeth, broken tooth, tooth doctor (yes some people still search for tooth doctor) or city state service type keyword phrases.

 Google has a great tool to help get you thinking but don’t let it be your only resource and don’t assume Broad match will cover everything you want to cover.  In fact, practice not using Broad match at all and see how you do.  Here are some other FREE and/or inexpensive outside tools to help you with your keyword creation process.

Keyword Discovery - Free search tool helps to get you started and should do for most small businesses.

Coolest Keyword Tool - Pulls a lot of data from Word Tracker and is another excellent, free tool from Mr. SEO - Adam Wall

Good Keywords - This is a useful windows software offering that I use to help me organize and create better groups.

Google Keyword Tool - Thank you Google for offering a keyword tool to everyone that is accessible outside of Adwords.  You can have them spider your site to make suggestions or use it like the other tools - enter keyword - get suggestions.

Excel Spreadsheet - Never underestimate the power of an excel spreadsheet and your own brain.  Sometimes this is the best way to get a quality keyword list.