I must confess… I didn’t (gasp!) do keyword research before writing the copy for our website. And the truth is I should have. But better late than never. So let’s pretend we’re writing our website content today (maybe you are)… and then take it from there!

First of all, why is keyword research so important?

Search engines (i.e., Google) are the number one way that people find your website. Your job is to make it easy for them. There’s much you need to do to make this happen… but it begins with figuring out what words and phrases (keywords) your prospects use when searching the Internet for what you sell. Then you need to make sure your website content includes those keywords. Do it right… and your website shows up in your prospects search results!

Here’s how to get started:

1.  It’s all about your target customers. You really need to understand who they are, what they’re looking for, and why they’d buy from you in particular.

2.  Think about what keywords they’ll use when searching on Google for your products and services. (If you already have customers… ask them!)

3.  Then make a big list of all the keywords you come up with.

4.  Add qualifying terms to your keywords that help better define your market… such as your product features and business location.

5.  Boil your list down to the keyword phrases you’re going to use with your website content. These phrases should best reflect your product offering and be search terms your prospects will use often.

6.  Now write (or update!) your website copy with these keyword phrases in mind.

Simple enough?

For example, let’s say you have an Italian restaurant located in Long Island, NY. You want keywords that target customers will use to find your restaurant. The keyword “restaurants” isn’t specific enough. Maybe: “Italian restaurants”? Better for sure. But we need some qualifying terms to make it even more specific. How about “Italian pizza restaurants” or “Italian restaurants on long island”? Now we’re talking! Just include these keyword phrases as often as you can in your website content.

You should target 5 to 10 keyword phrases depending on how many products or services you sell, and the different types of customers you serve. Have lots of products and services? Then you’ll need more keyword phrases.

The good news is there are free tools to help:

• Google’s keyword tool makes it easy to come up with hundreds of keyword phrases to consider. Plus it’ll show you the number of monthly searches for each phrase.

• Wordtracker is another good keyword tool for generating ideas. And it will also show you the popularity of each keyword suggestion.

• Google Analytics is free web analytics software that gives in-depth data on your website traffic… including which keywords send visitors to your site!

Now it’s time for a few cautionary comments (sorry!)

Spicing up your content with good keyword phrases will make it easier for prospects to find you… and also make generic website copy more specific and interesting. But don’t go overboard. Remember, it’s all about making your website helpful and informative for your target customers… not about stuffing your pages with keywords for the search engines. (see our related post)

And the process of keyword research never stops. You need to keep an eye on what keywords are driving the most traffic to your website… since your prospects are changing how they search all the time!

Don’t forget to keep your keyword phrases handy. You’ll not only reference them for your website copy but also for your online advertising campaigns, social media efforts… and even your offline advertising (which also influences what people type into a search box).

Let’s get started with your keyword research!

Btw, did you notice the keyword phrases I’m using for this blog post? Let us know which keywords you used to get here. Thanks!

Don’t try to do the (almost) impossible. That is to get someone to buy from your website on the very first visit. It just won’t happen. Why? Because we consumers like to shop around, get familiar with your offering, and feel safe and secure in buying from you. Nothing personal, it’s just how it is. And it takes time… usually seven or more visits before we’re willing to pull out our credit card.

Instead, focus on getting website visitors to give up their contact information. More specifically, their email address… so you can start building an email list of prospects for your products and services. You can then market to this list again and again to get potential buyers comfortable with your brand and what you have to offer. Over time, this ever growing email list will become the heart of your marketing efforts!

Of course, website visitors aren’t going to hand over their email address for free. You need to promise something valuable in return. Coupons, newsletters, buying tips, and free trials are all good examples of content that not only gets prospects to “sign up” but also keeps them on your list… as you work to build a trusting relationship.

How to get started:

• Put an easy to see “sign-up” or “join mailing list” button or link on every page of your website. The upper right hand section of your site is a great location for it.

• Link to an email capture form that asks for your prospect’s name and email address. Sure you can ask for more but it’ll result in fewer folks handing over their information.

• Set up an “auto-responder” email that will automatically be sent to prospects after they join your mailing list. Use this email as a welcome and to let them know all the benefits of opening your emails!

Don’t worry if you’re not technically inclined (I’m not). Most email marketing companies offer tools that make it easy. Check out AWeber, MailChimp, iContact, and GetResponse to learn more and get started.

You’ll also have to figure out your content strategy. Meaning, what are you going to email to the prospects on your list at least once a month (or more!)? Make sure and send helpful information that they’ll be happy to receive such as newsletters and coupons. Otherwise, they won’t open your emails… or worse, they’ll ask to unsubscribe from your list!

Just remember to create goodwill with your email list. Your prospects will thank you… by taking advantage of special offers you send their way!

Not every prospect is just like you… but it’s your job to predict what they need and when they’ll need it. Not to mention, figuring out how best to reach and influence them with your online advertising. So start putting in the hard work of seeing the world through their eyes… because online advertising success begins with knowing your target audience!

To better profile your target audience:

1. Think about why they buy… and why now. You need to understand your prospect’s purchasing behavior and answer the question: “what are their pain points?” Or said another way, what’s causing the desire for your product and what creates the urgency to buy now?

2. Describe your target customer in as much detail as possible. Create a demographic profile using age, gender, income level, etc. And find out where they live, since targeting your advertising geographically is an efficient and effective way to reach your prospects.

3. Understand what they like and don’t like. Psychographics tries to get at the lifestyles, attitudes, interests, and values of your target audience. It’s definitely worth considering since the Internet has so many great lifestyle and interest-based sites to advertise on.

4. Now determine where and how to reach them with your online advertising. What websites and blogs do they visit? What keywords do your prospects search on when looking for a solution (your service!) to their problems? Create an online advertising strategy based on the in-depth profile you’ve developed for your target audience.

Need more info about your target audience?

Just ask your customers… especially since they are also your best prospects for more business! And listen, listen, listen to what they tell you.

Review purchasing data and look for patterns. For example, where a customer lives gives insight into who they are, why they buy, and where best to advertise online to reach them.

Survey web site visitors. It’s easier than ever to survey using email and web-based forms so definitely give this a try. For example, check out SurveyMonkey to learn more.

Set up a blog or join a community where your customers and prospects hang out so you can hear their issues and create a dialogue (listen closely!)

Search the Internet for information on your industry and target audience. There are lots of sites and blogs out there about your target market. And many provide market data for free.

Conduct focus groups. Focus groups can provide hard to find insight into customer behavior… and they don’t have to be that expensive to do. Just get together with a bunch of customers and then let them do the talking!

And keep listening and learning. Your target audience will evolve…  so will your understanding of who they are and what drives their buying behavior.  So definitely treat listening and learning as an ongoing process.

Just remember, the more you know and understand about your target audience, the easier it’ll be to reach and engage them with your online advertising!