When you Google, how do you Google? Do you tend to type in one
word, two words, more words? If you type more than 3 words most of the
time, you are in the majority. In fact, this is a part of a trend that
clearly shows that searchers are using more specific search phrases to
find what they are looking for. Almost 60% of all searches use 3 or
more words and the percentage is increasing while searches using one or
two keywords continue to decline. Actually, keyword phrases of 8 words
or more are increasing at the most rapid rate as of January of 2009.
It is mainly postulated that this reflects the tendency to paste text
and urls directly into the search bar from other sources of content.
Why is this? The internet continues to evolve and so do internet
users, particularly searchers. Over time, searchers have come to
understand that Google is a great global index of information and the
index works great. So the more specific you can be the more targeted
the search results will be. This generates better information, faster
searches and faster discoveries of sought after information.
So if you are interested in website optimization and particularly
SEO (Search Engine Optimization), this clearly established trend should
lead to some unmistakable conclusions:
1. Searchers are becoming more sophisticated.
2. Your SEO strategy needs to address ALL keyword phrases including the “long tail” keywords of 3+ words.
3. Your content needs to be better, more extensive, more specific and more descriptive.
4. Your content topics need to reflect the searching habits as the data shows.
5. Keyword Phrases need to be continually researched and new content should reflect this research.
The increased use of longer and longer
keyword phrases is a function of the maturation of the searching
process. Your content strategy must reflect this trend to increase
your reach on the search engines.
Indexing the content on your website and submitting your revised
site map, manually or dynamically, is your first step. However, as
with all new content such as articles, press releases, etc, it is even
more important to successfully syndicate your content and gain
acceptance of your content on as many websites of value as possible.
Properly done, optimized with the proper coding, when these outside
websites accept your content and index it on their site … that is when
and where the magic happens. Simply a Backlink is born; a naturally
occurring highly relevant Backlink is born. This is the biggest
point-getter for Google as this represents a vote for your content and
the corresponding webpage on your webpage with this direct inbound
link. The more of these point-getters you have the better you will do
for those targeted keywords vis-à-vis your competition.
Further, you need to continue adding content; a continuous stream of
highly relevant content that reflect the keyword phrases and the
associated trends of the long tail to rank for a wide swath of keyword
phrases. Here is an example of how a simple keyword can be expanded to
an entire range of keyword phrases that are highly relevant and
SEARCHED:
o Comedy Event Tickets
o Comedy Event Tickets in Philadelphia
o Comedy Event Tickets in Philadelphia in March
o Discount Comedy Event Tickets in Philadelphia in March
o Discount Lewis Black Comedy Event Tickets
o Discount Lewis Black Comedy Event Tickets in Philadelphia in March
To be ranked for these long tail keywords, it would be necessary to
have specific content indexed inside and outside of the website with
the resulting backlinks. The real payoff is that these long tail
searches are more targeted and generally represent more serious buyers
and / or prospects.
It takes commitment to CONTENT. It takes discipline and a regimen.
It takes a process; an SEO process. Of course, that is what Optimum7
is all about and, as always, just for assistance.