Keyword forensics research for SEO
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Find better keyword phrases by exploring the hidden trails of gold
One of my favorite aspects about researching keyword phrases is to take it a step farther and actually explore user behavior. It eliminates the guess work and is quite telling about how people are searching the Internet.
Keyword forensics Vs. traditional keyword research
Here is a brief excerpt from my newest Volume 2.0
on Wordtracker Magic 2.0 - Keyword Forensics:
By the term "forensics" I'm not speaking about forensics as in "legal matters." Instead, I'm referring to the use of technology and a methodology of using it creatively to investigate, uncover and establish facts about how people are using the Internet as a tool to search with.
You are in fact uncovering a form of "hidden evidence" based on people's searching behaviors.
In these new lessons, I particularly refer to learning how you can take advantage of the "search trends" that are left behind after someone uses a search engine on the Internet to determine why they search the way they do, why they behave the way they do, and discover their interests, related topics, and trends as they may relate to even a specific industry.
Behavior research versus keyword research
Give this some careful thought. When creating a high performance strategy, nearly everyone has told you to focus on "keyword research." After all, it is really important.
However, emphasis should NOT ONLY be limited just to discovering which "keywords" a person is typing into a search engine. What I like to learn is what the searcher is really looking for when he or she goes online.
Think "behavior." Every day, people around the world use the Internet as a tool for a vast array of purposes. A study of behaviors can carry you much deeper into understanding the desires of your target audience and ultimately, an understanding of what kind of content to provide for them.
While most people are thinking about what keywords are in use, try to expand your scope to focus and discover the fullest possible picture of what your customers REALLY want, what they really are doing, by simply studying their search behavior on the major search engines.
Begin to train your mind to think in terms of people's conditions as they are experiencing something in life. It's so much more than just keywords, as you will see. It's an exploration of human behavior and their searching trends are like "trails of gold" that are left behind for you to explore.
---End of Excerpt---
Wordtracker Magic 2.0 - Keyword Forensics, brings you all new, up-to-date screenshots, examples and there is a new section called "Focus on Technique" where I give you 12 methods to explore data quickly. To have a look at everything you get, visit:
http://www.Wordtracker-Magic.com
NEW - May 1, 2008 Update:
Now you can grab a new volume of
Wordtracker Magic 2.0 - Keyword Forensics for SEO right here:
http://www.Wordtracker-Magic.com
What I learned was that often, people were sometimes not finding the best niche phrases available, simply because many people naturally tended to want to "guess" at keywords, rather than fully explore the existing fresh data.
Some people say and use the word "research," but then tend to want to rely on their own "logic" or recent real world experience to examine specific phrases. In short, whether we admit it or not, there is a tendency for some of us to "guess at the keywords" that we *think* that make the most sense, but at the same time we miss a wealth of information in the process of having such a narrow focus.
First tip: Stop guessing at what keyword phrases people "might" be entering into the search box.
One of the biggest blocks to the process of exploring the fullness of Wordtracker's available data, is simply that most people naturally tend to guess at keywords, rather than explore all of the data. Many Wordtracker users start out with the idea of trying to dictate to the tool, which keywords that they ***THINK*** are most relevant. But the truth is every time we guess at the terms that make the most sense, we are not really letting Wordtracker reveal its best information.
Think about the process more in this way....The more you "think like everyone else thinks" (usually drawing keywords that are already lodged into your mind based upon your experiences)....then the more you will be thinking like the rest of your competition. The more our eyes and our thinking and our ability to observe is attracted towards keywords that "make the most sense" to our brains the more we tend to discover exactly the same keywords as the rest of the world are discovering. So we can get disappointed real quick and have the feeling that there just are no real "niche phrases" available anymore. In this mindset, we only find limited results based on logical guess work.
What this usually means, is huge numbers of competing pages all trying to rank for deadly dull, obvious phrases.
Of course you can build your skills so you can compete with highly competitive phrases and you can win the game too, but that's not the point. A much wiser approach is to learn how to "think differently" in order to allow yourself the ability to explore the data that 99% of your competition never will see or find.
Why not tap into important keyword phrases that are legitimate (with fair to high usage but that have MUCH lower competition because most competitors never even find it or often they never even see it?
The focus of genuine keyword research is not to guess at keywords, but to learn how to quickly explore the best data, OTHER than the common logical keywords that are already lodged into our minds.
Second Tip: Stop relying on allowing your "logic" and your "experience" to dictate how you will explore data.
This is easy to say but in the beginning it takes a little practice to do.
Sometimes when you research single keywords using Wordtracker's powerful comprehensive search functionality, you will discover multiple instances of how a specific word is being used within a phrase, but without any guess work at all. Try working with a single, action related "root word."
Now listen carefully. It does not have to be a word that your logical thinking dictates. For example, what happens if you research a term in its most generic form and let Wordtracker piece together exactly how that word is being used. This is one of the rare times when using human brilliance or natural logic can actually prevent you from seeing the most powerful truths in your process of research. By avoiding "logic" you will explore more legitimate working data than 99% of most other Webmasters ever do.
More keyword forensics tips:
Let's give you a few creative examples to get you started.....
1. If you are a real estate agent, instead of using an obvious logical phrase like "real estate" (with 323 million competing pages on Google) or using a keyword acronym such as MLS (over 40 million competing pages on Google.)
Let's try a researching a single "root word" term like "listing" just all by itself.....leaving Wordtracker to do the hard part.
Here are a few examples which I grabbed in under 3 minutes of Wordtracker research: each example here with under 1000 competing pages
At the time of writing this article.....
"house listings parry sound" - Currently only has 90 competing pages for this exact phrase.
"Wyoming MN home listings" - Currently only has
197 competing pages for this exact phrase.
"michigan real estate listing" - Currently only has 197 competing pages for this exact phrase.
"Wisconsin Home listings" - Currently only has 697 competing pages for this exact phrase.
"Central Virginia land listings" - Currently only has 95 competing pages for this exact phrase.
"north oaks minnesota home listings" - Currently only has 233 competing pages for this exact phrase.
2. If you are an affiliate marketer.
Instead of researching the exact product you want to explore in a phrase (for example "candlestick holders,") try using a single word like "holder" to determine exactly what type of "holders" are in highest demand with lowest competition. You may discover many other products with much better windows of opportunity.
Examples using a root word of "holder"....(my research time here was 90 seconds - each phrase under 10 competing)
"motorcycle wheel holders" KEI 676.0
"southwest pot holders" KEI 768.0
"hanging vine holder" KEI 924.5
" folbe fishing rod holder" KEI 1156.0
".30 Remington shell holder" KEI 1444.0
3. Try working with descriptive verbs.
Instead of researching a specific product using comprehensive search, try researching descriptive verbs like "new" or "old" or "rare" or "limited" or "reconditioned" or "polished" or "bronzed" or whatever? Try using any type of descriptive terms to explore all kinds of interesting data.
4. Did you know there are differences between the written word and spoken dialog?
Instead of researching common descriptive terms, try exploring natural sounding "dialogue." Try to remember to explore "words" based on dialogue, not just on written copy. Your customers often will say things to you in their dialogue that give you a great starting place to explore data.
5. Don't forget to research and explore the world of color.
What happens if you enter a single term representing a color like "red," or "aqua" or green or any color?
6. Explore any type of data at all in terms of a root word.
Don't forget to explore everything and anything that comes to mind. From a topic you notice on the news to something that may not even be a word at all. What happens if you try to explore a number or a price like $9.95 instead of a word?
7. Instead of just thinking of your research as "keywords" try thinking in terms of your audience's "topics of interest."
8. Instead of researching keyword phrases try watching for "behavioural trends" or keywords that "tell a story."
Examples of keywords that are telling:
"miniature doll instructions" KEI 961.0
"golf swing instruction dvds" KEI 1741.0
"how to build secret compartments" KEI 280.3
"building a basement in your home" KEI 512.0
"easy build shed kit" KEI 520.0
"How to Build an Icehouse" KEI 661.0
"build a reptile rack" KEI 676.0
"how to build military bunkers out of sand bags" KEI 729.0
"how to build custom furniture" KEI 1444.0
9. Consider any type
on Wordtracker Magic 2.0 - Keyword Forensics:
By the term "forensics" I'm not speaking about forensics as in "legal matters." Instead, I'm referring to the use of technology and a methodology of using it creatively to investigate, uncover and establish facts about how people are using the Internet as a tool to search with.
You are in fact uncovering a form of "hidden evidence" based on people's searching behaviors.
In these new lessons, I particularly refer to learning how you can take advantage of the "search trends" that are left behind after someone uses a search engine on the Internet to determine why they search the way they do, why they behave the way they do, and discover their interests, related topics, and trends as they may relate to even a specific industry.
Behavior research versus keyword research
Give this some careful thought. When creating a high performance strategy, nearly everyone has told you to focus on "keyword research." After all, it is really important.
However, emphasis should NOT ONLY be limited just to discovering which "keywords" a person is typing into a search engine. What I like to learn is what the searcher is really looking for when he or she goes online.
Think "behavior." Every day, people around the world use the Internet as a tool for a vast array of purposes. A study of behaviors can carry you much deeper into understanding the desires of your target audience and ultimately, an understanding of what kind of content to provide for them.
While most people are thinking about what keywords are in use, try to expand your scope to focus and discover the fullest possible picture of what your customers REALLY want, what they really are doing, by simply studying their search behavior on the major search engines.
Begin to train your mind to think in terms of people's conditions as they are experiencing something in life. It's so much more than just keywords, as you will see. It's an exploration of human behavior and their searching trends are like "trails of gold" that are left behind for you to explore.
---End of Excerpt---
Wordtracker Magic 2.0 - Keyword Forensics, brings you all new, up-to-date screenshots, examples and there is a new section called "Focus on Technique" where I give you 12 methods to explore data quickly. To have a look at everything you get, visit:
http://www.Wordtracker-Magic.com
NEW - May 1, 2008 Update:
Now you can grab a new volume of
Wordtracker Magic 2.0 - Keyword Forensics for SEO right here:
http://www.Wordtracker-Magic.com
What I learned was that often, people were sometimes not finding the best niche phrases available, simply because many people naturally tended to want to "guess" at keywords, rather than fully explore the existing fresh data.
Some people say and use the word "research," but then tend to want to rely on their own "logic" or recent real world experience to examine specific phrases. In short, whether we admit it or not, there is a tendency for some of us to "guess at the keywords" that we *think* that make the most sense, but at the same time we miss a wealth of information in the process of having such a narrow focus.
First tip: Stop guessing at what keyword phrases people "might" be entering into the search box.
One of the biggest blocks to the process of exploring the fullness of Wordtracker's available data, is simply that most people naturally tend to guess at keywords, rather than explore all of the data. Many Wordtracker users start out with the idea of trying to dictate to the tool, which keywords that they ***THINK*** are most relevant. But the truth is every time we guess at the terms that make the most sense, we are not really letting Wordtracker reveal its best information.
Think about the process more in this way....The more you "think like everyone else thinks" (usually drawing keywords that are already lodged into your mind based upon your experiences)....then the more you will be thinking like the rest of your competition. The more our eyes and our thinking and our ability to observe is attracted towards keywords that "make the most sense" to our brains the more we tend to discover exactly the same keywords as the rest of the world are discovering. So we can get disappointed real quick and have the feeling that there just are no real "niche phrases" available anymore. In this mindset, we only find limited results based on logical guess work.
What this usually means, is huge numbers of competing pages all trying to rank for deadly dull, obvious phrases.
Of course you can build your skills so you can compete with highly competitive phrases and you can win the game too, but that's not the point. A much wiser approach is to learn how to "think differently" in order to allow yourself the ability to explore the data that 99% of your competition never will see or find.
Why not tap into important keyword phrases that are legitimate (with fair to high usage but that have MUCH lower competition because most competitors never even find it or often they never even see it?
The focus of genuine keyword research is not to guess at keywords, but to learn how to quickly explore the best data, OTHER than the common logical keywords that are already lodged into our minds.
Second Tip: Stop relying on allowing your "logic" and your "experience" to dictate how you will explore data.
This is easy to say but in the beginning it takes a little practice to do.
Sometimes when you research single keywords using Wordtracker's powerful comprehensive search functionality, you will discover multiple instances of how a specific word is being used within a phrase, but without any guess work at all. Try working with a single, action related "root word."
Now listen carefully. It does not have to be a word that your logical thinking dictates. For example, what happens if you research a term in its most generic form and let Wordtracker piece together exactly how that word is being used. This is one of the rare times when using human brilliance or natural logic can actually prevent you from seeing the most powerful truths in your process of research. By avoiding "logic" you will explore more legitimate working data than 99% of most other Webmasters ever do.
More keyword forensics tips:
Let's give you a few creative examples to get you started.....
1. If you are a real estate agent, instead of using an obvious logical phrase like "real estate" (with 323 million competing pages on Google) or using a keyword acronym such as MLS (over 40 million competing pages on Google.)
Let's try a researching a single "root word" term like "listing" just all by itself.....leaving Wordtracker to do the hard part.
Here are a few examples which I grabbed in under 3 minutes of Wordtracker research: each example here with under 1000 competing pages
At the time of writing this article.....
"house listings parry sound" - Currently only has 90 competing pages for this exact phrase.
"Wyoming MN home listings" - Currently only has
197 competing pages for this exact phrase.
"michigan real estate listing" - Currently only has 197 competing pages for this exact phrase.
"Wisconsin Home listings" - Currently only has 697 competing pages for this exact phrase.
"Central Virginia land listings" - Currently only has 95 competing pages for this exact phrase.
"north oaks minnesota home listings" - Currently only has 233 competing pages for this exact phrase.
2. If you are an affiliate marketer.
Instead of researching the exact product you want to explore in a phrase (for example "candlestick holders,") try using a single word like "holder" to determine exactly what type of "holders" are in highest demand with lowest competition. You may discover many other products with much better windows of opportunity.
Examples using a root word of "holder"....(my research time here was 90 seconds - each phrase under 10 competing)
"motorcycle wheel holders" KEI 676.0
"southwest pot holders" KEI 768.0
"hanging vine holder" KEI 924.5
" folbe fishing rod holder" KEI 1156.0
".30 Remington shell holder" KEI 1444.0
3. Try working with descriptive verbs.
Instead of researching a specific product using comprehensive search, try researching descriptive verbs like "new" or "old" or "rare" or "limited" or "reconditioned" or "polished" or "bronzed" or whatever? Try using any type of descriptive terms to explore all kinds of interesting data.
4. Did you know there are differences between the written word and spoken dialog?
Instead of researching common descriptive terms, try exploring natural sounding "dialogue." Try to remember to explore "words" based on dialogue, not just on written copy. Your customers often will say things to you in their dialogue that give you a great starting place to explore data.
5. Don't forget to research and explore the world of color.
What happens if you enter a single term representing a color like "red," or "aqua" or green or any color?
6. Explore any type of data at all in terms of a root word.
Don't forget to explore everything and anything that comes to mind. From a topic you notice on the news to something that may not even be a word at all. What happens if you try to explore a number or a price like $9.95 instead of a word?
7. Instead of just thinking of your research as "keywords" try thinking in terms of your audience's "topics of interest."
8. Instead of researching keyword phrases try watching for "behavioural trends" or keywords that "tell a story."
Examples of keywords that are telling:
"miniature doll instructions" KEI 961.0
"golf swing instruction dvds" KEI 1741.0
"how to build secret compartments" KEI 280.3
"building a basement in your home" KEI 512.0
"easy build shed kit" KEI 520.0
"How to Build an Icehouse" KEI 661.0
"build a reptile rack" KEI 676.0
"how to build military bunkers out of sand bags" KEI 729.0
"how to build custom furniture" KEI 1444.0
9. Consider any type
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Reader Feedback
Egg_Head wrote
Hello TrackerJohn, I like your lens. Check mine out. I just got started. I came in through your SEO Tip of the Day.
Posted February 28, 2008
Trackerjohn wrote
People are doing surprisingly intelligent searches with long tail keywords. As a rule, I most enjoy finding those unique phrases that reveal a behavioral trend. Discovering the user's needs based on the conditions that exist in their personal world equips you to help deliver the best content.
Posted December 29, 2007
hp_maintenance_kit wrote
Interesting info, long tailed keywords may be unique, but are they really searched?
Posted December 28, 2007
Keyword research forensics with Wordtracker
Keyword research tips for finding better data faster
Keyword forensics and Wordtracker Tips
Have you ever wondered why some people experience limitations initially in performing effective keyword research?
What are the most common elements can that block some people from doing fast and effective keyword research?
Why can't some people find the best results as quickly as others? Let's talk about this first. Then I'll share some quick and easy "how to" tips that I hope will help you.
What are the most common elements can that block some people from doing fast and effective keyword research?
Why can't some people find the best results as quickly as others? Let's talk about this first. Then I'll share some quick and easy "how to" tips that I hope will help you.
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John Alexander is Co-director of Training at Search
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