How to do Keyword Research for squidoo

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How to find that precise subject for your lens...

It is an under statement to say that keywords are important for getting your squidoo lenses (or any webpage really) found in google or another search engine.

If you are going to be making a lens to make money, you had better find out two things:

  • what words are people typing in search engines to look for what you are selling?

  • what's the competition?


But first...

What are keywords 

Keywords are words, just words

I have found that when people hear the word keyword, they often think of squidoo tags. This is perhaps understandable, but it's misleading.

Tags are keywords - yes.

But keywords are also those same words used in the title of your lens, in the title of your modules. In the subtitle of your lens and the subtitles of your modules.

In fact: those same keywords should be used in the text on your lens as well.

But the main thing is the title of the lens and the lens URL.

That is, if you can get:
www.squidoo.com/keyword - take it.

Key Phrases - collections of keywords 

People looking for widgets don't only type in 'blue widget'. They also type things like 'cheap blue widget'. 'Cheap blue widget' is a key phrase.

Guess what: if you have that precise phrase on your lens, it is more likely to rank highly when someone types that into google.

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Checking the competition - How do I do keyword research 1 

You do keyword research by keeping Google as your friend.

Google is your ticket to knowing your competition.

I often make lenses after having checked whether my topic is represented well in the top 10 in google. If not: make your lens, especially if you know your topic is likely to be hot anyhow.

But it can go a bit further than that. Sometimes you know the official term for something. Say the medical term for a disease. You look up that disease in google and it looks awful (from the perspective of someone looking to make a buck): all kinds of specialty advice from people sharing their knowledge about this disease.

But you're not done: now check that same disease in layman's terms. Chances are - not so much competition.

If that still doesn't help - try adding a word like 'curing ...' and searching that in google. The longer your phrase, the less likely your competition has snagged it yet.

But still, many people may be looking just how to cure your disease. Or maybe not...

Which brings me to step 2.

Tags - less important than they seem

What's easier than just changing a few tags? Few things are - but tags are really not that important. Pick tags that similar lenses have used - especially lenses in the same category.
Ultimately the text on your lens: especially your title and the titles on your modules make most of the difference.

What are people looking for online? How to do keyword research 2 

Is my topic popular?
To figure out if your topic is popular at all, you can check Google Trends. I don't really use this much, because my niches tend to not be popular much. But if you want to go for money, it helps if your general topic is popular anyhow.

What are people typing in google?
Once you know whether your topic is popular at all, you want to know the precise phrases people are typing. Google and all the other search engines want to match the text a person types with the text on your lens or webpage. The closer the match, the higher your lens is likely to come on the page.

There are all kinds of tools out there to do this: to find out keywords and key phrases people are typing in google. But you will get by easily with the following two:

  • Google Adwords
    Watch out: by default this tool is geo-targeted. So if you don't live where your customers live, tweak your settings.

  • Word Tracker

Squidoo helps with keyword research - How to do keyword research 3 

Once you've got a lens that gets a lot of traffic, your squidoo stats can help you find out what you should make more of.

Is your lens getting decent traffic for some phrase you are using only once on your page? Devote a whole lens on that topic and use that key phrase as the title.

Is your lens getting drops of traffic on some subject you hadn't thought about that belongs on your lens? Devote a module on it.

Are you getting sales of a specific product related to your lens - but more specialized than your current lens? Make a lens about that specific product (or range of products).

To the next level: allinanchor and allintitle 

I have to admit, I don't use these at all when doing keyword research and it may be why some of the lenses I've made with keyword research ended up at the bottom of my lens list. So don't do as I do, do as I say and check the following in google:

allintitle:keyword or key phrase
This checks how much competition there is for the precise phrase you had in mind. In most cases this will not add much to searching for the phrase itself, but it does filter out results from high trust sites that come up in the serps anyhow.

allinanchor:keyword or key phrase
This one is the really advanced stuff: what is the competition that has links with the right keywords pointing to their stuff? The more links like that the competition has, the harder it is to beat them and rise to the top.

If you want to search for a phrase, or a set of keywords, you should also try using double quotes:

allinanchor:"keyword1 keyword2"

That's not the same as the following, so while you're being thorough, try that too. Pick the version with the least competition.

allinanchor:"keyword2 keyword1"

Need more help? Check out this example on how to do keyword research 

And if you still didn't quite get it - I did a review of a lens in a very high potential (but also high competition) area: Weight Loss.

More on search engine optimisation 

While keywords are essential to search engine optimisation (or SEO), there are other things to consider as well...
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featured lens SEO Blogger - Free Tool For Easy Keyword Research

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Any more questions on keyword research? 

Lensmaster

WhiteOak50 wrote...

Well, I can tell you I have a better understanding of keywords this morning! Thanks again!

ReplyPosted June 28, 2009

Lensmaster

julcal wrote...

This is great info, thanks!

ReplyPosted June 23, 2009

Lensmaster

mulberry wrote...

Came back to see about the allintitle and allinachor stuff...I don't do this either, guess I need to check it out when I create my next lens!

ReplyPosted June 23, 2009

Lensmaster

lwhitelaw wrote...

Thanks for the information - I am still fairly new at squidoo and trying to figure out the whole keyword research thing. I do perform keyword research before creating my lenses but with mixed results so I am trying to figure out a system. The info you provided here has certainly helped me. Thank you!

ReplyPosted June 22, 2009

Lensmaster

Nickolie_Allen_Greer wrote...

Awesome Lens, 5 Stars - Keyword Research is a important part of marketing online. Without proper keyword research you are doomed to fail. Thank you for making this lens. http://www.squidoo.com/-Keyword-Research

ReplyPosted June 07, 2009

 
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