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Urban myth | Stronger than fact | The keyword metatag

Posted in Keywords Organic search Principles Urban Myth
September 25th, 2009 by Pete

The power of urban myth is not something to be toyed with.

In a recent meeting a debate arose after I said that Google doesn’t use the keyword metatag. I was challenged on this point by someone confidently asserting that Google is indeed using the keyword metatag once again. He inferred that any suggestion that they weren’t was simply uninformed.

We agreed to disagree. The customer was confused. My creditability was compromised.

I blogged about the keyword metatag back in 2008. More recently even Google’s Matt Cutts once again debunked this urban myth, but the mighty keyword metatags’ magic powers will continue to persist…

My point is that there is so much SEO mis-information that the sheer mass generates its own pseudo-creditability much along the lines of …Oh yeah that must be true because I heard it the other day….

Metatag Basics
A metatag is a special place inside the web page HTML code that can store variables for example the Description meta tag which is used in SERPs

The keyword meta tag is one of a number of common HTML metatags, traditionally used to store a string of words that represent the content on that page.

Its use has persisted, particularly in Content Management Systems where editors are invited to add ‘search words’ etc that are then published into the keyword metatag by the CMS.

The keyword metatag was identified as being open to abuse around 2002, and no longer used by Google from that time and I suspect by many other search engines for the same reason.

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Google gadgets are more accessible than you might think

Posted in Keywords Organic search Tools
May 1st, 2009 by Pete

Google Gadgets have a stunning range of functionality.
I love the fact that despite their sophisticated internals, you can simply copy & paste them into your website.

Check out some of the gadget functionality on offer.

Ive added the Google gadget for Google’s Insights for Search into the right hand column in this blog so you can marvel at what South Aussies are currently searching for…

OK so maybe you’re not that interested in what we do in little ‘ol Adelaide, but look closer at the Insights for Search Gadget and you’ll notice you can even filter the display to particular search terms.

This example shows global searches relating to internet marketing in the last 30 days

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AdWords’ search-based keyword tool now available in Oz

Posted in AdWords In the news Keywords
April 22nd, 2009 by Pete

Google’s getting a bit superman-like with its barrage of enhancements for AdWords  - i.e. they’re coming in faster than a speeding bullet…  Today they launched the Search-based Keyword Tool into Australia

This tool compares current search activities against the content in your website and presents you with suggested keywords, their bid pricing etc

While the tool has been available in limited release since the end of ‘08, it is now generally accessible in Australia and elsewhere.

Ive used this tool on several recent projects, and will definitely be including it in my keyword research toolbox.

Try it out here yourself: Search-based Keyword Tool

This release is just one of an unyielding barrage of enhancements and new releases to help your AdWords online marketing campaign be more a more effective sales tool.

Is your AdWords service provider using these tools to make your campaign more competitive for you ?

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Insights for search evolves

Posted in In the news Keywords Tools
March 25th, 2009 by Pete

Insights for Search is a valuable keyword research tool, but who does keyword research ?

If you are able to take time to view the video below you will get a glimpse of how keyword research should be a significant contributor to your online and even offline marketing efforts.

A series of enhancements to Insight for Search announced in Inside AdWords today also signals its continuing evolution, with Google adding additional data sources, categories and greater granularity although sadly only in the US.

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Keywords metatag died in 2002

Posted in Keywords Organic search Principles
November 25th, 2008 by Pete

Keyword metatag

This article dating back to 2002 (that’s correct 2002!) is just one of a plethora of articles and controlled SEO experiments that have shown the keyword metatag has no affect on Google.

Unfortunately some folks just don’t get it.

Perhaps its because the tag’s name suggest that’s what it does and its just too damn temping to ignore it.

If you’re paying for SEO services and they are getting stuck into your keywords metatag you’d be better off looking elsewhere for your SEO services.

There, Ive said.  I feel better now.

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Paid search tips and traps

Posted in AdWords Analytics Keywords Online Sales Organic search Website Analysis
October 28th, 2008 by Pete

So you’ve been telemarketed by yet another paid search provider and it sounds like an excellent marketing investment (and it is!).

But how do you decide which paid search services your business needs, and importantly how do you decide which service provider to use ?  Could you DIY paid search ? Not sure? Read on. (more…)

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Google Insights for Search – An interesting Keyword research tool

Posted in In the news Keywords Tools
August 11th, 2008 by Pete

If doing keyword research is important to you, then Google’s new keyword tool Insight is well worth a look at http://www.google.com/insights/search

 

Insights for Search is an interesting extension to Google Trends functionality showing the relative volumes of searches regionally in geographical ‘heat diagrams’ as well as Trends original time based graphs

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Buying keywords

Posted in AdWords Keywords Organic search
January 25th, 2008 by Pete

Which keywords should you buy ?
‘Paying for keywords’ as part of a website search optimisation strategy is common practice as internet sales competition heats up in Australia. 

Frequently, and sadly we find Customers making poor keyword investments.

The Overture keyword database, the traditional free source for identifying keywords has been frozen, and although it may still produce output, the data is signfnicantly aged and irrelevant. 

Alternatives are expensive and until recently didn’t provide keywords filtered to the Australian marketplace.

Risk mitigation strategy:

  • Ensure your keyword strategy is based on contemporary and relevant keyword information.
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Its all about Keywords

Posted in Keywords Organic search Principles
December 15th, 2007 by Pete

Keywords are the foundation of paid and organic search success.

Yet in my ongoing mission to convince South Australian businesses to invest in internet marketing, one of my greatest challenges is getting them to optimise their keywords.

In considering what a keyword is, there are really three manifestations of keywords and to be effective, each needs to be aligned with the next.  I’ve developed this simple model to illustrate their relationship:

Keywords are:

1. Client’s words
Words that your clients use to describe the products or services you wish to promote online. This is easy to determine – you just listen to what your clients say when they are talking about your products – you’re doing that already – right?

2. Current searches
Yes, it is possible to extract search history from Google. Its quite legal and VERY interesting to see what is actually being searched for.

You would be surprised (maybe horrified) at the poor use of grammar and the predominance of dyslexic-like searches. Interestingly, as we are all becoming more sophisticated searchers, so our search criteria is evolving from single words into a short phrases of three and even four words.
 
Search engine extracts are the ultimate reference for fine tuning keywords because they show exactly what your clients are searching for. Importantly they also provide search volumes (i.e. the size of the market) and results (i.e. your competition).

Handy indeed, and a critical consideration when selecting your keywords.

3. In your website
Ultimately your website is where your keywords need to reside.
Critically, your first audience for the site’s keywords is not prospective clients, but search engine spiders.  These programs trawl the internet scanning websites examining keywords for use by the search engine for your clients searches.

The spider will determine which words are predominate in your site. Configuring your website to achieve this is a challenge in its own right but fundamnetally ensuring those words are quite evident in your site.

As a result of this discussion, a more accurate definition for keyword might now be:

“A short phrase predominate in your website,
searched for frequently by prospective clients”

Keyword alignment, is a term I use to describe the relationship of these three keyword manifestations, and when optimal, maximises your site’s sales effectiveness.

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