Content First, Keyword Research Second
0 comments | 1194 reads Quick, which is more important to your SEO—keyword research or site content? It’s actually a bit of trick question. Keyword research and site content actually work together to create a well-optimized site. Conducting keyword research won’t do much good if your site is full of low quality content. Meanwhile, great content needs some help appealing to the search spiders, which is where having the right keywords comes in handy. One without the other means your SEO if off-balance, like a table with one short leg. But when it comes to writing content and conducting keyword research, which tactic deserves priority seating?
On-site optimization starts with having great content.
The main reason you need to make sure your content is in good shape BEFORE you start conducting your keyword research is because you will select your keywords based on your site content. Search engines rank individual pages, not your site as a whole. This means that each page needs to be optimized for itself by choosing the keywords that most accurately reflect the content.
If you were to do it the other way around, trying to write content that fits your pre-selected keywords, you end up writing for the search engines and not for humans. That is probably one of the worst SEO mistakes you can make! Content should always be written for a human reader. Writing content around your keywords might make your site read disjointed or haphazard, as well as seem like you are trying to stuff keywords in as frequently as you can.
You should also write your content first because you don’t always know exactly how each webpage is going to develop. You may find it beneficial to add new pages while condensing or deleting others. Choosing your keywords first may limit your creativity and effect the overall flow of your site.
When you weave your keywords into existing content, the key is to do so naturally. You’re aiming for 2-5 unique keywords per page, but that doesn’t mean you have to force them all in. Depending on the page’s content, certain keywords may make more sense or flow better than others. That’s fine! You don’t want to stick keywords in haphazardly where they don’t belong. For instance, a Boston-area Thai restaurant should be targeting “Boston Thai restaurant” and “Thai restaurant Boston.” These are two different keywords with two different search results. However, the restaurant owner may find he uses “Boston Thai restaurant” more frequently because it works better with the existing content.
“Content is king” is a popular SEO mantra for a reason. Keywords won’t help make a bad piece of content good.
Nick Stamoulis
- About Nick Stamoulis |
Connect:
- 1194 reads
0 comments »
Join the conversation!
MarketPlace
Boost Customer Satisfaction & Loyalty at SCORE 2013
[May 29-31, Boston] Customer experience management (CEM) strategy meets customer operations at SCORE Conference 2013. Topics include driving customer satisfaction and loyalty, employee engagement, customer retention, call center technology and big data analytics. CustomerThink members save $700 off the regular registration fee.
Digital vs. Human Banking Experiences: Can This Be a Happy Marriage?
[June 6] It's time for banking leaders to rethink how to nurture and grow customer relationships in an increasingly digital world. Get the results of a new study that revealed the CX practices of top performing banks. Learn how digital Innovations can enable more personal service.
[June 10-13, Chicago] If you are responsible for the results of your company’s website, social media, ecommerce, web intelligence, data strategy, audience research and/or measurement, then mark your calendar. Customerthink members save 15% off full conference passes with code CTKTO15.
[June 10-13, Chicago] PAW's program will feature over 40 sessions with case studies so you can witness how predictive analytics is applied at leading enterprises. Customerthink members save 15% off full conference passes with code CTKTO15.
Confirmit’s Community Conference ’13 – London and Las Vegas
[June 19-21, London; June 26-28, Las Vegas] Attending CCC ‘13 gives you an unrivaled opportunity to understand and address rapid industry changes and discover new techniques that can drive your business forward. Create a tailored agenda that explains how to overcome the challenges your business faces. Take advantage of excellent networking opportunities and face-to-face discussions with thought leaders.
Global Customer Experience Management (CEM) Certification Program
[Sept 19-20, Amsterdam; Sept 24-25, Sao Paulo; Nov 12-13, San Francisco] An internationally recognized program with proven track record of success - being run for 40 times in 17 cities with attendees from 58 countries, the program is developed based on the U.S. patent-pending Branded CEM Method which aims to drive customer loyalty and brand differentiation with quantifiable business results. Limited offer: USD300 early bird discount.
Customer Experience Certification
[Sept 24-26, London] If you’re developing a customer experience program or want to review your current approach, join other customer experience leaders for this intensive 2.5-day certification. Presented by Medallia, the global leader in customer experience management. Enter code ‘Cthink’ to save$300/£200.
Voice of Customer 2.0: Creating Change Your Customers and Employees Can Believe In
[Recorded April 25] Despite good intentions, in the majority of companies Voice of Customer programs contribute little to business success. Join us to learn the secrets to capitalize on Customer Experience feedback, so you can drive organization actions that will unlock profitable growth.
Get your event or resource listed in the MarketPlace, reaching 200,000 business leaders monthly.
For more information, contact
CustomerThink advertising sales.
Follow CustomerThink
The Future of Work - Please Give Your Input
CustomerThink is collaborating with Chess Media Group in a study about "The Future of Work" including the use of social/collaborative tools. Please take a few minutes to share your input. As thanks for your time, you'll receive a complimentary copy of the report.
Featured Resources
