As The X-Files told us every week for 9 years, “The Truth Is Out There”. Of course that can mean anything and for this post the truth I’m talking about is keywords.
One of the things I find most interesting about SEO is that in 17 years, I have only had a couple of times where we literally ran out of keywords to target. The truth is that any site has far more keyword options and groups than existing pages on their website. What that means to you and me is that keyword optimization is an ongoing endeavor with nearly unlimited possibilities.
Most sites I have worked on have thousands upon thousands of keywords to target. Most sites have a broad focus with a number of sub-topics to pursue. That winter clothing site can target men’s clothes, snow gear, brand name items, etc. Research any of those topics and you get thousands of viable keywords that all fit that theme and even child themes of those themes.
Enter social media. Many searchers aren’t just looking for products or services. They are looking for answers to questions. That opens up a lot of doors for more keywords and content that can be optimized.
[inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]If you still think of optimization as targeting your top ten keywords, you’re playing a losing game. [/inlinetweet]Optimization of hundreds of longer-tail, more specific phrases can bring in far more traffic–and vastly more conversions–than targeting your top 10 keywords alone.
If you think you’ve reached the end of your keywords, it’s time to do more research. The keywords are out there and opportunities abound. Failure to dig up and optimize for all these keywords will ultimately lead to a failure in growing your business.