How To Choose the Right Keywords for Your Website

Written By : Clifford Blodgett

As any craftsman knows, your vision is only the foundation of any creative effort. Choosing and using the right tools for the job can help your intentions to manifest in reality.

One of the main reasons you’ve chosen to create a website is to increase your visibility and help potential clients find you. But much as a craftsman needs to use the correct tools to create a work of art, you  may have to use the correct tools to create your home on the internet. Since improving your website’s ranking is a large part of your overall goal, choosing and using the right keywords should give you the tools you need to be successful.

So how do you choose the correct keywords?

Traditionally, keywords were the words an internet user would input into a search engine, such as Google, to help them find information. In your case, potential clients might enter “financial advisors” if they are searching for a professional to help them with their retirement strategy. Think of which keywords describe your services, and include them in your website content.

That’s a good start, but…

Today’s more savvy internet users are gravitating toward long-tail keywords of three words or more. For example, they may input “financial advisors in Portland, Oregon”. This yields search results which are much more relevant to their needs. Therefore, your keywords need to be much more specific and carefully researched.

Research your keywords.

There are two main strategies you can use to research the best keywords for your website. The Google Adwords tool can help you discover the most popular searches using a particular keyword. For example, you can input “financial advisor” and then see exactly how people are using that word to search for financial advisors. This can help you to decide upon long-tail keywords.

On the other hand, you can use a reverse approach with Google Analytics to see how people are finding your website. Analytics shows you which keywords have worked to entice new traffic to your website, and which ones aren’t working.

Since internet marketing can often be a trial-and-error endeavor until you discover what works for you, try using a combination of the above methods. Use Google Adwords to choose a few good keywords, and then try them out. Using Google Analytics, you can then track their results and decide which ones are bringing in the most reliable web traffic.

One last tip: Beware of keyword stuffing. Google’s algorithm is able to sense when you’ve “stuffed” posts with too many keywords, and it can actually hurt your website ranking rather than helping you. A good rule of thumb is to remember the importance of well-written content; if your keywords appear so often that your blog sounds redundant, then you’re probably overusing them.

FOR INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR USE WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC 14200 – 2015/3/5

Filed under: Financial Advisor Marketing, Social Media for Financial Advisors