There is no special formula or secret coding society for getting SEO right first time, despite what some may say. SEO is a straightforward process of ticking boxes and common sense.
The probability of getting your SEO campaign right first time is slim, which is why keeping an eye on what you have done is an essential part of the learning process for DIY SEO fans. Research is key (you may find I go on a lot about research!) Without it you are destined to fail. So to help you on your way to SEO success here are three FREE tools to help:
- SEO for Firefox From SEOBook. A great little plugin for Firefox that I personally use everyday. Installs into your browser and you can turn it off and on simply by clicking on the button installed in the bottom right hand of your screen. It has links to all the free keyword research tools and also whois, yahoo backlinks, Google Cache date and more.
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Guessing the keywords your visitors may use is a big “no no”, believe it or not the way YOU search may not be the way the majority of users search.
This plugin is also really handy for checking your competitors out i.e. their backlinks, where they come from, number etc using the yahoo backlinks link.
- If you are not a firefox user this handy FREE (gotta love that word) tool Seed Keywords is a basic but informative way to go for DIY SEO fans. Simply create your scenario i.e. “What would you type if you wre looking for a great deal on a hotel in Blackpool” which generates a link. You then share this link with your friends/colleagues/families/facebook/twitterverse in fact anyone you choose! Try out this link for size http://www.seedkeywords.com/?id=hck325wf
When the link is clicked on it gives users the oppotunity to enter as many keywords/phrases they choose. There is also a button to see what the repsonses have been so far with links to google SERPS (or any other engine you choose) for those keywords.
It isn’t a fool proof method of getting the right keywords for your site BUT it is a good start and insight in to general user behaviour. You will then have to research (again) if your competitors are using these phrases etc in their campaigns.
TIP: Use the inTitle link on the Seed Keywords results page to see the websites that are using the phrase in their website title. This is usually a good indicator that the keyword/phrase is one to consider as your most profitable/searchable keywords/phrases should be in your Title Tag. Look at the companies that are using that phrase – are they corporates/competitors? Are there a lot of results or very few? You will normally find the higher the inTitle results the more favourable the keyword.
- Another personal favourite of mine and one I use for clients is Keyword Questions from Wordtracker Labs. If you write a lot of articles or informative blog posts for end users and you want to up your “expert” satus in your field this is a great one for you.
Searchers type questions into Search Engines every day looking for specific answers. You will increase your longtail keyword span, gain new visitors, possibly even a backlink or two so it is worth optimising your article/blog post title.
What tools do you use? Are there any you have found useful that you would like to share? Comments appreciated 🙂
