SEO and Tunnel Vision

Search engine optimization is tricky business. It’s part art and part science. No one knows exactly what needs to be done to achieve optimal results. The hardest part of SEO is keyword selection. You have to research how people are finding your web site, what terms they use and patterns they follow. It’s not easy. However, the good thing about SEO is that those patterns do exist. You just need to find them and optimize your web site to take advantage of them. This involves implementing the correct keywords throughout your site in a meaningful and effective manner. Sometimes, though, you find a couple of keywords that you think exactly describe how people will find you in the search engines. For example, a plumber in Virginia will likely hone in on the keyword "Virginia plumber" and this may be all that they work toward. What happens then is that the plumber’s web site will be nicely tuned into the keyword "Virginia plumber". They may rank highly for that keyword, too, given the right strategies. But in pursuing that keyword, other important keywords are being ignored. What about people searching for "kitchen sink repair" or "toilet plumber"? These keywords matter as well and people are searching for them. Don’t lose focus on buyer patterns by dedicating all of your time to those handful of keywords that you think perfectly translate into your business. Look for the less obvious keywords, too.