How to determine keywords that sell?

[Roy Siew]

Before I jump straight into optimizing my website to ensure that it appears on top for some targeted keywords, how do I ensure that I'm targeting the best possible keywords that sell? I'm trying to avoid a situation where I get to the top of the list for keyword x, only to realize later that it doesn't sell..

The approach I would take is to try out (using my common sense) a few keywords with PPC to test the waters. But it's expensive and it might not be as reflective because it's paid advertising.

What are your thoughts? Is there a methodical way to go about this? Any advice welcome!

[JonMills]

Originally Posted by Roy Siew

Before I jump straight into optimizing my website to ensure that it appears on top for some targeted keywords, how do I ensure that I'm targeting the best possible keywords that sell? I'm trying to avoid a situation where I get to the top of the list for keyword x, only to realize later that it doesn't sell..

The approach I would take is to try out (using my common sense) a few keywords with PPC to test the waters. But it's expensive and it might not be as reflective because it's paid advertising.

What are your thoughts? Is there a methodical way to go about this? Any advice welcome!

Hey Roy, yeah you will hear about people using adwords to test conversion on keywords and essentially that is a bit of a cock shoot if you ask me. It can be effective, but your results aren't going to be essentially accurate.

It's a bit like taking 100 keywords plugging them into adwords and hoping to find out which ones turn into sellers. Its not keywords that determine that its the buyer

Sure generic keywords have from my experience less conversion vs specific keywords i.e

people searching for

Credit Cards

vs

American Express Blue Cash Card

the 2nd from my experience had a higher conversion as the person has probably gone through what they want or dont want.

main thing is dont procrastinate too long on this, your leaving money on the table

Go with some specific ones and then test.. watch your stats over the first month and adjust..

many times people enter and buyer through obscure keywords and you only end up finding that out through testing and tracking.

[SurviveUnemployment]

I like the keyword "buy (anything)". It tends to convert pretty well. "Purchase" is good, too, along with "order" or "get." Tack on "online" to be extra golden.

If I were selling birdfeeders, I would go for "buy birdfeeders online" and "buy birdfeeders."

[Roy Siew]

I think you have a good point there Jon, I've not thought about it from the behavioural perspective of the buyer. I guess there are no shortcuts other than to just go with a few specific keywords and then track the results.

Originally Posted by JonMills

Its not keywords that determine that its the buyer

SurviveUnemployment, cool! I've not considered using 'buy' but I'll have a go at it with the Google keyword tool and see how's the frequency like. Might be great for some if not most products!

Palitra, good point - different people use different terminology. I guess if I was selling a gardening tutorial, I should avoid any jargon and focus on simple keywords that newbies would use.