Keyword Research Problem

To be quite honest you need to be looking at both competition and keyword research. I typically look for sites with at least 1k in search volume and under 500k competing web pages.

Though each persons methods are going to be different.

It doesn't matter which guru you talk to or course you get about keyword research as all methods will be different.

The method I use is to do a search with the allintitle: modifier in gogle.

i.e. allintitle: keyword

I look at how many competing pages are there then look at the search volume in google external keyword tool and if it is at or higher than 1k global search volume I add it to a spreadsheet.

My spreadsheet typically is set up as below:

keyword | search volume | # of allintitle | KEI

So I add the keyword in as well as its global search volume and competition # then divide the search volume by competitors to get a value I can base that keyword on as having potential for high ranking. The closer to the whole number of 1 you are the easier it should e to rank for...

I go out and get the SEOBook toolbar that brings up # of links for each site you visit and take down the total number of links for each site that is on top 10 for that keyword I did the allintitle search for and add each site to a separate page or separate spreadsheet to do my competition analysis.

My competition analysis sheet would be set up with something like this:

keyword | URL | # of links | Windows of opportunity

There may be one other column i am forgetting as my spread sheets on my laptop.

Any way,

I add the keyword one per set of search results then start going down the list. If I see a site that has under 650 links I know that within a month or twos time that I can most likely outrank it. So if it meets that criteria I add it to the spreadsheet along with its # of links. As I go down the first 10 results if I see something like goarticles, ezinearticles or any type of article site then I add articles to the windows of opportunity column. If I see youtube or any type of video site I add in video and so on...

By the time that I have the two spreadsheets filed out I not only know keywords that I can rank for but how likely it is that I can rank for that keyword. I use the windows of opportunity to try to push the competition out on to page 2 or 3 in hopes of getting as many spots on google as possible for that keyword.

If I can do anything to assist anyone that is confused let me know by sending a PM. My best advise for you is to come up with a method that you yourself are sure in and ultimately test things out...

Hope this clears up some confusion...

Cheers!

Jay

EDIT:
Oh and btw, if I don't see a keyword on googles external keyword tool I also use a site called wordpot as there have been some cases where a keyword won't show for google but will in wordpot.

Great system/analysis, Jay. Thanks!

How about adding the modifier inurl though?

That can cut down on the competition in a big hurry too. And Google seems to give preferantial treatment to sites that have the keyword in their URL unless I'm missing something.