SEO For Artists

Keywords on your blog, website, and even your auction listings are essential to your content being found. Taking time to choose effective and relevant keywords is a vital tool in your marketing toolbox.

Many tools are available to research keywords, some free and some not. The ones that are not usually let you use them for a limited number of uses. One of the best free tools is Google AdWords Keyword Tool . First off, it works best with Internet Explorer. For some reason, the captcha doesn’t show up on my version 3 FireFox. No matter.

The tool is useful wherever you’re at in the keyword selection process. Selecting the descriptive words or phrases radio button allows you to research possibles. Enter one word or phrase per line. You have the option to filter your search by adding words not to include. For example, if you sell watercolors, finding keywords related to oil painting really doesn’t help you. Add oil to the filter list. Or if you do realist works, keywords containing abstract would not be relevant either.

Google returns a usually rather lengthy list of possible keywords. You can see last month’s search volume, the average search volume, and the competition for advertisers bidding for each keyword. It helps to know what you’re up against if you do pursue some type of advertising.

The match type is either broad, phrase, exact, or negative. Broad means that your word can show up anywhere. For example, if you entered watercolor, you could get watercolor lessons, watercolor paintings, photoshop watercolor, etc.  Obviously, the term isn’t capturing that targeted audience you may want.

Phrase means that the phrase will appear in the search, but maybe with other words around it. Used books can come up with used cook books. Depending upon your market that can work–or not. Exact is as the word implies, an exact match of your keyword. Negative refers back to those irrelevant terms I discussed above. The match type is meant to be used for choosing keywords for advertising, but it’s good to know just the same.

The real value in the tool is getting you that list to get you brainstorming about how to write your content. If your site is up already, selecting website content in the beginning of your search will suggest keywords based on what is already published.

Keyword research is important when developing your content. Using Google AdWords Keyword Tool empowers you as the writer.

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