I have a product related Wordpress blog. I have been trying to learn more about the nuances of title construction with respect to how keywords and their position within the title affect SEO. Since an optimal title is so pivotal to SERPs and site traffic, I wanted to understand it better. I use a variety of SEO tools to research keyword search demand such as Google Adwords tool, Keyworddiscovery, and Keyword Elite. Some of the advice I've read is that these tools are inaccurate in the lower end of search volumes in two ways. The accuracy of the lower search volume figures (below say 3,000) can't be trusted. Also, there are long tail keyword combos that these tools don't even show which represent missed traffic opportunities. Keyword Strategy #1: Now, with this in mind, I understand the keyword order in a title should be optimized to display the highest volume relevant keywords first since Google places more weight on them. Also, this gives you the best chance of capturing long tail traffic since chances are there should be more of these long tail combos as the search volume increases even if the SEO tools don't indicate that. The remainder of the keywords in the title should be positioned lower in the title based on their relative search volumes. Keyword Strategy #2: Now, the other advice I read tends to advocate placing the long tail keywords at the beginning of the title based upon exploiting a niche which has less competition and you have better odds of ranking in the top 10 for DESPITE the fact that these keywords may not have high search volume. -------- The first strategy feels right with respect to picking up more long tail traffic but wrong in terms of subjecting my post to more SEO competition. After all, the higher search volume keywords are usually tougher to rank well for. The second strategy feels right in the sense that you can rank more easily for those long tail keywords, but wrong since you're limiting your opportunity for extra long tail traffic. Placing the long tails at the beginning seems wasteful in that way. --------- So, what is the consensus out there on the criteria to use in positioning relevant keywords in a title? Is it based on search volume, SERPS competition, combo of both? I'd appreciate hearing some expert advice on this. Many Thanks
This really sounds like a keyword choosing question. Choosing keywords is really a tricky business... most people pick them on gut feeling, there's really no right or wrong answer. But this is what I always try to do before launching an SEO campaign. 1) I run an adwords campaign with all the keywords I'm considering on exact match with full conversion tracking. Those that generate the most conversions after a month are those that I will then want to target. 2) Then I look at the number of inbound links (according to Yahoo) the top 3 websites for each search term have. 3) Now this bit is crucial, you have to know what you're capable of achieving, there's no point targeting a keyword that you know you're going to struggle to get. As a rule of thumb, if I'm using free SEO methods like onsite optimisation and directory submission I'll usually not bother going after a keyword where all 3 sites have over 4,000 links. If one of them is less, then I know I stand a reasonable chance of ranking and I'll put it on my shortlist. 4) Then I just target the top keyword on my shortlist, the one that generates the most conversons and is feasible to get. 5) If none are within my reach, I have to determine whether I really want to experiment with other methods and see what I get or just get the visitors through AdWords instead. This is what I do on a daily basis, I hope it helps. The key is to know what you're capable of achieving, the first site I tried to optimise was way out of my ability but then I targeted a much lower competition niche and was able to rank, I logged all my techniques and now use that example as a benchmark to measure the difficulty of other niches.