Research allows you to discover which phrases people search with, when they consider a topic. Keyword phrase research also tells you the reality of how popular a topic is. You may think some thing or place is popular only to find out it has very few people searching for it. This is critical market knowledge you need to be a successful marketer. My favorite tool for keyword research is Google Keyword External. Here is the link:
https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Factors to consider as you choose a keyword phrase:

1) How many other websites are you competing for search engine ranking?
The longer and the more specific a keyword phrase, the less competition you will have from other web pages. If you type “cruises” into Google you will find the search engine has over 24 million web pages cataloged with the word “cruises.” You will need to be pretty darn lucky or extremely good at SEO to gain a Google page #1 listing for cruises. However, if you targeted a longer keyword phrase like “Mediterranean Cruises” you will be competing with only 2.1 million web pages for a page one listing. If you narrow it further to “Carnival Mediterranean Cruises” you find only 744,000 web pages have this term.

2) How many people search with that keyword phrase?
This is information you need to know to determine if a keyword phrase has enough people searching with it to be worthwhile targeting. Researching the examples above in Google Keyword External you will find there were 16.6 million monthly searches for the term “cruises” but only 165,000 people searched for “Mediterranean Cruises” and 1,300 people searched for “Carnival Mediterranean Cruises.”
So which of these keyword phrases would I target?

I would choose Carnival Mediterranean Cruises for a number of reasons.

 •  The term has the least amount of web pages competing with it for position in the search engines. I have a better chance of attaining a page one or two listing.

 •  The keyword phrase “Cruises” is not something that one might type in who is far enough into the purchasing cycle to be considered a worthwhile lead. If someone types in “Cruises” you would figure they were in the beginning stages of researching their cruise vacation right? They will probably continue searching before taking the leap to make an inquiry. How about if they typed in Carnival Mediterranean Cruises? Now we’re getting a person who has done some research and is getting more serious.

Lessons Learned About Keyword Phrases

• Keyword phrases are the words people type into search engines to find the information they want.
• The basis for all online marketing is rooted in targeting keyword phrases.
• Use keyword phrases to craft your target marketing strategy.
• Keyword research is critical to find the right phrases to target.
• Consider plural keyword phrases and a singular keyword phrase.
• A good keyword phrase has few competing web-pages and a lot of people searching with the phrase.
• Go to Google Keyword External and research a list of 20 keyword phrases you want to target for your travel specialty or niche. Keep this list handy so as you craft your web pages and articles to include one in each of your posts.
• Make sure your web page Title Tag, Blog Post Title and Social Media Posts have one of your targeted keyword phrase included.
• Repeat the targeted keyword phrase three or four times within the body copy of your web pages and blog posts.

Anyone had success using targeted keyword phrases in your marketing efforts?

Enjoy the JourneyGeorge