The document summarizes a panel discussion on keyword research from the ionSearch 2012 conference. The panel included experts from Linkdex, Search Laboratory, and Wordtracker who discussed various tips and tools for effective keyword research. Some of the main points covered in the discussion included understanding the market and customer intent, using keyword data from tools like Adwords and Wordtracker to analyze search volume and relevance, monitoring keywords over time, and taking a demand-driven approach to website structure and content.

1. ionSearch 2012 - Expert Panel Suite
Killer Keyword Research
Matt Roberts – VP of Product, Linkdex - Moderator
Jimmy McCann – Head of Search, Search Laboratory
Mal Darwen – Product Manager, Wordtracker
Roland Dunn – Refined Practice/Cloud Shapes

2. ionSearch 2012
Jimmy McCann
Search Laboratory

3. Killer Keyword Research
5 Tips and Tools
Jimmy McCann – Head of SEO @ Search Laboratory

4. #1 – Know the Market
• How does offering compare?
– Ask yourself.. will it convert?
• Range
• Pricing
• USP’s
Source - http://lukachtaengleman.blogspot.co.uk

5. #1 – Know the Market
• Use right terminology on your site
Reflect what users search for!
• B2B
– Avoid in house jargon
– Sector specific navigation
• Ecommerce

6. #1 – Know the Market
• Seasonality
• Adapt focus / strategy
– Ahead of peaks

7. #2 – Use your Loaf
• Be logical
• Assess keyword potential
– i) Search volume
– ii) Search intention
– iii) Relevance / ability to convert
img source flickr - betterbrandagency

8. #2 – Use your Loaf
i) Search Volume
• Use wordtracker / Adwords KW tool
– Adwords not 100% accurate
• Especially on low volumes
• However
– Good barometer for prioritisation

9. #2 – Use your Loaf
ii) Search Intention
• What does a user want to find from their query?
– Think about it
• Head terms
– Offer large amounts traffic
– Not all traffic is 100% relevant

10. #2 – Use your Loaf
ii) Search Intention
• Not specified, could be a host of things
eg
– How does solar energy produce
electricity?
– What is solar energy?
– I want to find out more about solar
energy because I’m thinking about
getting some solar panels for my house

11. Search Intention
ii) Search Intention
• Very specific to the service site offers
– Conversion rate higher
• Less difficult to rank for this term
– Than ‘solar energy’ That’s what we do!!!

12. #2 – Use your Loaf
iii) Relevance
• Is keyword relevant to company’s products / services?
– Are they competitive in this area?
I need a solar We are solar
search - ‘solar panel
panel panel
installers’
installer! installers!
User Company

13. #3 -
• PPC data to test the water
– Especially in emerging / ultra niche
markets
• Conversion rate data key
• Exact match data only
img source – Leftcoastcowboys.com

14. #3 -
• Can be used to find actual search
volumes
• Setup campaign
– Handful exact match keywords only Accuracy!
– Put exact negatives on other campaigns
• Make sure 100% impression share

15. #4 – SERP’s
• What does Google think is suitable?
• Helps assess intention
• Categorise competing listings
– Direct competitors
– Research
– Blended results
• ‘solar energy’ SERP

16. #4 – SERP’s
Research
Research
Research

17. #4 – SERP’s Research
News
Competitor
Images

18. #4 – SERP’s Research
Research
Research
Research

19. #5 –
• Organic traffic / conversions
– Not from page one
• Identifies easy keyword wins
– Traffic / conversions coming via page 2
Credit - http://www.distilled.net/blog/seo/tracking-referrals-from-second-page-of-google-in-google-analytics/

20. Key Tips – Show ROI
• Show return early in campaign
– Logical approach from ground up

21. Key Tips – Be Realistic
• Don’t aim above your station
– …(just yet)

22. Key Tips – Long Tail!
• Long tail keywords first
– Easier to optimise
– Will convert better
– Allows reinvestment into campaign / less
risk
• Build up to head terms
– Naturally over time

23. Summary
• #1 – Know the Market
• #2 – Use your Loaf
• #3 – Test using PPC
• #4 – Analyse SERP’s
• #5 – Refine using analytics

24. Any Questions?:
www.searchlaboratory.com
jimmy@searchlaboratory.com
@jimmymccann
JIMMY MCCANN /in/jimmymccann1982
Head of SEO

26. ionSearch 2012
Mal Darwen
Wordtracker

27. Wordtracker
Keyword Modifiers
Keyword Anatomy
Content and Intent

28. Let’s talk about tools for a
moment…

29. Let’s talk about tools for a
moment…
•Finding Keywords
•Site structuring with Keyword Research
•Site Auditing
•Rank Tracking
•Easy export of Keywords + data

30. We’ll talk about tools in the
Tools Suite later on.

31. Your Brain. The best tool you have
available. Ever.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/perpetualplum/

32. Understand your Market
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pigalleworld/

33. Understand your Market
Define your Strategy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hikingartist/

34. Understand your Market
Define your Strategy
Target Effectively
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7994528@N03/

35. Keyword Modifiers….
They can help you attract better
traffic

37. Keyword Modifier
Restaurant In Chicago
Restaurant In New York
Restaurant In Tuscon
Restaurant In Seattle

38. Monitor

39. Monitor
Test

40. Monitor
Test
Tweak

41. Modifiers make keywords
flexible…

42. Keyword Modifier
Shirts Men’s
Women’s
Children’s
Large
Small

43. Modifier Keyword
Mountain Bike Tyres
BMX Tyres
Road Bike Tyres
Racing Bike tyres

44. Keyword Modifier
Mountain Bike Tyres
BMX Bike Tyres
Road Bike Tyres
Racing Bike Tyres

45. Keyword Modifier
Product/Primary Buy
Get
Purchase
find

46. Keyword Modifier
Product/Primary Quality
Bargain
Cheap
Free

47. Your content needs to
match your Keywords!
…no, really.

51. SEO can not live
on keywords alone…

52. Be clear
in your intent

53. Thank you!
www.wordtracker.com
mal@wordtracker.com
@wordtracker

55. ionSearch 2012
Roland Dunn
Refined Practice

56. Killer Keyword Research
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

57. Keyword Research =
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

58. Keyword Research = Relevance Analysis =
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

59. Keyword Research = Relevance Analysis = Digital Market Research
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

60. 2007: Google not seen 1 in 4 search queries
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

61. 2011 (March): Google not seen 1 in 5 search queries
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

62. March 2011: Google has never seen 20% of queries before
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

63. March 2011: Google has never seen 20% of queries before
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

64. March 2011: Google has never seen 20% of queries before
(yes, really)
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

65. © 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

66. It’s very long
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

67. pearl wedding jewellery
cheap laptops
wedding jewellery pearls cheap laptops uk
wedding pearls cheapest laptops
wedding pearl jewellery laptops cheap
pearl jewellery wedding cheap laptop computers
wedding jewellery pearl cheap laptops online
pearl wedding jewelry cheapest laptops uk
pearl wedding jewelery cheap good laptops
wedding jewelry pearls
wedding pearls jewellery
(and many, many more)
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

68. Key Question:
How to cost-effectively attract as much relevant natural search
traffic as possible?
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

69. Key Question:
How to cost-effectively attract as much relevant natural search
traffic as possible?
Answer:
1. Understand the concepts, objects, things behind the queries
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

70. Key Question:
How to cost-effectively attract as much relevant natural search
traffic as possible?
Answer:
1. Understand the concepts, objects, things behind the queries
2. Understand the relationships between these things
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

71. Key Question:
How to cost-effectively attract as much relevant natural search
traffic as possible?
Answer:
1. Understand the concepts, objects, things behind the queries
2. Understand the relationships between these things
3. Structure your digital presence around that demand
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

72. © 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

73. Eight different search queries
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

74. Eight different search queries
All for the same thing: “outdoor clothing”
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

75. ski jackets 41,195
ski jacket 9,999
skiing jackets
Ski Jackets 2,391
mens ski jackets 1,539
Mens Ski Jackets
men ski jackets 1,012
ladies ski jackets 2,840
ladies ski jacket Ladies and Womens Ski Jackets 1,445
women's ski jackets 1,409
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

76. Outdoor Clothing
Four types of “demand” (clusters of demand)
Ski Jackets
Mens Ski Jackets
Ladies and Womens Ski Jackets
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

77. Demand-Driven Structure (IA)
Home Page
Outdoor Clothing Ski Jackets
Mens Ski Jackets Ladies and Womens Ski Jackets
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

78. Demand-Driven Structure (IA)
Home Page
Outdoor Clothing Ski Jackets
Mens Ski Jackets Ladies and Womens Ski Jackets
• Landing pages directly matches specific “demand”
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

79. Demand-Driven Structure (IA)
Home Page
Outdoor Clothing Ski Jackets
Mens Ski Jackets Ladies and Womens Ski Jackets
• Landing pages directly matches specific “demand”
• Each page naturally targets multiple search queries
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

80. Demand-Driven Structure (IA)
Home Page
Outdoor Clothing Ski Jackets
Mens Ski Jackets Ladies and Womens Ski Jackets
• Landing pages directly matches specific “demand”
• Each page naturally targets multiple search queries
• Structure itself matches demand
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

81. © 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

82. © 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

83. Relevance Analysis can go to the core of your organisation
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

84. Relevance Analysis can require significant change ...
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

85. Relevance Analysis can require significant change ...
And therefore need real commitment from senior management
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

86. © 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

87. Sources of Search Data
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

88. Experian Hitwise:
• More than 8 million UK internet users
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

89. Experian Hitwise:
• More than 8 million UK internet users
• Terrific data: significant volumes of queries, qualified queries
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

90. Experian Hitwise:
• More than 8 million UK internet users
• Terrific data: significant volumes of queries, qualified queries
• Expensive, but ...
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

91. Google Adwords Keyword Tool:
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

92. Google Adwords Keyword Tool:
• Free
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

93. Google Adwords Keyword Tool:
• Free
• Adwords focused data
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

94. Google Adwords Keyword Tool:
• Free
• Adwords focused data
• Time-consuming extracting significant volumes
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

95. © 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

96. What’s Coming?
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

97. What’s Coming?
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

98. What’s Coming?
Loss of understanding what we are relevant to?
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

99. What’s Coming?
Loss of understanding what we are relevant to?
Will impact Experian Hitwise
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

100. What’s Coming?
Loss of understanding what we are relevant to?
Will impact Experian Hitwise
Leave us with just Google Adwords Keyword Tool?
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

101. Need to develop other approaches to analyse Relevance?
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

102. Keyword Research =
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

103. Keyword Research = Relevance Analysis =
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

104. Keyword Research = Relevance Analysis = Digital Market Research
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn

105. Online Branding: Natural Search:
http://www.refinedpractice.com/ http://www.cloudshapes.co.uk/
T: @RefinedPractice T: @roland_dunn
Slides Available At:
http://www.cloudshapes.co.uk/talks/
© 2007-2012 Roland Dunn