How to Improve Your Google Rankings with the Right Keywords in the Right Places.

JULY 1, 2007 Update

When I originally posted this article, I reasoned in it that getting higher page rankings on Google would make a big difference in my ability to attract new clients for my book manuscript editing services. And it did. As my page rankings went higher, I began to attract an increasing number of prospective clients.

See the results of my latest search for keywords to see how much higher I've moved up on Google as a result of using more of the right keywords in the right places. Note the text additions in RED, which serve to update my latest search results for keywords I was originally tracking.

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How to Improve Your
Google Rankings
with the Right Keywords
in the Right Places

by Barbara Brabec

This article explains how I was able to move my writing and editing services page on Google from position #59 to #4 in a matter of days through the simple addition of the right keywords to body text and headings and to image and link tags.

When I began to offer writing, editing, and telephone consulting services to my Web site, I figured it was finally time to get serious about search engines. My focus was on Google since I get five times the traffic from Google than I do from Yahoo. My writing/editing services page was coming up six or seven pages down on Google, which is way too far down for anyone to look when they're searching for specific products or services on the Web. (If your listing doesn't appear on the first or second page, few people will find you.)

After reading several articles on the importance of using keywords to improve rankings, I started my "keyword project" by using a great little search engine optimization tool a friend directed me to. There, I found I could type in up to five keywords or keyword phrases and see how certain pages on my site were positioned on Google. The results were fascinating. (Now I use Google AdWords Keyword Tool.)

The first thing I learned was that search results vary dramatically depending on how one orders their keywords when doing a search. Thus, to effectively plant keywords, you must first figure out what words most people are likely to use when searching for whatever it is that you're trying to sell on the Web, and then you've got to figure out how to string those words together for the search engines to find.

Use of Commas and the Word "and" in Keyword Searches

One of the things that surprised me was how search results varied when you used a comma or the word "and" in a keyword phrase. For example, my first search for "writing, editing services" had my writing/editing services page listed #59. But when I searched for "writing and editing services" (using "and" instead of a comma), that same page came up #19 (not great, but certainly better). More interesting, when I searched for "editing, writing services" (merely reversing the order of the keywords), my pages were nowhere to be found in the first one hundred listings. However, a search for just "editing services" had that page positioned #59 (same as "writing, editing services") whereas "book manuscript editing service" came up in #43 position, and "book manuscript editing" ranked me a bit higher, at #35. There were no results at all for searches for "book editors," or "ebook editing."

For those of you who are selling home-business products or services, note that listings will turn up in a different order, and also in a different volume, depending on the exact keywords you search for and whether you separate words with a space or a hyphen or use a plural of a word. A little "s" can make quite a difference. This is important to remember whenever you're planting keywords in your headings, sub-headings or body text, or in your Meta, image or link tags. For example, check the number of listings that Google turns up when the following keywords are typed in the search box:

home business - 17,700,000
homebased business - 979,000
home based business -12,900,000
home-based business -1,910,000

The Power of the Hyphen and the Simple "s"

Since there are so many home-business pages on the Web, it's hard to get a specific home-business page high in the ranking. But here's where using a hyphen helps. Originally, I was nowhere in a search for "home business books," (now I'm #24), but when the same words are used with a hyphen ("home-business books"), my books cover page comes up in #11 position (now #8). What's interesting here is that the heading of this page is just "Barbara Brabec's Books," but Google has tied "books" with "home business" (no hyphen) and brings up this page when you search for the above phrase WITH a hyphen. (If there's any logic here, I can't find it.)

When I searched Google for "home-business expert," (note the hyphen) I was pleased to see my name come up #19 on Google (now #14); however, when I searched for the same words without the hyphen I was nowhere to be found in the top 100. Nor did my name show up when I searched for "home business experts" (plural, without hyphen). For the life of me, I can't figure out how a simple "s" could make so much difference in the results of a keyword search, but it obviously does.

If you search for me by name, I'll always come up on top because I'm just about the only Barbara Brabec who is active on the Web. For example, if you know my name and search for "Barbara Brabec's books," you'll get more than 400 pages (now 562) of my listings. It's not surprising, then, that a search for "books by Barbara Brabec" has me positioned #1 on Google. I was surprised to find that a search for "home-business authors" had me in #2 position right under my long-time competitors, the Edwards (now I'm #4), but even more surprised when I searched for "home business authors" (without the hyphen) and found I was nowhere to be found in the first ten pages.

Adjusting and Adding the Right Keywords

Articles I've read have stressed the importance of using the same keywords several times on a page. The higher your "keyword density" on any given page, the more likely the page will be indexed by Google. Experts advise that we group keywords closely together, and also keep them as close to the beginning of a sentence or paragraph as possible. Add them to your headings and sub-headings and, when possible, use keywords in your links.

After I got serious about this business of using the right keywords, my Google rankings for my service pages improved dramatically. First, I studied the keywords being used by some of my competitors and made a list of words that should be added to my pages. Then I reread my pages and looked for places where I could add keywords to headings and body text. I then added descriptive tags to all my images and text links as well, since this is a legitimate way to increase keyword density on a page. (See below for how to write this HTML code.) Below, you can see how these changes improved my ranking for some of the search terms mentioned above. Of course, the rankings change all the time, depending on what others are doing each day, but the point is that I'm now on page one for some keyword searches whereas before I was on page six or nowhere to be found. This could make a big difference in my ability to attract new clients for my services. (Clearly, it did, because I'm now coming up on page one for four of the five listings below:)

BEFORE AND AFTER RANKINGS -        UPDATED JULY 1, 2007
"writing, editing services" - #59 / #4               (as of 7/1/07: #1)
"writing and editing services" - #19 / #7        ((as of 7/1/07: #2)
"editing, writing services" - #100+ / #47         (as of 7/1/07: #6)
"book manuscript editing service" - #43 / #28 (as of 7/1/07: #15)
"book manuscript editing" - #35 / #21             (as of 7/1/07: #5 & #6)

In trying to improve my page positions for my telephone consulting service, it was easy to get my consulting services page to come up #1 on Google, provided I searched for "telephone consulting service." But just because this is what I call my service doesn't mean anyone else is going to be looking for it on Google. If, however, someone is looking for "home business consulting," my page turns up #44, and the keywords, "home business consultant" give no results on the first 100 pages. You wouldn't think there would be such a difference between searching for "consulting" vs. "consultant," but Google apparently thinks so.

All this is to say that, before you plant your keywords, try to figure out just what people are likely to be searching for in the first place.

How to Add Tags to Images and Links

I like to add tags to links because I can convey an added message to site visitors, but this also happens to be an effective keyword strategy as well. (Mouse over some of the links on my home page to see what I mean.) You should also add descriptive tags to images for the benefit of those who may have graphics turned off on their browser.

To bring up a descriptive box that comes up when you mouse over a link, modify your HTML code according to this example:

Sample text: CLICK HERE to learn how to cut your self-employment (SE) taxes to the bone–this year and every year in the future! The plain HTML link code would be: <a href="Books/tax-strategies-ebook.htm">

HTML code with descriptive tag added would be:
<a href="Books/tax-strategies-ebook.htm" title="Sample Barbara Brabec's tax strategies book without charge! Learn how to maximize Schedule C tax deductions this year and every year in the future.">

(Note that I've just planted three important keyword search terms: "Barbara Brabec," "tax strategies book, and "Schedule C tax deductions.

To add a tag to a graphic image, you would use the word "alt" instead of "title" in your tag. For example: Text in one of my graphic images reads "Writing/Editing Services." The HTML tag for the image reads:

<img border="0" src="images_(file name)" alt="Graphic that says Writing & Editing Services, two of the services offered by home-business expert Barbara Brabec" width="156" height="49">

As you can see, I've sneaked in three keyword phrases here: "writing & editing services," "Barbara Brabec," and "home-business expert." (Note that it doesn't seem to make a difference whether you use "&" or "and.")

ENDNOTE

I first got interested in all this keyword stuff when I asked a new client how she learned of my services. She explained that she had just gone to Google and typed "writing, editing services" into the search bar, and I said thanks for the information. Then, when I did the same thing on Google and found that my listing was on the bottom of page six, I wrote back and asked why she chose me over the 58 other editors listed ahead of me on Google. Her answer really surprised me.

She said she had checked several Web sites, but decided on my services because she liked the looks of my Web site, but mostly because she liked my picture on the site. She said I looked like someone she could trust to do a good job for her. If ever there was an example of a picture being worth a thousand words, this is it!

In my books, I have often written about the importance of including your photograph on your printed materials and Web site because people don't do business with businesses; they do business with PEOPLE. And they like to know what the people they're doing business with look like. I don't understand why so many product and service sellers alike try to hide behind the fancy design of their Web sites when what could really sell a stranger on their products or services would be a photograph of themselves. Whether it's a formal portrait, a casual photo of you at work, or a nice line drawing that captures the "real you," remember that a picture truly is worth a thousand words, and it can often do a terrific selling job for you.

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