So, you’ve done your keyword research.  Trends and Insights have got you jumping, and now it’s time to compete with the 50,000+ competitors out there to be found on the first page of Google Search results.  So, what will set your keyword apart?

Keyword Optimization, of course!

The placement, frequency, and geography of your keyword are all important pieces of your Keyword Optimization puzzle.

SAM, what is Keyword Placement?

When I refer to keyword placement, I’m talking about optimizing content by making sure that your relevant keyword is EVERYWHERE on and in your page!  Your keyword should appear in the body content of your site/page, should be tagged, AND should be a part of your URL.  A cute URL is not as important as a relevant one.

How often should my keyword appear, SAM?

Frequency is a VERY important factor in optimizing your keyword.  We call the frequency of your keyword, “Keyword Density.”  Keyword Density ≈ (Keyword Phrase) ÷ (# of words). Ideal keyword density is approximately 3-5%, and can be easily calculated at http://www.keyworddensity.com/.  Remember, a keyword density which is too low, won’t optimize your site.  If your keyword density is too high, you could be flagged for keyword spamming.

SAM, what does geography have to do with Keyword Optimization and SEO?

Great question.  I am referring to varying types of media.  And by using the word geography, I’m asking you to see your site/page, and all forms of media in a bubble-chart layout.  If you’re trying to populate the web with your content, you need to “cover a lot of territory.”  Make your mark in a video, podcast, blog, article, and connect them all to your website, making sure to use your keyword strategically in all locations.

With Google dominating the search engine market, Microsoft has decided to try and best Google at it’s own game, with “Bing”. Bing is what Microsoft likes to call a “decision engine” rather that a search engine; This is because Bing claims to be the most accurate search engine on the net, advertised that it gives you the results you want with nothing unrelated. I decided that before I could fully trust this, I needed to test it out. After my short time with Bing, I found that it did have a number of helpful features to get what you’re looking for faster. For example, hovering your mouse over the site displayed a short blurb of information about the site, including a summary of it’s contents. Bing doesn’t seem to be anything revolutionary, but it is efficient. The only question now is if it can actually beat Google.

Microsoft’s Game Plan

Microsoft is putting a lot of money into promoting Bing in various forms of media. This means that more people will be aware of it’s existence than any other new niche search engine. Because it is a Microsoft product, any computer that has the default internet explorer homepage and search engine will be forwarded to Bing. Traditionally this has lead to an older and less savvy audience, however with the mix of new and unseen features and large media push it could attract a larger and broader demographic than the previous Live.com had.

What Does That Mean For Us?

In the end we should pay close attention to Bing. Not only does it have potential to capture a large market share from Google, it also will have much better deals and pricing for pay per click as the demand for Bing adverting has not reached that of Google. There may be very qualified traffic searching Bing and it is a relatively open market place for advertising. It would be worth dedicating some time and money to test out a Bing search engine marketing campaign. With the metrics and measurement we can use today it would not take long to get a clear picture of the return on investment possible through the Bing search engine.

Beyond natural and paid search marketing you may also want to pay close attention to what features they are adding to their search. Like Google it seems they are planning to have enhanced results that include a variety of media. This may be Video, flight listings, products, images, etc… all of these areas are an opportunity to start a search campaign.