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January 02, 2009
Keyword Research Vs. Keyword Forensics
Conversations on Keyword research vs. keyword Forensics
True keyword research is not about guessing at words and phrases based on logical thinking. True keyword research involves using Wordtracker’s powerful features to open up large bodies of fresh but accurate data and explore everything you find. The ultimate benefit to using the Wordtracker Magic methods I am describing is that you can quickly explore a much wider scope of word usage and phrase clustering without actually spending hours of research.
Not only will you discover the obvious keyword phrases, but you will find all of the variations of phrasing that 99% of most Webmasters miss. Ideally you will often discover hidden, behavioral, or industry trends that are quite telling about what your searchers would really appreciate finding.
Here are a few more helpful tips about researching data using Wordtracker.
Once you properly understand how to quickly bring the best windows of opportunity to the top (which saves you litteraly hundreds of hours of research time.)
Here are 5 out of 12 more newer tips on the aspect of "keyword forensics" or exploring the hidden evidence of user search behavior within the last 90 days.
These are taken from Keyword Forensics 2.0 for SEO:
Tip 1 of 12:
Exploring the use of trigger words as root words to explore behavior
What is a trigger word?
There are certain words that act as triggers and are probably best described as words than can cause people to take some kind of action. Since trigger words involve value and often will entice a visitor to take action, they also can be powerful root words for your keyword forensic research.
Examples of triggers:
• Learn - Learning is a very powerful trigger word for enticing someone to sign up for anything from a newsletter to a home study course. People love to learn new things and therefore using these types of words as a root word in Comprehensive may fill some missing ingredients for you.
• Save or saving – People are always looking for ways to save. Save on money, save on resources, save on time.
• Profit – People are always looking for ways to make money or to increase profits. Other words that are worth exploring are supporting words used with price, pricing, prices, cost, etc.
• Protection or safety – This can range from anything directly related to fears or concerns involving computer viruses to some types of personal protective equipment.
• Brands – Some people search by their dedication to specific brands or genres. “There is no big screen TV unless it is a Sony TV.” Try doing some root words targeting specific product brands. Let Wordtracker reveal the best niches for you.
• Health – Try exploring root words that are triggers relating to health topics.
Try researching specific conditions, afflictions, or cures. Try exploring root words relating to photos or pictures of specific symptoms.
• Information – Trigger words and phrases that involve tutorials. Try phrases like how to, why do, where do, when do, or just who.
Tip 2 of 12:
Remember to check opposite extremes for any root word.
This is not just for prepositions but literally any term you are researching. If you are checking on a term like “old” don’t forget to allow yourself the liberty to test the extreme opposite “new.”
Examples:
10 Best - 10 Worst
Start - Stop
Above - Below
Create - Destroy
Nearest - Farthest
Men - Women
Over - Under
Happy - Angry
By allowing yourself more freedom to explore opposite extremes, you may come up with completely different angles and unique phrases than your competitor who never allows himself the liberty to check extreme opposites. There is sometimes a whole new world of opportunity to discover and take advantage of with this much more free approach to researching data.
Tip 3 of 12:
Instead of just thinking of your research as "keywords," try thinking in terms of your audience's "topics of interest." If you see something curious in the results, remember that you can always dig deeper with synonyms and related terms that may render considerable surprises if you are patient and take the time to explore the data.
Tip 4 of 12:
Take advantage of those who use questioning searches.
Try searching for a questioning term such as
• How to
• When will
• Why do
• Where
• What
Example of “How to:”
"How to Build an Icehouse" KEI 661.0
"how to build military bunkers out of sand bags" KEI 729.0
"how to build custom furniture" KEI 1444.0
Tip 5 of 12:
Exercise the Power of Prepositions for a Root in Keyword Forensics
Some root words are just far more telling than others.
We’ve talked about using behaviorally related “action words” as root words in the first Wordtracker Magic e-book.
Now in Wordtracker Magic 2.0 I have been encouraging you to explore data using standard dialog or words that are primarily written to be spoken in natural dialog much the way a broadcaster writes his or her copy.
For our next lesson we are going to learn to explore Wordtracker using the power of a preposition.
What is a preposition?
A preposition links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence.
For example, “Pride comes before a fall.” (Before is the preposition)
For example, “I am moving toward the solution.” (Toward is the preposition)
Example 1: Here is an example of using the preposition “before” as a single root word to discover interesting phrases in Wordtracker data:
RESULTS:
“traffic court Probation before Judgement” KEI: 169 Competition 1
“cheap full lace wigs before and after” KEI: 289.0 Competition: 1
“education BEFORE needed” KEI: 400.0 Competition 1 page
You can see how in the above example, you can pull a variety of long tailed keyword phrases that most people would never guess are being searched. Let’s do another quick example:
Preposition example 2: the root word “during”
RESULTS for the word “during:”
"life in camp during the civil war" KEI 144.0
"labor crisis during world war II" KEI 196.0
"food administration during WW1" KEI 200.0
"christmas peace stories during battle" KEI 225.0
"hysterectomy during a c section" KEI 289.0
"education during 1960s" KEI 441.0
"essays during the harlem renaissance" KEI 484.0
"union doctors during the civil war" KEI 552.0
"metal shortages during wwII" KEI 676.0
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If you need help to speed up your keyword research technique
or find difficulty in exploring Wordtracker data for the best
information in only minutes, I recommend you read the book
from the beginning.
It's a short read but it will save you hours of time being
frustrated by keyword research.
Other Chapters Include:
• Let’s start by looking at and defining keyword research
• Keyword Researcher Tool Walkthrough – Screenshot by screenshot.
• What do I mean by forensics of behavioral research?
• What creates behavioral trends?
• Learning to explore data with your instincts
• Quick Exercise: Let’s demonstrate how your creative mind works
• Examples of why it’s important to use Comprehensive Search.
• Paradigm shifts in your thinking about keyword forensics research
• “Behaviorally related” keyword forensic type research tips
• Focus on Technique - 12 more ways to apply Magic to your Research
• 6 popular Wordtracker Articles about Keyword forensics
• Plus 100 High KEI Observation Deck Archived Example Phrases
• PLUS Other Recommended Resources to Build your SEO Skills
Keyword Forensics 2.0 for SEO is an e-book that is an instant download day or night.
Posted by John at January 2, 2009 10:15 AM