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August 08, 2009
What's the scoop on KEI? Good or Bad for Keyword Research
Years ago, Wordtracker use to say that a KEI score of 400 was a good
keyword phrase. Basic rule of thumb was the higher the KEI the better or easier your optimization work would be.
This is true in principle but it's not perfect.
Some people these days proclaim KEI (Keyword Effectivness Index) as being a very weak thing to rely on.
But, here's another notable thing. It's interesting when I talk further these folks, I very often learn that they really don't focus on exploring data. I know that sounds crazy, but I've been teaching people for a long time.
I ask, "Do you do keyword research?"
Yes, they reply.
So then I say, let's do some together.
Without fail, probably over 80% of the time, I observe people who say they "do research" - but as I watch, they only tend to just guess at the most obvious keyword data. I suppose there is nothing wrong with guessing at keywords if you wish to, except usually it means the researcher will never see a fraction of the valuable behavioral trend data that many webmasters and business owners miss.
In principle there is nothing wrong with KEI (it's just a math equation.) But if all you are looking at are the KEI values you will miss the boat.
Here's the important thing to remember. As a rule, the higher the KEI value, the better the window of opportunity (easier it will be to get traffic and visibility.) It's not perfect, but it works just fine so long as you only just use the KEI to sort your list.
That's all I have ever used KEI values for.
Let's say that again, I only use KEI to SAVE time sorting through hundreds of results and bring the best potential windows of opportunity to the top. Once your list is sorted, forget KEI and focus on the phrases themselves, that tell you a story. Also you can monitor the compete values. KEI works just fine in this manner.
This type of research extends beyond keyword research, into what I call "user behavioral research" or keyword forensics" and identifies keyword phrase clusters that let you glimpse into the real reason why the searcher initiated the search as well as identifies the windows of opportunity for easy optimization.
Here's a good question.
Why do people search the Internet?
Mostly the reason is triggered by whatever the very real conditions are in their life. From entertainment or movie reviews to product reviews or searching for information that is important to them. Price comparisons, driving directions, historical data and of course connecting with other friends etc.
The point is, there is much to be learned by examining more data than just guessing a a few keywords.
Instead of going after keywords that matches your content. Would it not be smarter to study search behavior of your ideal audience first and then build the content that you KNOW people are looking for and need?
Also, if you want to scan more data, then try working with left and right hand word stemming turned on. Reduce your phrase to a single term, then let the tool tell you the other actual missing words. Let the tool do the work by giving it the opportunity to show you all types of phrase examples instead of only returning results on the terms you "think" are important.
Focus on questioning dialogue and you might be surprised at what common information is in high demand. Things that pull the correct audience in to your Web site - but topics that you would never dream of but when you see them in your research, they jump off the page at you.
Most of the time, I'm in and out of keyword research mode in minutes and once I have the data I need, I prefer to spend more time on what's important. Creating that original content that deserves to be found. Don't spend hundreds of hours staring at thousands of keywords only to emerge with weak data and nothing accomplished.
Do you want help speeding up your keyword research time?
It's not magic, it just feels like magic.
Check out our next upcoming SEO Mastery Class September 21-25 in Las Vegas. Best wishes for your continued success. Come join us and get your Web site fine tuned for prime time visibility.
More Keyword observations coming up shortly.
Highest regards
John Alexander
Search Engine Workshops
Online Web Training
Search Engine Academy
Posted by John at August 8, 2009 11:21 AM