The benefit is clear an optimized web page will get you much higher placement in the search listings. But how can you choose the best keywords and key phrases? Guessing doesnt work well, but what process does? Software that helps you identify the universe of keywords relevant to your site by identifying the keywords used by your competitors. The next step in the process is to see how many people used each of these terms in a search. This is compared to the number of sites that contain the keywords. One program, called Wordtracker performs this calculation, and helps you identify the number of searchers and the number of sites containing the keyword.

Wordtracker can help you identify niche keywords you may never have thought of. It tells you the exact terms used by your customers and prospects to find products, services and information. Some of these words are used only a small number of times on competitors sites. But if actual search statistics indicate that theyre used by a reasonable number of individuals in searches, youve found a way to reach your market with less competition.

Once youve mastered the basics of a Wordtracker search, and youve observed or polled your customers about their buying behavior, more possibilities for word research will be apparent. For instance, if you sell binoculars, and you know most of your site visitors use them for bird watching. You may enter into Wordtracker terms such as migrating birds, or fall migration. Youll then have an entire new set of keyword possibilities to consider and evaluate from a competitive perspective. The more you use it, the more possibilities appear.