Compiling keyword lists is an integral part of search engine marketing. It’s arguably an integral part of niche research too. But if you’re relying solely on ‘keyword tools’ to compile your lists, you may be missing out on some significant opportunities.

By their very nature, tools that track the popularity of keywords are retrospective, rather than forward-looking. On that basis, if you’re able to identify terms about to become popular - or jump on terms that have just become popular - you may be able to achieve some quick, significant wins in terms of generating and converting traffic.

Therefore a sound approach to keyword compilation is to use a good tool to identify the quality words in your niche, as well as use a ‘nose for news’ to identify promising words.

MarketingSherpa recommends using a two-step approach where you begin with proprietary research to compile an initial list, and then use a reliable tool to generate a more finely tuned list. To compile the general list:

1. Consider your own product names, terms used on your site, and internal site search query terms.
2. Look at industry marketing materials, press releases and similar content.
3. Research online forums, blogs and social media sites for what words your target audience is using.
4. Perform competitive analysis of how other companies are positioning their sites and search ads.

After your initial research is done, the next step is to use a keyword research tool to fine-tune your overall list:

5. Use the tool to generate additional, related terms.
6. Check your existing list for estimates of search volume and competition ie. for pay-per-click (PPC) and organic search engine marketing purposes.
7. Look through historical search queries for any unusual search syntax to help you generate new search phrases

Source: MarketingSherpa, “Special Report: Online Keyword Research Guide: 5 Tips & 9 Useful Tools”, MarketingSherpa, Jun 26, 2008

Visit the marketing section of a bookstore and you’ll see numerous books extolling the virtues of ‘branding’. Talk to ad agencies and branding consultants and they’ll all say that the most important thing a business can do is to ‘build the brand’.

So you could be forgiven for diligently following their advice and plastering your company logo and slogan all over your website and marketing materials.

After all, you want your customers to know – and remember – who you are, right?

But what if I told you that including big graphics of your logo and slogan is, at best, confusing potential customers… and, at worst, turning them away? That no one actually cares about the name of your business, your logo or your slogan? That building your brand could actually be costing you sales?

Whoah! What am I suggesting here?

That you don’t have a catchy name, or an attractive logo, or a slogan that represents your unique selling proposition (USP)? Or that I don’t believe in the value of branding?

How could I suggest such things – after all, doesn’t my business, Kikabink, have a catchy name, a cool logo (well, I think so) and a meaningful slogan that reflects our USP? And don’t we recognize the importance of branding?

All right, let me explain…

Firstly, I do believe in the value of branding.

Branding is the ’silent marketer’ – the means by which people are attracted to, and trust and buy from you, because of who you are, not the specific products or services you sell. And branding effectiveness does rely on being recognized through a strong visual identity and powerful statement that describes what you stand for – your USP.

However, for new, small and medium sized businesses, branding isn’t the CAUSE of loyal customers and healthy sales and profits – it’s the RESULT of effective marketing that generates loyal customers and healthy sales and profits!

In other words, if you’re a relatively unknown business, emphasizing your company name and identity is useless – because your prospects don’t know who you are!

Instead, you should focus on four (4) CRITICAL marketing goals that are aimed, primarily, at generating sales and profits, and secondly, building your brand. We’ll go through these four goals - as well as some major DOs and DON’Ts in tomorrow’s issue of Kikabink News.