Target Keyphrases, Not Keywords
To reach your intended audience, target keyphrases instead of keywords. A keyword consists of a single word, whereas keyphrases are generally two to five words long. When determining which terms will be most effective, keep in mind that single keywords are almost always too general and have too much competition.
The more specific your keyphrases are, the greater your chance of reaching your targeted audience efficiently. For instance, among the people who use Google to research "animals," very few are animal rights activists. However, among the people who use Google to research "animal protection," many are animal rights activists.
Competition is another reason to use targeted keyphrases. If you use a single keyword, your organization is likely to be lost in a flood of competitors all vying for top spots in the search engines. For instance, "animals" appears on more than 375 million webpages. Thus, it can be very difficult to earn a top spot in the search engine results for such an overly general keyword, particularly when you're competing with established websites that have been around for years.
If you target relevant keyphrases rather than individual words, not only will you have a greater chance to increase your website traffic, you'll also attract users who are actually interested in what you have to say.
Targeting single keywords is a particularly bad idea when paying for advertising based on the number of impressions or clicks, because you will wind-up spending way too much money for "unqualified" web traffic. For instance, the vast majority of people who use Google to search for information on "animals" have little interest in joining an advocacy campaign to protect them. Instead, these internet surfers may just as easily be looking for information on zoos, pet supplies, animal coloring books, reference material for taxidermists, or even hunting advice. Instead, you're much more likely to attract kindred spirits if you target multiple-word keyphrases such as "animal protection," "animals rights," and "animal welfare."
If you've already made the mistake of optimizing your website with keywords instead of keyphrases, it's not too late. Simply add words to create keyphrases. "Environment" can easily become "environmental protection." "Rainforest" can be transformed into "save the rainforest." As search engines reward your website for its targeted keyphrases, they will begin to recognize that your pages are also relevant to the more general keywords. Over time, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that your website has earned a top ranking for these generic keywords in addition to your targeted keyphrases, particularly if you support them with extensive link-building campaigns.
