Affiliate Marketing: Searching Keywords vs. Buying Keywords
Here’s something every affiliate marketer should understand. All keywords
aren’t created equal. Some are worth a lot more than others.
I can hear you now. “No kidding. Everyone knows that!” Fine, the idea that
some keywords are more valuable than others may not be a great new
revelation. What might surprise you is how you should be differentiating
between the power keywords and the also-rans.
Before you click away from this article, realize that the difference between
the best keywords and the dead-enders has nothing to do with search volume.
Surprised? I thought so. Most people think of keyword value in terms of
search volume. If millions of people are going to Google to look for
“widgets” every day, it would be nice to own the top slot for “widgets”,
right?
Of course. However, snagging traffic on the basis of “widgets” might not be
that easy. Ever affiliate marketer in the universe will be going after those
high competition terms. Additionally, a relatively scant percentage of
“widget” searchers will be serious potential buyers. There may be a lot of
people out there searching for “widget” or “widgets”, but not all of them
are in a shopping mood.
So, by the time you duke it out for that high-volume keyword and then deal
with a relatively small conversion percentage, you’re apt to discover the
difference between awesome keywords and duds has little to do with search
volume.
Two people sit down to do a Google search. One types “widget”. The other
types “where to find a good red widget”. Which of those searchers would you
prefer to send to a sales page? Obviously, the second searcher is much more
likely to make a widget purchase than the first.
So, even though “where to find a good red widget” may not secure a million
searches per day, it converts so much more than the generic keyword. Oh, and
a smart affiliate marketer can own a top slot in the SERPs for it rather
easily.
Less work. Higher conversions. It makes sense.
Those lesser-used keywords are buying keywords. They’re the ones that will
get you big checks in the mail from affiliate programs. The high-volume
terms are search keywords. They’ll get more traffic, but won’t produce sales
like the buying keywords will.
There’s a marketing theory that’s been applied to search engine use and
keyword selection known as “the long tail”. The idea is that it’s easier to
own those smaller volume terms and the net effect of targeting the right
ones will swamp the income potential of going after the bigger search term.
If you can learn how to apply that theory to your affiliate marketing
business, you’ll be able to experience success that will escape all of those
other affiliates who are still focused merely on search volume.
Don’t worry about the search keywords. Go after the buying keywords!
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