“Why do you rob banks?” the officer asked infamous bank-robber Willy Sutton moments after he arrested him...
“I go where the money is.”
Goal-of-the-DAY... Use the SUPPLY and DEMAND WINDOWS to build a MASTER KEYWORD LIST, fully researched, of 5 HIGH-PROFITABILITY KEYWORDS for each of the 3 Site Concepts (brainstormed in DAY 2).
With this goal in mind... Let’s say that you love fashion. You eat, live and sleep it. You read all the fashion magazines. You head straight to that part of any bookstore. Your friends beg you to talk about something else “for a change!”
It’s time to brainstorm and prune. Initially, you’ll brainstorm as many related “Keyword-Focused” topics as possible that are related to fashion. Then you’ll prune out the low-profit-potential ones.
First thing you do? Power up what I will call your “keyword tool center.” There are three WINDOWS of information that you will be researching...1) DEMAND
Open your browser and start with...
WINDOW #1 -- THE DEMAND WINDOW
Time to brainstorm some Keyword-Focused topics with Search It!...
If you're not tapping into the unlimited information on the Web, you're missing out. Search It! converts you into a business power-surfer.
Search It! has so many useful purposes, for example...
• brainstorming
• competitive research
• domain naming and legalities
• PREselling content idea development
• identification of new monetization avenues
OK, let’s fire up Search It!. (If you are running a pop-up blocker, please be sure to click on the pop-up blocker help link for important information.)
A search could involve three or four steps. STEP 1 and STEP 2 both utilize a drop-down menu. For example, here is STEP 1’s menu…
I highly recommend that you click on the link, “Click Here for information About Search Type AFTER completing Step 1 & Step 2,” every time you do a search. These short tutorials will help you get the most out of your research until you get more comfortable with Search It!.
STEP 1… Select “Brainstorming” from the Search Category menu.
STEP 2 … Select “Overture Suggestions” from the Search Type menu. (Overture, now owned by Yahoo!, is soon to be renamed “Yahoo! Marketing Solutions.” We’ll use “Overture” until that time.)
Here’s what you have done so far…
Don’t forget to click on the help link before you proceed!STEP 3… Enter the keyword “fashion” (without the quotes).
In this course, the term “keywords” includes both single words and multi-word phrases. When building a keyword list, never limit yourself to single words. Many more people search using multiple-word keywords composed of two, or even three, words.
Since there is no STEP 4 for this particular search, you can now hit the Search It! button. (Do not use the Enter or Return key.)Let’s quickly recap your search formula…
Search It! > Brainstorming (STEP 1) > Overture Suggestions (STEP 2) > fashion (STEP 3)
OK, onwards and upwards. Got your DEMAND WINDOW ready? Here are the most common keywords that Web surfers search upon that contain the word “fashion” at Overture…
The number in the left column is the number of times that each keyword was searched in the preceding month at Overture. In a sense, it’s an indication of the DEMAND (by your potential visitors) for each keyword that contains the word “fashion.”
You may have noticed that all words are singular. Overture does not differentiate between the plural and singular forms of words. If you do a query for “fashion model” or “fashion models,” you get the same results...
100064 fashion modelOnly one problem... what if 100062 of those 100064 searches were for “fashion models?” There would not be much point in making a wonderful Web page about “fashion model” (singular), would there? After all, no one would be searching for “fashion model,” if that were the case.
Usually, your instincts will tell you which version is the most popular. However, to be on the safe side, do a quick reality check by using the 7Search “Related Keywords” Tool...
And the results?
Why is this second search worthwhile doing? Because, as you’ll see later on, you'll create content pages with topics that focus upon your HIGHEST PROFITABILITY keywords. And PROFITABILITY is partly determined by the DEMAND for your keywords (i.e., how many times people search for them).
If you are following along with this example by actually doing it, the numbers may have changed but the basic ideas and conclusions remain valid.
OK, what do we have so far? We’ve got a good idea of what your potential visitors want. In other words, we know what’s in DEMAND, and by how much, for a variety of keywords (some of which will become your HIGHPROFITABILITY, Keyword-Focused topics) that contain the word “fashion.”
Now it’s time for...WINDOW #2 -- THE SUPPLY WINDOW
Ready to prune out the LOW-PROFITABILITY topics?
Before we can start pruning, we need to check out the SUPPLY of your “fashion-containing” keywords. In other words, how many sites already provide content for the keywords that we found in your DEMAND WINDOW (i.e., WINDOW #1 above)?
Let’s start the ball rolling with “fashion design.” Open Search It! once again. (You did keep it handy on your desktop, right?)Search It! > Competition (STEP 1) > Google Single Keyword SUPPLY (STEP 2) > fashion design (STEP 3)
This specific search yields almost a million pages…
Repeat the same process for each of the “fashion”-containing keywords that you found in your DEMAND WINDOW. Yes, seriously, do a search for each keyword. It is a bit tedious, but the research will pay off in spades.
Before you do those searches, create a MASTER KEYWORD LIST. I recommend that you do this either in a simple text file or via a database or spreadsheet program. A database or a spreadsheet will speed things up and provide you with extra functionality.
The best choice is a database like Filemaker Pro...If you don’t know anything about databases or spreadsheets, your fastest way to get up and running is with Filemaker Pro. It’s a friendly, easy-to-learn database program. Your particular needs are simple, so it won’t take long for you to create a MASTER KEYWORD LIST that can be sorted and searched, and that can warn you of duplicate keywords.
If the idea of a database or spreadsheet scares you, simply stick with a text list. It’s a bit inefficient so it will take you a little longer, but it will do the job just fine.Whatever you decide, please, please, please...
DO use a MASTER KEYWORD LIST. It will evolve into the master blueprint for your entire site. If you follow these instructions, the site will almost build itself!
OK, here’s what to do with your MASTER KEYWORD LIST. Create four columns and label them KEYWORD, DEMAND, SUPPLY, and SUPPLY SITE INFO. For each “fashion”-containing keyword in your DEMAND WINDOW... 1) Enter the keyword itself into the column labeled KEYWORD -- copy-and-paste to avoid typos.
2) Enter how many times it is searched (info that you found in the DEMAND WINDOW) into the DEMAND column.3) Enter how many sites Search It! finds (in your SUPPLY WINDOW) in your column labeled SUPPLY.
4) Read the listings for the Top 20 sites that Search It! returns for each keyword. Make brief notes in the fourth column, SUPPLY SITE INFO -- no need to visit the sites yet (perhaps just a quick click to the home page if you need a bit more info). Just get a flavor for the kinds of sites that each KEYWORD search delivers.
I’ve started your MASTER KEYWORD LIST for you...KEYWORD DEMAND SUPPLY SUPPLY SITE INFO
fashion 418,114 96,100,000 See NOTE...
NOTE: “Fashion” is too general. Don't bother researching this word for products/services. The real opportunities lie in the niches, in topic keywords that have more specificity.
fashion model 100,064 554,000 Information about models, agencies, sites about a specific model or nationality
fashion designer 34,172 694,000 Barbie designers (!), various “name” designersfashion magazine 36,695 309,000 online and offline fashion mags, eye-ware magazine
fashion design 27,188 949,000 Schools, colleges, and internships; designers selling fashion designs Add as many notes as you like for SUPPLY SITE INFO. I’ve kept it very brief here, since it is only an example.
Finally, make two more columns, one labeled POSSIBLE PARTNERS and the other called IDEAS FOR CONTENT. Time for some in-depth, professional, SUPPLY WINDOW research...
Review as many sites from these results as you like. I’d suggest at least the first 10-20 sites. But you may find merchants in need of traffic help (i.e., you!) deeper down.
As you get into this in-depth research, you’ll notice three types of sites...• irrelevant -- for whatever reason (off-topic, geographic, lousy site, etc.), they just don't fit. Skip these.
• merchant -- in POSSIBLE PARTNERS, enter what kind of merchandise they sell. If they have an affiliate program that fits your concept, enter the URL of the “join page” for the affiliate program of that merchant. These are indeed potential merchant-partners for you.
Even better, you’re automatically organizing the POSSIBLE PARTNERS according to each keyword. This means that you are already pre-planning each Keyword-Focused Content Page’s “in-context” text links and setting the groundwork for the “M” (Monetization) stage.
• content - these sites are your direct competitors. They make money through affiliate programs, too. And good news! They’ll speed up your learning curve by giving you a lot of information. Why? Because they've already done a ton of work for you! Here’s what to do...
i) As you review these content sites, you may get some great ideas for content on your own site. Enter these ideas into the IDEAS FOR CONTENT column.ii) Browse the site, drilling down into the content. Click on the banner ads and text links, following these links out to their destinations to see what kind of merchants they have chosen as affiliate-partners. Or perhaps it’s a straight advertising deal -- make a note of these merchants as potential advertisers, too.
If a given merchant fits your concept and has an affiliate program, enter the kind of merchandise it sells, and the “join page” URL, as you did just above. Once again, you are preparing for the “M” stage.
QUICK TIP: It can be a tedious pain to look for a link to a merchant’s affiliate program. Some home pages are quite crowded. Here’s how to find it quickly...
1) See if you can find a reference to it with a quick scan of the top, left and bottom navbars (graphic or text links). If not...2) Do a quick find on the home page. Press on the control+f keys on your keyboard (command+f if you are using a Mac). Then enter “affil” (the first few letters is fine and reduces chances of a typo) into the box of the window that pops up. Try also for “assoc” (short for “associate”) and “refer” (short for “referral” or “referrer” program).
3) Use the site search tool or online support chat (if it has one) or 1-800 line, or send an e-mail. If the site doesn’t have an affiliate program, ask if the Webmaster is interested in buying pay-per-click advertising (more on selling payper-click advertising a bit later on in the course).
If you still can’t find an affiliate link after that, forget it. The site probably doesn’t have an affiliate program.ANOTHER QUICK TIP: You can also find MERCHANT sites via Search It!. Select the Specialty Hubs and Directories category (STEP 1). Obtain content sites by reviewing the top 20+ search results from Search It!’s Competition category (STEP 1).
Plow through your MASTER KEYWORD LIST until you have completed all six columns for all of your HIGH-PROFITABILITY “fashion”-containing keywords.Expected results?...
• lots of good content ideas for the site
• some good monetizing leads to merchants who could need pay-per-click advertising from you a bit later
• a few merchants who have affiliate programs (but the real mother lode for affiliate programs -- more “M” -- will come in DAY 4!).
IMPORTANT...
I can’t over-emphasize the importance of your MASTER KEYWORD LIST. Your entire site, including its most profitable directions, lies in this blueprint. Please do this.
If you find creating your own list (with a database or spreadsheet program) to be too daunting, and if a text list is too awkward, let Site Build It!’s server-side Brainstorm It! do your work for you!
Brainstorm It! (BI!) is composed of two sections, equivalent to the right (creative) side and the left (analytical) side of your own brain...1) Brainstormer - This is the creative, brainstorming right brain division of BI!. Enter a “seed word” and use one of the Brainstormer Tools to generate hundreds of related words! Save yourself time and energy.
2) Master Keyword List (MKL) - This is the analytical, left brain part of BI!. It is where you search, manipulate, analyze and delete your keywords.Together, Brainstormer (the right brain) and MKL (the left) will help you find the most profitable Site Concept, the best spin for it, and the best topics for content.
Click-click... brainstorming is a snap. Follow the first 2 STEPS...
STEP 1 Select a Brainstormer Function
Then click on the Click Here for information link for more information and for what to do next. The rest of this help page covers each of the Brainstormer Resources, listed according to the four major Brainstormer Functions...
I) Vertical Brainstorming
• Overture Keyword Selector
• Wordtracker All Words
II) Lateral Brainstorming
• Google Top 100
• Google 2nd 100
• More To Come
• Wordtracker Demand
IV) Get Supply For All Keywords
• Google Supply
And here’s the best news… the innovative Brainstorm It! is but one of 50+ modules in SBI!’s comprehensive integrated system.
http://buildit.sitesell.com/main/home.html#FEATURES
Want to accumulate even more information about the intensity of the competition (i.e., the SUPPLY of keywords) for top rankings for your keywords? Use Search It!. (I told you that you would use this versatile tool often!)…
Competition (STEP 1) > Overture Bid Price (STEP 2) > fashion model (STEP 3)Overture is a Pay-Per-Click Search Engine, so the companies you find are serious companies that do some research and are willing to pay for listings. They also tend to be a bit more marketing-savvy. So you’ll get useful info here.
Try this now...At the time of this writing, the winning bid to have the top spot on this search results page is $0.10. See where it says “Advertiser's Max. Bid” at the end of the description for each site? If you don’t see a price, then the “regular” Search Engine algorithms have simply returned that site for free. This means that you can have that spot by bidding the minimum required bid!
On the other hand, “fashion designer” costs $0.24 to be #1 in the search results. This makes sense, since our Search It! research above showed that there were many more sites about “fashion designer” than “fashion model” (i.e., greater competition).
Want another sign of competitive SUPPLY? Note how many sites bid for each keyword. For example, 2 sites bid at least $0.10 for “fashion model.” And 15 sites bid for “fashion designer.” No contest, in this case. Expect some big price gaps in the bidding for “fashion designer,” which has a much higher #1 bid.
Now remember, companies that pay for keywords are serious about their businesses. They are either merchants or content sites determined to build traffic. Visit the Top 10 sites. (Do 20 if you’re feeling ambitious!)
If it’s a merchant site, it’s more likely to have an affiliate program since it’s already savvy enough to “pay per click.” If it does have an affiliate program that fits your Site Concept, enter what kind of merchandise it sells and enter the URL of the “join page” into POSSIBLE PARTNERS for that keyword (as explained above).
If it’s a content site, review its content and follow the “links out” in the same way as outlined above -- add to your POSSIBLE PARTNERS and IDEAS FOR CONTENT columns. Some of the content sites will be serious affiliate sites, so pay careful attention to what they are doing.
Repeat the process for all of your HIGH-PROFITABILITY “fashion”-containing keywords.As we’ll see near the end of this course, the Pay-Per-Clicks can be an extremely effective way to build traffic. We'll cover some simple strategies for bidding that will enable you to get the most bang for your buck or dimes or nickels! You can delay this step until then, if you prefer -- just thought I’d mention it if you decide to use Search It! for further SUPPLY research.
One special note.. . If your search on a keyword returns sites that seem inappropriate, it’s likely that your keyword does not reach the people you thought.
For example, let’s say that you want to write a page about how to price products. This page is meant to show e-commerce merchants how to price new products. You decide that “price” is a good keyword...
Use Search It! > Brainstorming (STEP 1) > Overture Suggestions (STEP 2) > price (STEP 3).Save yourself time and money... “price” is not a good word to focus on. Nor is any word that turns up irrelevant results in Search It!. Now repeat this procedure for the keyword “pricing.” BINGO! This is the right word.
OK, where were we? Oh yes... Your DEMAND WINDOW’s search generated many “fashion-containing” keywords, along with the DEMAND for each keyword.
Your SUPPLY WINDOW’s search revealed the number of sites (i.e., the SUPPLY of sites) that provide information about each keyword, as well as a lot of leads to possible merchant-partners and even some ideas for content.
Now it’s time to pick the keywords with the best PROFITABILITY . These will be the keywords with high DEMAND (i.e., tons of searches) and low SUPPLY (i.e., not too many sites found). Eliminate any words that appear too competitive (i.e., SUPPLY is too high in WINDOW #2 or bidding competition is too intense), especially if they are not searched upon very often (i.e., DEMAND is low in WINDOW #1). And especially if there do not seem to be many POSSIBLE PARTNERS for them!
For example, notice that “fashion knockoffs” was searched for only 3,350 times in the previous month. Let’s say that a Search It! search returned 39,500 sites. Not the best combination.
Bottom line?...Your best words should have HIGH DEMAND and LOW SUPPLY.
This is a rough protocol, so don’t become a slave to it. Follow these two general guidelines...
1) Eliminate only the worst combinations of HIGH SUPPLY and LOW DEMAND and low number of POSSIBLE PARTNERS.
2) When you’re ready to write your site, start with the keywords that have the best combination of HIGH DEMAND and LOW SUPPLY (especially the ones that you really enjoy and know!) and a good number of POSSIBLE PARTNERS.
As you start to see patterns for the kind of sites that appear in your SUPPLY SITES and POSSIBLE PARTNERS and IDEAS FOR CONTENT notes, you’ll refine your Site Concept. Ultimately, you’ll create Keyword-Focused Content Pages that...
• fit with your final Site ConceptAND...
• have a good number of POTENTIAL PARTNERS
AND that...