One of the biggest defining moments for a website hinges on the decision to either engage in keyword research or to assume that keywords relevant to the site are self-evident. This decision drives the website down one of two paths for search engine optimization:

1. A research based campaign based on keywords with relatively light competition combined with solid traffic numbers. Using research to determine the keywords which are being used to search for the products and services being offered by the site can reveal the terms which are driving traffic and can be optimized quickly. The usual result of going after the low hanging fruit is a cost-effective gain in page rankings which in turn drives targeted traffic to the site. Keyword research can also determine long-tail keywords which may be totally neglected by the competition but can deliver targeted traffic with a higher likelihood for conversion.
2. An SEO campaign based essentially on guessing which keywords are going to work. These guesses typically go either too broad, too narrow, or too technical, all of which will result in dismal traffic numbers. Going too broad runs the likelihood of heavy competition which can translate into high cost, a long time frame for any results, and unqualified traffic. Going too narrow with either untested long-tail or technical keywords probably wont deliver any meaningful traffic numbers.

Considering the investment that goes into website design and search engine optimization, the relatively minor cost of preliminary keyword research is worth every penny in terms of efficiency and the speed of optimization results. Keyword research done prior to building a new website allows for the determination of which keywords should be optimized first and those which will be optimized later. This pecking order can then help to set the timeline for adding page content as the site is built.

For a website to operate at peak efficiency, keyword research should be done on an ongoing basis. The environment for search is dynamic and constantly evolving. Changes in the competitive landscape, search engine algorithms, and search tendencies can reduce the effectiveness of previously productive keywords and lead to the emergence of new terms which suddenly drive traffic. Staying abreast of these changes with research and analysis can keep a website ahead of the curve and the competition.

Once the decision is made to outsource your search engine optimization, the next move is to decide on which SEO company will deliver results, visitors, and conversions in the most cost effective manner. The issue which traps many website owners is that the most tangible aspect of this decision making process is the cost of the project. Under this perception, essential issues such as keyword research, analysis of the existing competition, and the development of a marketing strategy can take a back seat to the priority of writing the smallest check possible. Whether a website owner is shopping on price only or an SEO company is selling their services on the cheap, the end result is usually the same; money spent with nothing to show for it. Here are few SEO scenarios based on price first, results second:

1. The kid – While their intentions are probably entirely honorable, your friends suggestion that their son who is home for summer is the right man for the job at the right price isnt likely to work out well. Even if things do go well what happens when school starts in the fall”
2. The moonlighter He may work in the business or may just be great with computers but trusting an SEO campaign to someone whos going to do it as a side job is doomed to failure for one simple reason. Its highly unlikely that a moonlighter will have the necessary time to execute a successful SEO campaign even if he has the skill set for it.
3. Page one promises, low cost, no traffic There are page one listings on the search engines which generate tons of targeted traffic as a result of keyword research and the execution of the resulting marketing strategy. Then there are those which generate none. The difference is that the page one listings which generate nothing are typically based on long tail (7 to 9 word) key phrases which may have some relevance to the site but generate no searches. In this scenario, the SEO company puts up a front page listing, collects the money from the site owner, and delivers nothing.

All successful SEO campaigns start with extensive keyword and keyphrase research. This research then determines where opportunities exist to drive targeted traffic in the most expeditious and cost effective manner possible. What follows are time consuming (often 100+ hours per month) and labor-intensive activities such as link-building, article submissions, blog posting and a host of others. Over time, these activities play out resulting in larger numbers of targeted traffic which finds its way to your site through the search engines. While it may be tempting to shop on price assuming the end result will be a positive, there are no short cuts to this formula.