Researching Keywords: Inside the House or Out Source
Should I hire keyword research or can I do it myself effectively?
The answer to this central question depends upon a number of related variables. Here are some of the most significant of those related variables:
1. The depth of your knowledge concerning directly and tangently related keywords
2. Access to the tools that are available to assist in this process
3. Your skills at using the software
4. Your ability to interpret the results so that you are able to separate the useful words and phrases from those that will have little business significance
5. The total funds that are available for you to grow your business
If we look at those five variables they ultimately come down to how much you know and how your budget is allocated. Let me address each of those in a bit more detail.
Your Knowledge of Keyword Research
There is no aspect of online business that is more important than identifying appropriate keywords. Your list will form the basis of all of your search engine optimization efforts, your advertising campaigns (PPC and others), your copywriting and your article marketing efforts (as well as your other content syndication). In other words, without a good foundation of keyword research, all other aspects of your marketing will suffer.
There are many tools available online. Some are free to use, such as Google’s tool; others are not. You must be willing and able to use a mix of these resources in order to develop the most comprehensive list. You must study the various keyword research software options.
While use of the tools is relatively simple, in most cases, interpreting the results can be very tricky if you do not yet have considerable experience or a significant knowledge base. Each keyword that you discover will not have the same value to you as every other keyword, and the number of searches for any given keyword does not automatically make that keyword of greater importance to you particular business than another keyword that draws much less traffic.
Budget
I believe that even if your funds are limited, keyword research is so important that, if you are not capable of conducting and interpreting the study, this is a place to spend those precious financial resources. The cost of a keyword research package is relatively small when you consider the potential return on that investment. I recommend that, if you do hire professionals for this task, that you make sure that they also do a competitive analysis of your industry or niche and offer advice concerning how to use the findings of the study to your competitive advantage.
Often keyword research is bundled into an overall search engine optimization (SEO) contract. These contracts are considerably more expensive. However, if you choose to go this route, be absolutely certain that your SEO company will be extremely thorough in its keyword research and that the complete keyword list is included in your report from that company.
Bottom line: You can do this task yourself if you already know a great deal about the process (or are willing to take the time to learn what you need to) and if you have the critical tools.
Tags: internet marketing, keyword, keyword research, outsourcing, professional services, SEO, tags







