How do keyword variations impact SEO copywriting techniques?
Question: -
Q. This question is about SEO copywriting and keyword variations on a single page. By this you mean the singular and the plural? Noun vs. verb? Here is my example: We sell rustic lights. People search using rustic lights, rustic lighting and rustic light fixtures. I was going to create SEO pages for each of these keyword phrases. But not rustic light (singular) or rustic light fixture (singular), as I would just include those naturally in the text. Is this the right approach? Or am I splitting hairs about the rustic lights, rustic lighting and rustic light fixtures and they should just be handled on one page...?
Answer: -
Great question. The answer is always to look towards your customers. Google searches really functionon on a 'best match' principle. Google takes the query inputted, and seeks to find the 'best match' for that query vs. its database of pages on the web.
Next, think of this as a competition between you and other websites. Assuming all things equal - that you vs. your competitor understand and correctly employ the right tag structure, website structure and enjoy the same number and quality of inbound links - then Google will place the site higher that has the more exact match for the phrase.
Translated, what this means is that IF your customers search for 'rustic light fixtures' (plural) and you have that phrase vs. your competitor who has 'rustic light fixture' - then that tiny difference will propel you to the top. Contrary to popular opinion, plurals DO matter, word order DOES matter, the BEST MATCH wins - all other things being equal.
Now, of course, on the real web all things are NOT equal between two websites. Nor can you usually match each and every search by your customers. So you have to prioritize. Try to figure out the 'most common' way that people search - is it plural, is it singular? What word order is used, that sort of thing. Then focus your efforts on including those words, and strategically place them in your target pages.
If two different phrases are VERY important to you, say 'rustic lights' vs. 'rustic lighting' and there is significant search volume per the Google keyword tools, then create two SEPARATE pages. It all depends on the search volume, and value to you vs. how much time you have to create the 'best match.'
Hope this helps!
- Jason McDonald - info@jm-seo.org
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