Tags and Keywords

For those who don't understand the SEO process, one of the very first things we do is try to identify your business, product, service or message in terms of single words or short phrases - called "keywords" or "key phrases". This is because people using search engines typically use single words or short phrases to begin their discovery process, as the initial filter for a set of results. Search engines compare these words against the words used on webpages, and try to make the best matches for delivering results. Many times, you as a business owner may describe what you sell in terms that your customers may not actually, typically use. It's our job to try to make the connection between the kind of language your customers are using, and the language on your website.

One note about "keywords" vs. "tags". "Keywords" are really the actual words that are used by both search engine consumers (i.e. searchers) and providers (i.e. website owners) for direct links between ideas and content. "Tags" are user-defined words used to categorize or classify content, to help others organize or navigate the content. "Tags" are basically more informal, less precise keywords. Sounds like the same thing, but you'll find the term "tags" being used on many social media/bookmarking sites, vs. keywords.

Therefore, we'll start with identifying all possible keywords/key phrases that may best describe your business, that are either most often used by searchers, or should be used (based on industry expertise). We'll test these (by updating copy in ads, blogs or your website), and start narrowing down those that seem to resonate the best, and drive the best search results. Our keyword research is most effective when we're researching topics we're very familiar with. For example, we were asked to help sell "technology governance services". What words ought to be used for this, or might people use to search for more information? Here's a first list we generated...our point is, with this blog entry, that most marketing efforts really need to start with a basic agreement of the target keywords/phrases. If this isn't done first, then all following efforts may be misguided.

Governance Process Issues
IT Governance Improvement
Lack of IT Governance
IT Governance Solutions
Bad IT Investments
Investment Portfolio Management Techniques
Governance Process Integration
Business Process Governance Issues
Governance Decisions
IT Process Governance
Governance Framework
Governance Process Framework
Governance Roadmap
Architecture Governance
Data Governance
Process Governance
Information Governance
IT Governance Practice
Compliance Driven Governance
Governance Decisions
Governance Assessment
Governance Diagnostic
Information Technology Governance
Regulatory Compliance
Technological Accountability
IT Decision Rights
IT Decision Process
IT Risk Management and Governance
Enterprise Governance
Strategic Alignment
Performance Measurement
Resource Management
Value Delivery
IT Alignment
Enterprise Architecture Governance
IT Objectives
IT Accountability
CIO Accountability
CIO Strategy
CIO Agenda
IT Business Value
IT Governance Model
IT Governance Definition
Corporate Governance
CobiT Governance
ITIL Governance
ITIL Assessment
SOA Governance
Reengineering IT Governance
IT Governance Executive Dashboard
IT Roadmap
Enterprise IT Governance
IT Business Value
Integrated IT Governance