Traffic and conversions: a conundrum that faces any aspiring affiliate looking to make a living online. While many new affiliates look for keywords with high search volumes and low competition, this isn’t always the best tactic for converting.
Yes, these keywords will increase the traffic to your website or blog, but unfortunately, traffic doesn’t always guarantee conversions. As Sumaiya Sheik from the digital marketing network ClickSure explains, finding keywords that convert means more than just finding keywords that drive a lot of traffic.
Finding the money-making keywords
Adding keywords that convert to your website starts with your keyword research and looking at the product niche you’re dealing in. However, there are four main keyword groups that can be applied to any product or service:
Brands – Building your brand and keeping an eye on competitors, too.
Locations – Promoting your products in their relevant geographical area.
Buyer Keywords – Focusing on getting people to complete a clear definable task.
Long-tail keywords – Using highly targeted keywords to get higher conversions.
Let’s look at these in more detail:
1. Build your brand name
Once you have set up your website, your brand name will be the highest converting keyword. Potential customers searching for your brand will know exactly who you are and what you offer, so looking after your brand name online is vital.
Keep track of who’s searching for your brand by setting up Google Alerts, which will notify you each time your brand is mentioned. You can then discover where your present or potential customers are using your brand in their search and use this information for your future campaigns.
Another good tactic is getting your brand mentioned on forums and review sites. 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, so this is a great way to generate trust and build your presence. Reviews also give you the opportunity to reply directly to comments and solve customer problems quickly.
Your brand name is the most powerful keyword you have online and can be a high converter on its own, if you look after it.
Adding location attributes can aid a richer search.
2. Location, location, location
If you are providing services in your local area, you need to target local keywords – simple! For example, if you are promoting ‘gym equipment’ it would be easier to rank for ‘gym equipment Leicestershire’. If you want to generate any sales, it’s vital that you rank for these local keywords as your potential customers may be searching for your service as well as your location.
To rank highly in local searches, you could also try local citations – where your company or service is listed or mentioned on various websites. For quick wins, get your company listed on local directories like the UK’s Thomson Local or other business directories.
Remember, even though local keywords have a lower search volume, they tend to be highly targeted and may lead to more conversions.
3. Ready to buy keywords
Providing information and advice is great, but if you’re looking to get visitors to convert, you need to target buyer keywords. It’s important to understand how potential customers are searching and what stage they are at in the buying process.
For example, one of your keywords might get 300 searches, with only 50 of these landing on your website. However, if the 50 searches are from people who are looking for something specific on your site, they are more likely to convert. These 50 are at the top end of the buying process or ‘buying funnel’.
Examples of buyer keyword:
- Buy
- Read
- Watch
- Get
If you can rank for these top buyer keywords, you’ll have a higher conversion because you’ll be targeting people who already know what they want and are willing to take action there and then. For example, if a potential customer searches for ‘buy gym equipment’ it suggests they are ready to purchase right away.
4. Playing the long-tail game
Long-tail keywords have less search volume, but are highly targeted. For example, if your niche is in kitchen equipment, customers might search for ‘island unit’ and this would return thousands of results because the keyword is very broad. However, if you target a long-tail keyword for a product you have on your website, like ‘island unit in mahogany with castors’, there is a better chance of gaining conversions.
Long-tail keywords work. In fact, Amazon makes 57% of their sales from them, as buyers usually know exactly what they are searching for. To make the most of this powerful converter, use tools like Google Adwords Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest. Both of these tools offer a variety of long-tail keywords that you can use on your site.
Keyword care = conversions
Targeting these 4 keywords groups strategically will increase your conversions. While high traffic is great, quality traffic that is more likely to result in sales is what will keep your business going online, literally!
The success of your affiliate program and business is based on choosing the right keywords that convert. Follow these simple tips for optimisation, test what works and what doesn’t and combine keyword techniques and you’ll soon increase your reputation and your profits.
Have an opinion on this article? Please join in the discussion: the GMA is a community of data driven marketers and YOUR opinion counts.
Read also:
SEO copywriting: 10 tools to optimise content for search engines and readers
4 simple techniques to help you become a successful affiliate