Search Engine Optimization Techniques For Product Research

Writing by Nick Stamoulis on Monday, 24 of March , 2008 at 12:09 pm

Krillion performed a survey on consumer behavior and found once again that most consumers will research a product online and purchase it off line or purchase online and pick it up off line at a local store. Nothing surprising there. But how do you Search Engine Optimize your website to make product research easier for your customers? The answer may be in an article that appeared on SiteProNews today.

According to Angela Charles, the following copywriting tips will help the Search Engine Optimization of your website for product research and sales:

• Keyword research
• One topic per page
• Details, details
• Kill the sales brochure
• Create a content hierarchy
• Keyword density

SEO Copywriting Tips To Close The Sale

Keyword Research - Know the keywords that consumers will use to search for information about your products. They may not use the product name. They might instead use a feature of the product or search for a benefit that the product provides. They could also use a synonym of the primary keyword.

One Topic Per Page - Don’t water down your content. Stick to one topic per page. In other words, don’t put weed eaters and lawn mowers on the same page. If you do, make that page a catalogue-type page with links to separate pages for each item.

Details, Details - Consumers want information. Give it to them. Lots of it. The more, the better. They are, after all, researching your products. Give them what they want. You stand a much better chance of closing the sale, either online or off line, if you provide a lot of information.

Kill The Sales Brochure - Today’s consumers don’t want to find your company website and see a sales brochure. They want information that will help them make an informed decision. Kill the hype and give them rock solid information.

Create A Content Hierarchy - Understand consumers’ needs well enough to know how they will search for information about your products. Then organize that information in a logical fashion to make it easy for searchers.

Keyword Density - If you don’t use the keyword enough time in your online content then you won’t rank for it. Plain and simple. Use the keyword enough to make the search engines happy as well as the consumers. But don’t be a Search Engine Optimization spammer.

Angela’s article provides other useful information as well, such as these types of content that users of your website will find valuable:

• Product details, including features/benefits, specifications, data sheets, diagrams, flow-charts, video demonstrations and photos (with alt tags, see below)
• Technical tips, product troubleshooting guides, user manuals
• Customer testimonials, case studies
• Industry definitions
• Product selection guides, comparative information

See a common thread here? Consumers need information. Provide as much information on your website as possible. What consumers don’t find on your website, they’ll find somewhere else. The more information you can provide on your site, the more likely they will spend more time on your site and you increase your chances of making a sale. If consumers have to go elsewhere to find something that you don’t provide then you are making it easy for them to buy somewhere else.

Finally, Angela tells you where to go for information to put on your website. This is rock solid information. Here’s what she says:

* Competitor sites
* Industry portal sites
* Industry magazine sites
* Resource sites

If you are a retailer that sales products manufactured by another company, get information about those products from the manufacturer. They should be forthcoming about the information. If you can’t find it on their website, call the company and ask for a brochure. Don’t copy their information word for word. Include as much as you can but make sure it is original content.

The bottom line is, consumers are researchers. They want a lot of information to help them make an informed buying decision. Don’t disappoint them. Search Engine Optimization should be the tool to get them to your site.

Category: Content Development, SEO

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