Two Handfuls of Tips for Picking Keywords

If you've been reading about search engine marketing for more than, oh...about five minutes, you know you need to pick and target keywords and phrases as part of your campaign. You might even be familiar with some of the popular keyword tools and know about concepts like the keyword long tail. Heck, you might have already picked your phrases, optimized your site and moved along to other projects. No matter what point you're at, you need to read Christine Churchill's latest article over at Search Engine Land about selecting your keywords.

After all, it doesn't matter how well you optimize your site or how skilled you are at driving quality links if you aren't targeting the right keywords and phrases.

In her article, Christine explores eight key mistakes companies often make when selecting their keyword phrases.

Christine's in-depth look at each of these mistakes feature some good, common-sense advice like:

But it also features the type of keyword research tips that even some SEOs tend to overlook when making their choices.

Overall, it's a good read and a good reminder that keyword research is never over. As I wrote last month in my article about creating new content, it's essential to do keyword research every few months to make sure your campaigns are up to date. If you're due for a new round of keyword research, make sure you start your planning by reading Christine's article.