In our previous articles (parts 2 and 3) we discussed how to develop rankings on not just one highly searched keyword but the entire keyword network that stems from one specific keyword.

To illustrate this principle we’re going to show how we apply it to 5 search business segments for a florist website. This client owns the keyword market segment for keywords that stem from “send flowers”.

After “send flowers,” the top 5 search business segments are:

.1. Flower Delivery
Example: rose delivery

2. Color + Flower
Example: orange roses

4. Holiday+ Flower
Example: Christmas flowers

5. Life Event + Flower
Example: 50th wedding anniversary flowers

(same principles also applied to bouquet)

After reviewing the query-to-conversion data we noticed cross pollination and hybrids of their search business segments such as: “Christmas white lily flower delivery.”

By optimizing for a massive web of interlocking rankings we delivered a top 10 result specific to the searcher query, regardless of whether the search is “send red roses”, or “roses for mothers day”.

The searcher is presented with a search result from my client’s site. Your web site is your 24/7 salesman and using this strategy he will be there to shake every prospect’s hand with a useful search query result.

Finding a vein

Out of our massive interlocking web of keywords we discovered a smaller web of top converting keywords. We found excellent conversions for anything in our keyword web containing the word “roses + color” paired with “send or delivery”.

This vein of keyword phrases containing the word “roses” became a top revenue generator.

Once the keywords along this vein have been identified we optimized a special segment of the site around these terms.

These pages are robust in their messaging and offers, and focus on up selling, cross selling and creating referrals. We have reviewed the client sales data and we have a better understanding of their purchase preferences associated with keywords within the vein.

Listening to the query

As search engine rankings increase, conversion data helps you develop a mature site design that better serves your customer. Over time we develop a better understanding of the nature of a searcher’s query. Carefully study query to conversion data and you can began to understand what your customers “really mean” when they search on certain keyword phrases.

Over time our running shoes client was able to determine that the keyword “cheap running shoes” was not the same as “discount running shoes”. Customers typing in “discount” were typically buying name brand running shoes that are sold at a discount. Customers typing in “cheap” were typically buying off-brand shoes sold at a very low price. We are then able to map the optimization of the site to the customers query.

Customers who typed in the word “running shoes” were “really” telling us they were comparison shopping and we were able to deliver web pages that assisted the customer in comparing brands.

Customers who typed in “Nike Air Zoom Huarache” were really telling us that they wanted to buy a Huarache. We were able to serve them a category page devoted to the Huarache.

Regardless of where you are in any marketing campaign it is important to return to the principle of “listening” to your customer time and time again. Only through studying your query-to-conversion data can you build a relationship to your customer.

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About the Authors:

Tansy OBryant and Mark Schurtman are Marketing Managers for WebSourced’s KeywordRanking, the global leader in professional search engine marketing.