The use of keyword articles and article marketing to attract visitors to a website has been gaining a lot of popularity in recent times.  It appears that these methods can be of some benefit and it is recommended that they be included in the marketing plan for any internet business owner. Despite the buzz around keyword articles and article marketing, there appears to be some confusion about the use of keywords, what they are, and what they mean to a website owner. 

What are Keywords? 

Keywords are words that are entered into a search engine by an internet user who is looking for specific information. Although the user may not know exactly what he is looking for, he will know what he wants. For example, a person might be looking for home improvement tips about replacing ceramic floor tiles but may not be aware of what the options are.  That user has the option of entering any number of different search terms to help her find a solution to her problem.  This is basically what keywords are all about.

The user could enter the term ‘replace ceramic floor’ or just simply ‘ceramic floor’ and begin looking at through the search results pages for information that she can use. Alternatively, she could use terms such as ‘replacement floors’ or ‘replacement ceramics’ or any other keywords that make sense to her.  Business owners often have no idea what terms a user will use to look for information. When beginning a search most users rarely find what they want on the first few tries. Unless, there is an article somewhere that uses that exact phrase, it may take a number of tries before they are able to locate the relevant information to solve their problem.

Writing a Keyword Article for the Search Engines

Depending on the length of the article, a typical article should contain contain the keyword anywhere between 4 to 12 times.  The keywords also need to be place in a natural order within the article so that the writing remains grammatically correct.  The phrase should belong in the article rather than being used just so that it can be included for the benefit of the search engines. Some websites attempt to use what is called “keyword stuffing” - where the keyword is included more than 30 or 40 times in a an article that is only 400 to 500 words long.  Avoid doing this because not only is the article of little value to a web surfer but it is also penalised by the search engines.

Articles need to offer some value to the person conducting the search. Returning to the earlier example of the user looking for information on how to replace ceramic tiles: if the company that sells replacement ceramic tiles can produce a series of articles on the best way to remove the old tile, remove the old glue or cement from the surface, how to prepare the surface for the new tiles and other topics under the subject, they will be providing valuable information that can draw visitors to their website.  These visitors are also more likely to make a purchase from the website.

These articles can be published on their own website on pages dedicated to helping potential customers learn how to replace the tile or they can be published on homeowner remodeling sites as useful tips for others. One thing that articles cannot do is advise readers to visit a specific site or business as this is unacceptable to the search engines and to ezine publishers.

All published articles may contain the author’s biography and outline the author’s competence on the subject matter thus giving the author credit for the article. The signature on these articles can also include details on his experience in ceramic tile replacement, the number of years he has been involved in the business and details of his business including a hot link to his website.