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Affiliate Marketing: Searching Keywords vs. Buying Keywords

by David Cooper

Here’s something every affiliate marketer should understand. All keywords aren’t created equal. Some are worth a lot more than others.

I can hear you now. “No kidding. Everyone knows that!” Fine, the idea that some keywords are more valuable than others may not be a great new revelation. What might surprise you is how you should be differentiating between the power keywords and the also-rans.

Before you click away from this article, realize that the difference between the best keywords and the dead-enders has nothing to do with search volume.

Surprised? I thought so. Most people think of keyword value in terms of search volume. If millions of people are going to Google to look for “widgets” every day, it would be nice to own the top slot for “widgets”, right?

Of course. However, snagging traffic on the basis of “widgets” might not be that easy. Ever affiliate marketer in the universe will be going after those high competition terms. Additionally, a relatively scant percentage of “widget” searchers will be serious potential buyers. There may be a lot of people out there searching for “widget” or “widgets”, but not all of them are in a shopping mood.

So, by the time you duke it out for that high-volume keyword and then deal with a relatively small conversion percentage, you’re apt to discover the difference between awesome keywords and duds has little to do with search volume.

Two people sit down to do a Google search. One types “widget”. The other types “where to find a good red widget”. Which of those searchers would you prefer to send to a sales page? Obviously, the second searcher is much more likely to make a widget purchase than the first.

So, even though “where to find a good red widget” may not secure a million searches per day, it converts so much more than the generic keyword. Oh, and a smart affiliate marketer can own a top slot in the SERPs for it rather easily.

Less work. Higher conversions. It makes sense.

Those lesser-used keywords are buying keywords. They’re the ones that will get you big checks in the mail from affiliate programs. The high-volume terms are search keywords. They’ll get more traffic, but won’t produce sales like the buying keywords will.

There’s a marketing theory that’s been applied to search engine use and keyword selection known as “the long tail”. The idea is that it’s easier to own those smaller volume terms and the net effect of targeting the right ones will swamp the income potential of going after the bigger search term.

If you can learn how to apply that theory to your affiliate marketing business, you’ll be able to experience success that will escape all of those other affiliates who are still focused merely on search volume.

Don’t worry about the search keywords. Go after the buying keywords!

Webmasters and Ezine Publishers:

Do you know why some affiliate marketers consistently earn in excess of six figures every year while others struggle to get their first check? David Cooper does! Affiliate Avalanche is the secret info-weapon that makes a difference.

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