There are two different kinds of keywords you can use when optimizing your website: short tail and long tail. Short tail keywords have broad application and are highly competitive – such as “gift baskets.” Due to their familiarity, short tail keywords are searched for much more than long tail keywords. An example of a less-competitive, long tail equivalent to “gift baskets” might be “happy birthday gift baskets.” 

So if long tail keywords don’t get searched for nearly as much as short tail, why would anybody use them? First of all, long tail keywords aren’t as competitive, so you have a realistic chance of making the first page of results on Google and other search engines. Depending on the competition, you may even be able to crack the top five, which would be difficult with a short tail keyword like “gift baskets.” This search result positioning is incredibly valuable for internet marketers and is a great tradeoff for short tail keywords, which ultimately get more searches. 

Because long tail keywords are more specific, they generally convert at a high rate. For example, if an internet marketer worked day and night and was able to rank on the first page of search results for “gift baskets,” they would be seen by an enormous number of people each day. But many of the people would be looking for a specific kind of gift basket, which the marketer may not offer. When someone searches for “happy birthday gift basket,” they know exactly what they want and are likely to make a purchase if you offer a good selection of related products.

With the increasing popularity of Google AdSense, contextualized advertising has become a commonly used term. So what is it, exactly? In its simplest form, contextual advertising is advertising that is related to the content of the webpage on which a user views it. In this way, it is put in context with its surroundings and has a much higher chance of being applicable to users. For example, if you were viewing a hunting website, contextualized ads on the webpage might include ads for hunting rifles, scopes, camouflage clothing and game processing. Search engines often use contextualized ads as well, meaning that if you searched for the phrase “deer hunting,” you might see the same ads as given in the previous example.

While early models of contextualized advertising utilized cookies and were considered invasive by many users, PMI Coaching has noted that modern versions are instead based on website content. In addition to being more socially acceptable, modern contextualized advertising is also highly effective. Google AdSense is one of the most well-known services, though there are many other options. Smaller companies include Overture, Kanoodle and Quigo.

Entrepreneurs who want to get the most bang for their buck are increasingly gravitating toward contextualized advertising. Rather than just throwing an idea out there and hoping it sticks, contextualized advertising allows you to provide users with information directly tied to their interests, resulting in higher returns for advertisers and fewer irrelevant ads for website users. In this way, both advertisers and consumers win.

Simply put, webmaster tools are a set of tools designed to assist site owners with the management and promotion of their site. These tools help you develop a sitemap, list external links, see what keyword searches lead to the site and track other site statistics. Two of the most common webmaster tool providers are Google and Bing. Both of these services are free and quite easy to use. Due to increasing competition, they have broadened their product selection and improved their performance.

Google webmaster tools have a solid reputation among website owners. They make is easy to track your site’s performance and searchability. By offering Google search-related information, these tools provide many benefits to entrepreneurs. Most importantly, you can find out what keywords are relevant to your site, which assists you in optimizing it for greater traffic. Check out the Google webmaster center here.

Bing launched its webmaster tools a little late in the game, but they offer a fine selection of functions. Like Google, the Bing tools allow you to add a site map. New features also include geographic targeting and top search queries. Bing’s tools make it possible to monitor multiple sites and can be an excellent choice for many site owners. Check out the Bing webmaster center here.

Webmaster tools are essential to efficiently running your site. The tool kits offered by Google and Bing are both provide excellent options. Professional Marketing International recommends you take the time to research these tool providers before you decide which is best for your site.