How to Narrow Down a Product Name to a Great Keyword

In the Christmas Cash Blueprint I suggested you go directly to Amazon to find a product.  The purpose of doing this is to find a place to start doing your keyword research. This will give you an idea, and from there you can look for a good keyword. A good keyword being a keyword that has over 1000 searches a month and low competition.

I understand all this can be somewhat confusing, and let’s try to get a little clearer about it.

Yes. You want a product specific keyword. But it doesn’t have to be exactly the product description posted on Amazon. I have looked at the same product on multiple sites and the product name/title is different on each site ~ so this is not a hard and fast product name ~ it’s a place to get you started.

Today I did a video that walked through finding a product at Amazon, realizing it had no search volume and then finding a keyword that would work to still promote that product.

Here’s the video:

Here’s the text version of the video:

Step 1. Go to amazon and find a product. I went to the watches category, and just looked around. I’m looking for a product with a price point over $200, and some GOOD reviews ~ more the better.

Step 2. I found a watch I wanted to check out. It only has 3 reviews ~ I like lots more than that, but you can’t beat the price point, so I decided to test it.

Step 3. Take the whole product name and put it in the google keyword tool (or micro niche finder). Click the exact match button (top right hand side of the screen of google kw tool ~ mnf is set to this as default), and check how much search volume the exact keyword gets.

Step 4. The keyword has not enough info ~ which means not enough search volume.

Step 5. Start looking through the other keywords that came up with it for keywords that are related to your product and have over 1000 searches. Look for something with the brand name, or specific model in them ~ the more specific the better. ** This may end up taking you in a completely different direction than the one you came from and THAT’S OK!! Go with it ~ this is research, go where the facts take you.

Step 6. Found another possible keyword ~ went back to Amazon to look and see if I could find a decent product to promote with the new keyword. Looking for price point over $200 and good reviews ~ the more the better. If you’re doing this on MNF ~ click the new keyword and then click the search amazon link and it will take you right there.

Step 7. Found a produc that fit my requirements and matched the keyword I found.

Step 8. Go to Google and check out the competition. Using the SEO for firefox tool to show me the PR of each site on the first page, I add up the PR ~ 30 or less total 3 or less average is a go. If you are using MNF click the SOC button (far right) and see what comes up ~ I look for SOC of 20 and under.

Step 9. If the competition fits my requirements I call it a good keyword and start making a lens. I will use the new keyword as the lens url, title and do all the other on page seo I need to do to get some google love.

That’s it. The key here though is to find keywords that HAVE SEARCH VOLUME. It’s pointless to grab the words written on Amazon for the product name and use them if no one is searching for them.  Rearrange them, try different portions of the keyword, check other words that come up in the search ~ find something completely related to a product, but it MUST have search volume.

If you have any questions please ask them in the comment section ~ I hope this helped clear up some confusion surrounding product related keywords.

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Thanks for that but you didn't mention a domain name what to use for the lens or about trademarks any advice. Very clear video cheers

if you're interested in all that information Rose grab the free Squidoo Christmas Cash Blueprint and it will answer most of your questions. I also have an all squidoo blog that has lots of information about squidoo as well. www.squidoochristmascash.com

I have watched this video before more than a year ago. Google Keyword tool has changed in the past 6 months or so. Stupid question: Do you think it would be any difference with the current Google Keyword tool?

G.

I think you can probably be open to search numbers a little lower than in the original video. The numbers from the previous kw tool seem to have been a little exaggerated... these new numbers seem to be a little more accurate.

oh, and PS. there are no stupid questions. ;)

Jackie,

Do you have a video explaining the new Adwords Tool? I am thoroughly confused by what I see when it comes up and I must say right now, I HATE it!! I'm sure you will make it super easy to understand.

Jane ~ MoneyMom

Good info. Nicely explained. It's all about not paying too much for what others are paying for -- get the lower traffic items that still pay well.

Hey Jackie I clicked on your wordpress elegant themes and the link does not work....can you fix? thanks!

Jan

it's fixed ~ had some technical difficulties after the move ~ still trying to find all the little issues.

I'm using micro niche finder as well and have fun working on it. I just got good keywords to promote on. I'm also using ebay pulse aside amazon.

Thank you for a very informative ebook. I have not started a lens yet. My question how to get content for the product? Keywords are the title of the products right? Where to put the keywords in the lens? Thank you.

Hi Abby,

All this is covered in other posts. Go to the top of the page and click the link that says articles and the entire top section of that page will take you to links to explain all of your questions. :) Good luck.

Great information as always Jackie, Thankyou
Just for the new people there are thousands of vendors at Commission Junction
cj.com that have cookies that last up to six months. Though most I've seen are between 20 and 45 days.
Good Luck Everyone.
.-= Doug Orchard´s last blog ..KeyboardIlluminated-Article-What to Look For in the Best Gaming Keyboard =-.

IMHO, Amazon is much easier to use for people that are new to affiliate marketing than Commission Junction. Cj is much more difficult to get a handle on. Also with Amazon, if you sign up for direct deposit, you don't have such a large selling quota to meet before receiving commissions.

Hi Dee,

The competition and links are important, but first things first... you gotta have a product. :) If you follow along on the articles page you'll see the whole process outlined and you can read the related posts and take action as you go. :)

hi!

This is great info because I am really lost when it comes to choosing the product to promote. My question is - don't we have to use the quoted keywords to check how many competitors we have?

And after we have our lens set up - we have to submit articles to get back links, correct? About how many back links do we need for the minimum to get started!? If my questions have been answered elsewhere - sorry!

Thank you for all the great info!

The cookie is 24 hours I believe you are right. The thing is when people get to the point where they are looking for specific models and names of products they are pretty far through the buying cycle and more likely to buy. You'll miss some ~ but you'll get some ~ that's how it is. You can always look for products in an affiliate network that maybe have a longer cookie ~ but Amazon is the easiest place to get started.

I've just re-read your post and it's great. My question is that I thought Amazon's cookies lasted only 24 hours and that with items being more expensive, people are less likely to buy straightaway after reading a lens. Instead they might go and take a look, hold it, think about it and perhaps return later to buy it from Amazon (better price than many stores) when one's cookie would have expired. The buyer would of course go directly to Amazon and not back to the lens..... Sure Christmas time means people are more ready to buy items online but there must be a large amount "lost" due to cookies expiring. Perhaps I am wrong in the duration of Amazon's cookies? I am just getting started in this so apologies if this has been answered before.

Thanks for your help.

Thanks again Jackie, I know realize that the reason why I have some lenses that does not do anything is because I did not look at the exact matches. Once again I've learned something. Very often you say things that I know about but I'm not so focused on it or I do not understand the implications to the full.

I really appreciate the fact that you show us the basics. I have been going for quite a while, but when I started I hardly know where to switch on the computer! I was one of those grannies that thought a mouse is a mammal! Then I found that in all the courses and things there is a lot they expect you to know and I do not know it.

Sometimes my son would come and help me and then he would say he forgets that there is a lot of basic stuff I simply do not know. So you are really helping me because I know some of the more advanced things but the basics still elude me and that is why I'm so slow and why I make so many mistakes.

Thanks a lot.

Very nice information. Thanks for this. You really have a very informative site, thank you for sharing!

I don't know ~ you might try seo for firefox. I had some trouble with some of the tools, this one finally works consistently for me.

now it's not showing any pr all. all question marks.

hi there again Jackie.

why is it that all of a sudden seobook is only showing the pr of the first 4 sites?

If you can get the specific url you're fine.

Jackie - I took another look at this video and after doing some Amazon/Google research I found a product keyword name that is GREAT -- however, when I go to Squidoo and search for that keyword phrase.... other lenses come up, but none have the keyword phrase as the url.... should I still go for it in Squidoo?

Jane (MoneyMom)

exact match for search volume and competition are two different things. You do exact match in the keyword tool to see just how many people are looking for that keyword ~ you want to put it in regular in Google to see who really has the top spot for that keyword when someone searches as they would. People don't generally go to google and search with quotes. You want to search just as your searcher would.

No it's not necessary to use your product name at all. You are optimizing for a specific keyword, not a specific product. The product happens to be what you've chosen to offer them as a solution to their keyword search. If no one is searching for the exact product keyword there's no reason to use it in your lens.

Hi Jackie,

I have a couple of questions for you. The first has to do with checking the PR of your competitors. When I put my keyword in the google search box should it be in quotes or without quotes seeing that you now want us to do an exact match when searching for keywords in the google keyword tool.

When you can't use your product name as your keyword because of low search volume and you have to find another keyword that is closely related, when you are creating your module titles for example, should I build not only the keyword I have chosen but also the actual product name into my module titles after all, my lens is about my product name? Does this make sense?

Thanks

Sandra

go to add modules ~ then choose all modules (on the side) pick y and then grab a youtube module. From there you open the module by hitting edit. Choose let me pick, below you will see a "help me find a video" link, click it. A new window will open where you can type in keywords. When you find a video you want to show on your lens simply click the "add this video" button under the video (from the pop up window) and it will automagically appear in your lens.

You can then add text/description etc from the lens area.

Hi,
I am new at making lenses but am making progress with your help. My question is how do I insert a video clip that Amazon has showing a product in action?
Thanks, Bob

You can do it either way. If you link different products together you can make them connected/relevant by talking about them being gift ideas ~ if they are similar you can also link them.

If you are doing a cb lens or something I wouldn't put links to lenses that aren't relevant ~ the fact that these product lenses could all be gifts is what makes them relevant to one another and ok to link to

Hi Jackie,

I just wanted to ask you if it matters whether or not your products are similar
when creating lens to promote products from Amazon. I'm thinking about this
from a linking of lenses perspective. If I link my lenses together should the
products be similar or can they be different?

Thanks,

Check step 8 for a link to the add on. Congrats on taking action!! The post on the big arrow module should help. Make sure you read the comments on that page too, many times your questions might be answered in the comments.

Hi Jackie- I just want to commend you on the fantastic job you are doing here. You are a great teacher. I just finished my first lens following your template. Certainly plan to do more. Having some problems getting page rank with Firefox-is there an add-on I am missing. Also need to read your post about the big arrow-really had a tough time with it wanting to take the url-so finally just gave up. Here is my first lens Jura Capresso . I have been Squidoo ing for awhile now and really enjoy it- But I definitely needed to go back to ground zero and begin focusing on keywords. Thanks for all your solid good help. I look forward to your e-mails. Kimberly

Hi Carole ~ it's a learning process for us all. I never really used to use exact match but I can see a big difference now that I am ~ so ~ there are tons of my lenses that aren't that great for exact match too. No worries. I just read a product and he recommends finding keywords with more than 300 searches a day ~ so really as long as you can get some traffic you can make sales.

If you can't get the exact keyword in the url you're targeting for at squidoo that's a problem. You want the exact keyword in your url.

If there is not a lens with your exact keyword in the url you're fine.

If you found a related keyword with better search volume you sure can go in and change your anchor text ~ as well as the keywords in your titles which is what I covered in this impromptu lens review post

continuation from my comment above. I have gone back to my other product lenses and checked with "exact match", can it hurt to go into the lenses and change the links with the keywords to the New KW found in exact match? I know I can't change me lens title, it is the same product with just more of the model #.

Thanks again for everything,
carole

Somehow I missed in the previous lessons about doing the "exact phrase", just finished my research for 6 products and doubled checked them based on "exact phrase" and only 1 will work. Back to the drawing board.

Also, you don't mention above about checking to see if there is a Squidoo lens on the product - do we still need to be concerned with that?

I have noticed with checking on squidoo, that there are lenses that have a full line of products (example: tag watches, they will have all of them listed on their lens and have a kw's with the product name), do we just go to another product or if they don't have an entire lens that is a single product, then can we go with it?

Hope that makes sense,
Carole

Hello Jackie! I Am Glad To See The Steps, These Are More Important For People Like Me(Beginner's)! Thanks For Sharing The Video.It Is Very Inspiring.Good Bless You,Bye.

@Sandra The closer to the top of the page you get the more traffic you should get. Realize that the first listing will probably only get about 40% of the search volume in actual traffic ~ and it falls off from there the lower on the page you are. But don't get depressed ~ I've made 3 sales from position 5-7 with the inversion table lens. It will happen. As targeted as these keywords are you can have a lot less traffic and still make sales because your conversion rate is really high.

You have to go into the tools area and tell the software to tell you the PR of the sites immediately. It's default I think is to give you nothing until you click through to the site, but you can change that to show you the PR on the front page.

Yes ~ I was adding up PR for a total less than 30. :)

Hi Jackie,

When I did my first lens I used "broad match" to search for my keyword in Google keyword tool. Luckily after reading this post, I checked my keyword in the Google keyword tool with exact match and the search volume was the same.

My lens for my long tail keyword for my product from amazon is on the first page of google when I do a search under that keyword name although my traffic is very low. Does it just take time to get the traffic? I have an article ready to submit to ezine articles to generate some traffic. Is there anything else I should be doing?

Also, on a different note, when you talk about checking the page rank of competing sites for any given keyword, when some of these sites only have a question mark - is that a concern? Should I be worried about the fact that it is not telling me what the page rank is? and also, were you in your video actually adding up the PR numbers for the sites on the first page of google looking for a total number of less than 30?

Let me know when you have a chance.

Thanks.

It's what I used to do, but have found this method is much more accurate. There are times when you find a keyword and it may only have 5000 competing pages but the ones on the first page would take a year to beat. Which makes it not worth it for me.

Glad the tip worked.

Hi Jackie,

Oh my! That seems to be a big digression from what the others are espousing...that is to choose keywords with exact phrase counts not exceeding 5,000, to reduce competition. I'll try to explore on your teaching. I suppose it works otherwise you won't be telling this to your readers.

And thanks for the tip. The pr is now showing.

God bless!

If you choose to use social bookmarking, social marker is a fine program. It's whatever works best for you. There's no right or wrong way to do it, if it works and you actually follow through regularly and consistently ~ then by all means, use it!

Do you recommend using socialmarker.com? I was exploring it a bit last night and it seems like a good program, but I'm not quite sure if it submitted all my bookmarks or not. Now I'm afraid that I might do a double submit and look like a spammer. Would you recommend any other programs or just doing it manually with the monday, tues etc. folders like you talked about? Thanks again for all the help!!

@JhuhN ~ no I do not really worry about the exact phrase count. Here's why. I don't care how many sites have used the keyword in their page. I only need to beat the top 10 sites to get to the top of the search listing. These 10 sites have already beat all the other sites. If I can beat them, then I can beat all the others too.

You have to go into the settings area and tell it to automatically show the PR. (in the tools link at the top of the browser) There is no premium download ~ it's a free program.

Hi Jackie,

Let me share a few observations regarding your video on how to narrow down a product name to a great keyword.

First, I noticed that in selecting the new keyword (tag grand carrera), you only considered the search count (2,400) and did not take into consideration the exact phrase count when you chose the new keyword phrase. There are 293,000 web pages with that exact phrase. Is the exact phrase count irrelevant in looking for a profitable product keyword?

Second, how come the SEO PR tool does not show the pr of any of the 10 web pages, no matter what keyword I type in the search box? It will only show the pr if I go to the individual pages. I downloaded the free plug ins and they all appear in my browser. Does it work only for the premium paid download?

It's perfectly normal for things to bounce around, that's why you keep making new lenses instead of obsessing about one. :) Keep building and let it simmer for a bit. In a week if it's not back then build some more links. :)

Jackie,

Thanks for all the help so far I am finally starting to see the light! The only problem I'm having is that some of my lenses can't seem to secure a spot on google. One of my lenses was the 2nd listing on the 2nd page a few days ago, and then I look last night and its nowhere to be found. My Diggs and RSS submits to feedage and such, even an post on a blog are all ranking higher than my squidoo lenses. What can I do to be a little more efficient with my backlinks? I know it shouldn't be hard to rank high for my keywords the page ranks of my competition is practically non existent! Thanks again for all the help!

Dennis

Sounds like a plan. The days I try to force myself to do things are the days I get very little done, and end up in a really bad mood. It's much more beneficial to take a break, and get back into a good frame of mind and start over fresh. :) Enjoy your wine.

Thank you Jackie. I know this, it is just really good to hear it from someone who has been there. I will keep moving forward. Your advice is always great. I am going to take a breather tonight - have a glass of wine - and regroup!!!

Lisa

If you are on the first page then leave them and let them be. Just start on new lenses based on the new information you have.

There's no need to scratch anything. Ever. Whether a lens does well or not, it will always be a piece of online real estate you have at your disposal. It may not sell, but you may do another lens or site that is related to it, and then you can use it to link to the other thing.

Take a deep breath. This is not an overnight thing. It will happen though. It's a marathon, not a sprint. You may find you learn new things along the way and you will have to adjust your course. It doesn't mean any of the distance you've covered thus far doesn't count, it just means if I'm gonna get to California I'm going to have to head a little more west than north. :)

Hang in there. Keep taking action ~ even it it's only 1 thing a day. :)

Thanks Jackie for another great informative post. I am so confused and frustrated, maybe just a bad day (kids have not let me get much done today, it will be a late night if I want to finish my to do list).

Maybe I am just obsessing again (one of my weaknesses) but I am ready to scratch everything I have done thus far and start fresh. If I make sales from the fifteen or so lenses I have done so far, that is fine. But now I feel like I am wasting my time building backlinks because when I switch to exact match in google keyword tool - the search volume drops tremendously on EVERY lens I have done. Most of them drop from over one thousand to two or three hundred ( not enough to really go after). Am I on the wrong track? Even though I am on first page of Google this is not going to lead to many sales from these products.

How long does this take? I am working so hard late into the night and early in the morning while kids are sleeping. This learning curve is frustrating!!!!! I want to cry and scream!!!!

I am strong, I will wake up tomorrow with a better attitude and move forward!!

Sorry for the whining.......

Thank you for being so helpful and giving such great advice. I would not even be this far if it wasn't for your great information!!

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