Keywords

A discussion about getting your web site found on the Internet simply must include the topic of keywords and keyword phrases.  You can look at keywords from a couple angles.

What Is Your Web Site About?

Keywords should describe your web site.  Have you ever run across one of those web sites that has a section of words, some of different font sizes seemingly scattered around?  That’s called a keyword cloud.  The author is using a software gimmick that counts the number of times a word is used on the web site, taking note as to whether or not the word is used in a heading, if it appears at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence and paragraph.  Then the software determines how important each of the words are and builds a graphic display showing each words relative importance.

It’s kind of a clinical approach, but it makes sense. I mean it stands to reason that words used most often in your web page would best describe what the page is about. Sometimes the cloud thing can be an eye opener and help illustrate that maybe you got off point. Here’s a tool offered by SEO Chat you can try. Just punch in your web address and it will develop a word cloud for the page you specified.The interesting thing is that you would be surprised how often people suddenly realize that they haven’t actually mentioned what the page was supposed to be about.  I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. Keyword Cloud Tool © SEO Chat™ URL Valid URL Enter Captcha To Continue To prevent spamming, please enter in the numbers and letters in the box below Report Problem with Tool.

What Will People Look For

The other way to think of keywords is to guess what people will enter in the search engine to find a web site like yours.  For many this isn’t as easy as it first sounds.  Fortunately, as an entertainer, you are selling a unique commodity – you!  And writing about you, mentioning your name, writing about what you do should be a no brainer.  As a webmaster, I would advise you to also listen carefully to your fans after the show.  When they are telling you how they enjoyed your performance, listen and make note of the words they use – kind of make your own keyword cloud.  Knowing what everyday folks say about you and your show may help you discover some very good niches in the search engines.

What To Do With Keywords

The idea is that you want to make sure you use your keywords and phrases in key places in your web page.  Ideally, your domain name would include a primary keyword phrase like your name.  The the Page Title is the next most important, followed by a heading (in larger bold letters) and a couple times at least in the rest of your text.  If your page has pictures, they should be relative to the content, and so include a reference to your keyword as well.

So, when the search engine robot comes strolling down your stretch of the Internet and sees repeated references to the Joe Schmoe The Comedian over and over in prominent places, the robot will assume that this page must be about Joe Schmoe The Comedian!

Hey, I told you this is not rocket science.  And in fairness to the SEO gurus out there, it becomes a completely new ball game when you’re selling what the public believes is the same thing a thousand other places are selling.  And, you don’t want to over do it either.  If you stuff your pages with keywords it becomes annoying to read and the robots can pick it up too and your pages will be penalized – maybe not indexed at all!