An index term, subject name, topic name, or description, in content retrieval, is simply a word that captures the essence of an article. Subject term aids in finding specific information about a topic. In a database, the subject names in each record are listed at the beginning of the article rather than at the end. This method facilitates the easy search and retrieval of data. Subject terms also create a controlled vocabulary for later use by retrieval systems. In text extraction and re-modification, this controlled vocabulary is used for a more directed search and retrieval.
Keywords in your articles must be carefully selected to fit your intended audience, as well as the search engines that will discover them. For instance, a keyword that describes your service may not be appropriate for a new customer who needs your product. Likewise, your keyword selection for search engines must be carefully considered to avoid keyword stuffing, which can result in low rankings or the listing of your web site on the results page instead of the home page. A keyword is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars to advertisers, so it makes good sense to carefully select your keyword and ensure that your content accurately reflects the subject matter.
Keyword research tools are available, and many software programs are designed specifically for keyword analysis and research. These software programs to analyze keyword popularity and competition and can help you determine the most searched for keywords to use in your meta data. Once keywords are found, they can be selected and optimized for your site.
As keywords are analyzed and selected, they are entered into the meta-data field of your meta tags. Metadata consists of the keywords and other meta description/meta tags in your website. Metadata anchors are also important, as these anchor text elements are hyperlinked to the particular pages on your web site that contain the keywords. Your meta keywords and meta intent anchor text are part of what the search engine spiders look for when the spider visits the site.
Keyword research and analysis software can give you an excellent insight into keyword usage trends. A keyword analyzer can tell you how many times a keyword appears in a specific search volume over a given period. The tool can also tell you if a keyword appears too often or if it is used too much. An example of this would be the existence or non-existence of a keyword phrase such as “the fastest way to get rid of wrinkles”. This keyword may appear in one search volume, but may not have enough traffic to warrant being ranked for that keyword in a search engine’s list of highest-ranking keywords.
One of the benefits of using keyword analysis software is that you can determine the relative frequency of each keyword term and compare this to your current marketing strategy. When you see a keyword that seems to be a potential match for your current marketing strategy, you should place a high ranking order to maximize its visibility in your keyword/splash. If you do not, you should remove it from your list or change your strategy so that it does not rank as highly as competitor’s keywords. Remember that the number one ranking keyword usually commands a significant premium. So do your keyword research, plan your strategy and then execute it!