JEM Consulting - Help For Self Employed and Small Business Web Site Owners

Use this exercise to try to determine words that effectively describe what you do or what services you provide.  You will later translate them to keywords or keyword strings to enhance your Web marketing efforts.

1. Go to a complete stranger with a computer on at Starbucks, Panera or elsewhere.  Offer to buy him/her a cup of coffee or something inexpensive if they will help you out.  Most times they will help and not ask for anything in return.  That is human nature if you are kind and needy.
2. Explain your goal is for them to you find a business through a Web search.  You can tell them it is your business if you wish.  However, do NOT specify the search engine (but note which one they select!).
3. Describe what you do, the services or products you provide (Note: avoid using industry jargon!)
4. Do NOT disclose your URL (Web address) or business name, location, phone or any other  identifying terms specific to you or your business.
5. Record what they type into the search box (so you can duplicate this search later on other search engines).
6. Scroll the results on page one to see if they find your Web site or a competitors’ site.  Look at both paid advertising (if any – at top of the results or along the right sidebar) and natural or free results.
7. Congratulations if you succeeded!  Skip #8 and go to #9.
8. Start again at #5 if you failed and proceed until you succeed or stop trying.
9. Change search engines and repeat (optional).

This is your market research and you must be diligent -

Ask people in all age groups.
Ask your mother (if appropriate).  If you cannot explain your self to your mother, who can you explain you to?
Ask both men and women to cooperate.
Ask a librarian or other trained searcher.

Compile the list of correct answers and proceed to use ad word tools and other resources to determine if here is an opportunity to market yourself with these words.  One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is using untested keywords or falling in love with Matt Cutts labeled as ‘Trophy’ words in the video on my previous blog.