Keyword Selection Tips – Google's Wonder Wheel and Keyword Relevance

Keyword Selection Tips – Using Google’s Wonder Wheel

Keyword selection is a crucial part of developing your internet marketing strategy.  Many factors come in to play, such as:

1. What is the search volume for my targeted keyword?
2. What is the relative competition for the keyword?
3. What is the relevance the targeted keyword to my website’s content?

Presuming you already selected keywords with (ideally) high search volume and relatively low competition, then it’s time to answer how relevant the keyword is to your site’s content.  This can be a deceptively tricky process, so here’s a keyword selection tip as well as a great tool to validate your keyword selection strategy: Google’s Wonder Wheel.

 

Google’s Wonder Wheel

The Wonder Wheel is a free tool that is easily accessible within Google – no need to log in to a Google account.  Simply perform a search (in the example above I searched on “internet marketing”).

In the light blue bar (below the search box) you’ll see “Show Options”.  When you click on Show Options, a sidebar opens up and about two-thirds of the way down the list of options you’ll see Wonder Wheel, this is where the fun starts.

Once you select Wonder Wheel your search term will be graphically displayed in a hub and spoke pattern – similar to a mind map pattern.  The spokes are based on actual Google searches and represent a visual display of how people searching on Google refine their search terms, switching from short tail terms to long tail terms or even switching search terms entirely.  Again, in the image above, I searched on Internet Marketing and selected the spoke Internet Marketing Company.

For example, if someone searched on the term Apple, the intent of the searcher is difficult to fully understand (i.e. is the person looking for computers, phones or fruit – or something else entirely).  Using the Google Wonder Wheel can help you identify terms that are highly relevant to your product or service, and if your web page is optimized effectively, you will attract more qualified traffic.

Keyword Selection Tips – Keyword Relevance

The concept of keyword relevance should not be casually overlooked or assumed. Just because you believe a specific keyword is relevant to your business does not mean the masses searching on Google will use that term to find your service or product.  So start by casting a wide net and then use Google’s Wonder Wheel to refine your keyword targeting.

And note – although this post is mainly covering the Wonder Wheel and Keyword Relevance in SEO – this tool also works well for identifying long tail keywords for your Google AdWords campaign (pay per click marketing).

More keyword selection tips will follow in future posts (search volume and competition) – in the meantime, try using Google’s Wonder Wheel – let me know what you think of it and if you think it is a useful tool.