Keyword or key phrase targeting is one of the most important aspect of any search initiative, be it paid (SEM) or organic (SEO). As single keywords return too many irrelevant results, people are using longer key phrases to find what they want on the Web.

Two and three word key phrases are the most common search queries on the Web. You must, therefore, target 2 and 3 word key phrases in your Search Optimization strategy. The longer the key phrases, the more powerful is visitors intent on doing something on your Web site. Therefore getting ranked higher for relevant long-tail key phrases will produce significantly higher returns per search visitor.

So how would you go about finding the right keywords for your business? Let’s say, you are a dentist in Toronto. It is not worth targeting dentist as part of your SEO strategy for two simple reasons:

1. the competition would be too fierce for that key phrase, and
2. you will draw far too many irrelevant prospects who can’t visit your clinic because they are living 1000 miles away.

What you would like to rank for, instead, is

• Toronto dentist
• Toronto dentists
• dentist in Toronto

Depending upon your business it would be wise if you focus on your niche areas as well, say, cosmetic dentist in Toronto, and so on as in above example.