Targeted web advertising is important if you want to get a good response on your marketing campaigns and website investment. The main focus here should be the “targeted” part of the process. By targeting a specific group, you can refine your approach and speak to those who are most likely to become paying customers. There is nothing wrong with doing some general online advertising, however you might not see as many actual sales generated as you would if you target your audience.

 

Step 1: Build a List of Primary and Secondary Keywords

 

Before you begin your targeted web advertising campaign, you need something to work with. To get started, create a list of keywords. This should be broken down into two separate lists. The first list should be your primary keywords. These are the main words that you would like to focus on and the ones that are most closely related to your product or service. The second option should include all of your secondary keywords. These should still be related, but might not be exactly the same. These are also words that are not as often searched when looking for your product or service.

 

Step 2: Ask Others How They Would Search for Your Product or Service

 

Review your list a few times on your own to see if you missed any good keywords. Next, ask around to see how others would search for your service or product. Talk to your friends, family, staff members or anyone else. It doesn’t have to be someone who is an expert in your industry, unless you are advertising to experts. If you sell to the average consumer, then asking anyone works. Ask the individual what words they would use when searching for your service or product. Keep a record of these and see if you missed any on your list, especially those that are suggested by multiple people.

 

Step 3: Look for Variations and Misspelled Versions of Your Keywords

 

Next, look for any variations or misspelled versions of your keywords. Do not use a misspelling just because it is there. Instead look for those that are frequently used by the average internet user. If you visit Google’s keyword tool, you can enter a few words and see suggested alternatives that might help you come up with ideas. Just because a word isn’t spelled correctly doesn’t mean it isn’t used often. If you want to drive as much traffic as possible to your website, then you need to include all keyword possibilities.

 

Step 4: Review Search Quantities and Finalize Your Keyword List

 

Going back to the Google keyword tool (or any other online tool similar to it), see how often each keyword you came up with is searched. Make sure your primarily keywords are searched often. Google can show you recent searches so you can identify trends or changes later on. Use this information to finalize your keyword list before you begin your next targeted web advertising campaign.