The first and most important step in optimizing a website is to compile a list of keywords and phrases. It’s the foundation your SEO plan should be based on. Too often, businesses invest resources in optimizing for search terms that do not serve them well. Determining the specific key words and phrases that are most likely to bring profitable traffic to your site ensures that the time and financial resources invested in search engine optimization efforts will pay off. When developing a keyword list, it is important to pay attention to the following: • Search Volume - how often are people actually searching for the word or phrase? • Competition – how many competitors will be fighting over the same search term? • Relevance - will the search term bring profitable traffic to your site? You should include “long tail” keywords on your list as well. Long tail keywords are very specific search phrases, usually consisting of 3-4 words. These are the keyword phrases that people search for once they have figured out exactly what they want, which is why searches on these terms tend to have a higher conversion rate. While popular search terms drive more traffic to your site, long tail keywords tend to result in more sales. Including both types of keywords in your SEO plan lets you ensure that you are driving lots of traffic as well as lots of buyers to your site.