Keywords have become the foundation of any email or online internet marketing, including social media. Without adding the right keywords and phrases in your website, you might as well set up shop in the desert. The whole goal is to be found. Sounds simple, but it is not.

Understanding how keywords work, takes a bit of time and research. The good news is, the Worldwide Web has all you need to know – and that information is available, at the click of your mouse. Here are a few simple strategies.

Know How your Audience Thinks: Hey, I am not advocating mind reading. But you need to anticipate words that people might use when looking for your product or service. It may not be the exact words you would have used for your product or service keywords, but if you don’t test your words, with the right tools, you could miss a sale. At the end, it’s all about your target audience. You need to understand how they search and think. For example, a furniture company discovered the search word being used for sofa was the word couch. They immediately updated their keywords and made an immediate sale.

Relevance: When we search online, we have certain ideas and expectations of what our keywords will bring us. If you are like me, and you start getting responses back that are not exactly what you had hoped for, you keep revising your search word and search phrase to get that perfect result. Your website content should match the keywords people are searching for. If it doesn’t, they will leave your site and you will lose a possible prospect.

Here are some free tools related to keyword research and tracking:

Social Media Keyword Research: Social media is a great tool. Find out what people are talking about and what words they are using that relate to your market. You can create a list of those targeted words to use on your website.

TweetVolume: Enter keywords to see their frequency within Twitter

YouTubeKeyword Tool: Find video related keywords and tags used – similar to the Google Keyword Search Tool.

Google Trends: With Google Trends, you can compare the world’s interest in your niche market.

Google Insights for Search: Compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories, time frames and properties.

Keyword research is vital for your search engine and website optimization goals. Your site must target the right keywords for a high ranking performance. As important as it is to be found, you need to be found by the right people. This takes thoughtful planning and strategy. Using the right tools can give your website a strong online presence.

Remember: Don’t just spend your time and energy on the aesthetics of your site. That would be like cooking a spectacular meal, with all the trimmings. It may look and taste fabulous, but what good is it if no one shows up for dinner?