When it comes to choosing keyphrases, most people look at search count alone. Even if you’re smart enough to evaluate competition levels somewhere in the mix, that still leaves your process incomplete. In addition to those two steps, you have one final thing to address before deciding which keyphrases to use:  The intent of the buyer when s/he typed in the search term.
Buying behavior typically falls in line with the five basic phases to the typical buying process. They are:
1. Need Recognition
2. Information/Solution Search
3. Evaluation
4. Purchase Decision
5. Post-Purchase Evaluation (Buyer’s Remorse)
Interestingly enough, the format of keyphrases shifts, depending on the intent of searchers. That is, which phase of the buying process they are in and what they hope to accomplish with their search at any point in time.
The broader the term, the farther away from a purchase decision the customer usually is. So, someone who types the generic term “laptop computers” into Google’s query field has likely recognized a need (my laptop is dying!) and has begun to search for information and a solution to the need.
However, someone who searches for “best price Toshiba Satellite T-135 laptop” has a credit card out and is ready to give you the number as soon as a price that suits is found.
Here are some examples of keyphrase formats and their associated phases of the buying process. (Need recognition doesn’t require a search. When your microwave oven stops working, you automatically know – without consulting Google or Yahoo! – that it’s time for a new one.)
| Information Search | Evaluation | Purchase Decision |
| laptop computers | compare laptop computers | best price Toshiba Satellite T135 |
| best laptop computers | laptop computer reviews | Toshiba Satellite T135 reviews |
| desktop replacement PC | best Toshiba laptop | buy Toshiba Satellite T135 online |
| Toshiba Satellite T135 free shipping |
A couple of things to notice with the list above. The word “best” doesn’t automatically designate which phase of the buying process the searcher is in or his/her intent. The same with the word “reviews.” It’s the combination of words in the phrase that tells you what the customer hopes to accomplish.
“Best” and a generic term equals a search for information while “best price” and a specific brand, make, model, etc. means the searcher has settled on a product s/he likes and is close to the purchase point. There’s a difference in “laptop computer reviews” (in which the searcher is looking to find opinions on which laptops are good) and “Toshiba Satellite T135 reviews” (where the searcher is seeking opinions/verification that this specific model is good). “Compare” is pretty much always in the evaluation phase.
Using the earlier example for our online shoe store and the information above, can you see which of the keyphrases would be most relevant for Home page copy and Product page copy on a laptop computer website?
| Home Page | Toshiba Satellite T135 Page |
| laptop computers | best price Toshiba Satellite T135 |
| best laptop computers | buy Toshiba Satellite T135 online |
| desktop replacement PC | Toshiba Satellite T135 free shipping |
If the site had pages dedicated to comparisons or reviews, the phrases in the Evaluation column could be used there.
Picking the Best for Your Pages
Much of the final process is a judgment call. You have to decide, based on the available information, which terms are best for each page.
Join me for my latest webinar via my OnlineCopywriting101.com site:
Virtual Keyword Research Clinic
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 (for 1 hour)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011 (for 1 hour)
This 2-session, live clinic that will give you the skills and confidence to conduct, analyze and use keyword research on a professional level. Whether you need to perform your own keyword research or add a new money-making service to your lineup, this webinar-style clinic can make it happen.
Get Details & Register Now
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