Dear Product Manager: Use. Your. Words. Open Letter Number 1.

Ever few weeks, I have one of the following 3 conversations about keywords with a product manager:
1) "My words should be doing better"
2) "I don't want to use those words"
3) "Oh, I forgot about those words when I updated the content"

Let's start with number 1. Usually this is a fantastical choice of words, like 'software' or 'productivity' or 'do more with less'. These words have no bearing the specifics of what the product does. So please pick the Goldilocks words - not too competitive, not too low in volume. Not something filled with .edu and .gov results, if you domain is new, etc. Are you really chasing reasonable keywords?

Then there's how well this word is meant to do. Sometimes people think a category term (think task, basic function, how you describe something in 5 words without using the word; isn't there a game show for that?) should drive 30% of their total traffic. Or that an unlimited amount of keywords can drive to the same destination page. Or they think the traffic should come from search 90% of the time. What if the algorithm changes? Isn't there a little thing about chickens and hatching that reminds you not to do that?


The best approach is to either commit to reasonable keyword research or trust someone who knows how to do it. Don't pick them from the air, or your SEO will be bawling in a corner. Next, pick your favorite of a baker's dozen and use it ruthlessly for several months. Only aim for 2 if you felt like you might be low-balling against the competition. Aim higher once you get more links. Iterate. Adjust. It's evolution with words.