Compare Keywords

During the Compare phase, online shoppers are more familiar with their options. They've
narrowed their selection to specific brands and know more about the features they're
looking for. At this point, the customer is interested in comparing brands and finding out
more details about a product or service. Their keyword searches will be more specific.
Here are some potential Compare keywords a laptop shopper might use:
• Dell laptops
• Laptops under 5lbs
• Compare ultra portable laptops
• Best lightweight laptops
• Cheap Sony laptops
As you can see, these keywords are much more specific than the Browse keywords from
the previous example. Online shoppers will attempt to narrow their search by using a
keyword qualifier. A keyword qualifier is like an adjective, it describes the main
keyword. Here are some sample keyword phrases with the keyword qualifiers bolded:
• Sony notebook
• Laptops under $500
• Laptops with 512 mb of memory
Affiliate Strategies for Compare Keywords
Compare keywords are some of the best keywords for affiliates to target. Affiliates can
add a lot of value to an online shoppers experience by providing reviews and information
about specific products or services. Here are some examples of Compare keywords you
should target:
• Brand names (if allowed by the merchant)
• Keyword qualifiers that include price, features, comparisons, reviews, colors,
sizes or anything else you can think of.
Many online shoppers will go straight from the Compare phase to making a purchase.
This is why you don't want to overlook valuable Compare keywords.
In addition to providing your own review of a product or service you could add a
comment form or rating system to your site that allows visitors to share their opinion.
This encourages people to participate on your site and makes your review seem more
authentic. It’s also a great way to generate unique content.
Adding a comment or rating system to your site can range from easy to difficult
depending on your experience level. If you’re an experienced web programmer you could
write and customize your own script using a platform like PHP/MySQL. If you don’t
have programming experience, but feel comfortable implementing third-party scripts on
your site you could integrate a pre-built review and rating system like those found on
HotScripts.com
http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Scripts_and_Programs/Reviews_and_Ratings/index.html
If you’re a beginner and the thought of writing your own code or trying to mess with a
third-party script is intimidating, I recommend using a publishing platform like
WordPress www.wordpress.org, which has a comments system built-in. Some people
still think about WordPress as strictly a blogging tool, but there are now thousands of
sites using it as a full-blown content management system/website builder. The nice thing
about using WordPress is that there are hundreds of ready-made templates and plug-ins
available. In Section 4 you can find out more about using WordPress as a web publishing
platform.

Buy Keywords

During the Buy phase, online shoppers have settled on a specific product or service. At
this point, they're just looking for the right website, with the right offer. Buy keywords
tend to get less traffic than Browse and Compare keywords do, but are also less
competitive and convert better. Buy keywords almost always include a brand name, and a
keyword qualifier or an action modifier. Some popular action modifiers include:
• Buy
• Purchase
• Find
• Low cost
• Best price
Here are some examples of Buy keywords that a laptop shopper might use:
• Dell XPS M170 (model number)
• Toshiba Satellite Coupon
• Sony laptop free shipping offer
• Lightweight laptops on sale
Affiliate Strategies for Buy Keywords
Every affiliate should be targeting Buy keywords. As an affiliate, you want to position
yourself as close to the Buy phase as possible. Here are some ideas for Buy keywords:
• Keywords with product names and model numbers
• Keywords that include a brand name and a keyword qualifier, or an action phrase
By understanding the keywords that shoppers use during each phase of the Keyword
Buying Cycle, you will be able to better target potential customers.