Remember the days when internet experts shouted to build portal websites everywhere. With the exception of few well-done sites, you just can't build a website about everything. Just like in the real world, a jack of all trades is a master of none.
Most websites and blogs have switched to niche sites. The question really isn't whether you occupy a niche, but rather how much obscure arcane stuff you know about the topic, how much of an expert you are about it. If you live and breathe a topic and have a forum full of co-enthusiasts, you have a niche and therefore, a niche website that can thrive.
When you have a niche website, naturally you want the website to be among the first results in any search engine, with Google currently the "master" of the search. SEO, or search engine optimization,is the way to get there.
A good niche website doesn't use SEO as we conventionally understand it. It uses what are known as traditional meta keywords that are the same throughout the entire site, as well as the same title tag. It uses major keywords with a natural frequency, as well as keywords that are commonly related to the main keyword.
But even without what we commonly know as SEO, the number of pages in a website as well as the number of backlinks a website has are a clear factor in a website's rank. Oh, the world of SEO and website ranking can be a very confusing place. What makes a site come out on top within its niche can be quite baffling, in fact.
So what makes it certain that your niche site will beat out the other random sites that only have a few pages on your topic? The natural usage of major keywords and related keywords throughout, as well as the use of your major keyword in your title tag. Using ancillary, or related keywords help as well. It is very important to use words that should show up very naturally in the topic that your write about. You can find these words by scanning search engine results in Google or your favorite search engine, using the Google keyword tool or the Overture search suggestion tool.
Using related keywords has more than an SEO benefit. Not only could it improve your search engine rankings, but you also make your content more comprehensive. Related keywords are points of reference for your readers! They help them get from point A to point B to point C - to triangulate where you're coming from, where you are, and where you're going. It'll make your content much more readable, enjoyable and satisfying. And seeing your website's ranking hit the top page of search results while increasing page hits/views is definitely much more enjoyable for you! |
