Let’s talk keywords—those magical little phrases that can either launch your business into Google stardom or leave you floating around on page 47 with the other forgotten websites selling lava lamps and hand-knit hamster hats.
Here’s the deal: picking the right keywords isn’t just about brainstorming words that “sound good.” It’s about reading the minds of potential customers without becoming a creepy digital psychic. It’s part science, part psychology, and a little bit of New Orleans-style voodoo for good luck.
Step 1: Know Your Intentions (and Theirs)
Before diving into the vast sea of keywords, stop and ask: “What is the goal of this campaign?” Are you trying to sell something? Educate people? Get them to call your business instead of your competitor down the street who still thinks SEO is a brand of sneakers?
Intent matters. Keywords like “best gumbo recipe” signal curiosity. “Buy seafood gumbo near me” signals hunger and credit card in hand. Huge difference. One is researching; the other is ready to order. You want to fish where the hungry people are swimming.
Step 2: Avoid the Popular Kids (Sometimes)
High-traffic keywords sound like a good idea. “Web design,” “insurance,” “weight loss”—they get searched a bazillion times a month. Great, right?
Wrong. It’s like trying to be heard at Jazz Fest during the trumpet solo. Everyone’s shouting into the same crowded digital space. Unless your budget is the size of a small island, targeting highly competitive keywords will eat your ad budget faster than a beignet disappears at Café du Monde.
Instead, try what’s called long-tail keywords. Think “custom WordPress web designer for roofing companies in New Orleans.” Yes, it’s longer. Yes, fewer people search it. But the people who do search it are probably your ideal client, not someone looking for a Wix coupon.
Step 3: Get Local or Get Lost
If your business serves a specific area, for the love of crawfish, include your location in the keywords.
For example:
“SEO consultant in New Orleans”
“SEO consultant” (Which could be anywhere from Nebraska to Neptune.)
Google wants to give searchers what they’re actually looking for. If someone’s in Metairie searching for a plumber, they don’t want to scroll through listings from Milwaukee. Use your town, your parish, your neighborhood—even your ZIP code if that helps you stand out.
Step 4: Speak Human, Not Robot
It’s tempting to stuff your site full of terms like “best affordable SEO web marketing solution New Orleans fast cheap local results.” Congratulations, you’ve written something that sounds like a robot fell down a flight of stairs.
Modern search engines understand natural language. That means you don’t need to jam every variation of a keyword into every sentence like it’s seasoning in a gumbo pot. Use natural, clear language that mirrors how people actually talk.
(And yes, someone will search “who builds websites that don’t suck in Louisiana.” Don’t judge. Just be ready.)
Step 5: Let Data Be Your Guide
Even if you’re a creative type, don’t guess your way through this. Tools like Google Ads’ Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest can show search volume, competition level, and cost-per-click. It’s like having a GPS for your SEO road trip—unless you prefer wandering in the digital woods with nothing but a flashlight and a “Best of 2013” SEO guidebook.
Also, keep checking what’s working. Keywords aren’t set-it-and-forget-it. Trends change. Algorithms update. People start searching for things like “how to make sourdough from scratch” (remember 2020?). Regular reviews keep you in the game.
Step 6: Match Your Ads to Your Landing Pages
This one’s often overlooked. If your ad says “Affordable Website Design in New Orleans,” your landing page shouldn’t start with a story about your dog’s gluten allergy or a slideshow of vacation photos from 2007.
Make sure your content reflects the keyword that brought people there. That’s how you get conversions instead of confusion.
Bonus Tip: Don’t Let Keywords Kill Your Creativity
Yes, SEO is strategic. Yes, keyword research matters. But don’t let it turn your website into a lifeless grid of search terms and buzzwords. Keywords open the door—your brand and personality are what keep people from backing away slowly.
Remember, the goal isn’t just traffic. It’s the right traffic. People who connect with what you offer, trust your expertise, and eventually pull the trigger on that service, product, or consultation.
And hey, if you ever get stuck, just do what I do—light a cigar, crank up some jazz, and pretend Google is just another local trying to find a good po’boy joint.
