Using keywords - splitting two words?

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   LarasMamaposted 15 years ago

   When I do a search on google adwords for example on breastmilk, it brings up options with it written as two words "breast milk". Just wondering, will it make a big difference to SEO if two words are put together? Or should I always separate for optimum SEO? Or does it just not matter?
   Thanks for any feedback!

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      Peter Hogganposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Yep, using both versions of the keyword is the best option. The first page returned for breastmilk is unsurprisingly from wikipedia and is a great example of how to use the keywords.
      
      If you have the Google toolbar installed, while you are on the wikipedia page type breastmilk breast milk into the Google search box and hit the highlight tool. This will show you how the words have been used on the page.

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   sunforgedposted 15 years ago

   breastmilk and breast milk are two different terms - it matters greatly.

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      china manposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      so both choices should be put in - breastmilk   and   breast milk  ??

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         N. Ramiusposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         yep and both are probably worth different dollar values and traffic

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            LarasMamaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            LOL! After restructuring the keywords about breast milk in my hub I got DOUBLE red arrows beside it from the increase - unfortunately it appears that all the clicks were from hubpages.

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               relacheposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               If a Hub has very low traffic (or none), even just a handful of visits can trigger the double red arrows.  And some of those visits are probably your own too.  Remember, the stats built into the site are VERY general.  You'll want to use Analytics if you want hardcore data.

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   MyWebsposted 15 years ago

   While they are separate keywords I would be considering how competitive they are. In my opinion If your targeting the keyword breastmilk and breast milk, or included as part of a longer keyword phrase that is also very competitive, that by focusing on both variations you lessen your chances of ranking well for either. You are splitting your efforts up here.
   
   Instead expect a lower possible ranking on Google for both. I would look closely at which version pays the best, is the most searched for and has a level of competition you feel you can compete with and target that one. If you feel you can rank well for both then go for it and good luck. Ranking well for both is ideal of course.
   
   Which would you rather have:
   Two separate keyword phrases that both rank on page 3 - #20 - #30 or worse.
   
   Or one keyword phrase that is top ten on Google with the other variation being buried beyond page 3 or nonexistent?
   
   Trust me one top ten keyword phrase will bring in much more traffic than a SERP of #20 - #30, even if you have 2 listings there, as users rarely click beyond page one on search engines.
   
   While it would be great to rank well for both variations it will be harder and require more SEO work in my opinion for anything competitive. You could target the better one for a while, then once you achieve good results start working on the other variation. I'm mostly referring to off page SEO techniques here.
   
   Sorry to complicate the previous good answers.

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      LarasMamaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      That's ok, I appreciate the feedback - and the editing is based on half an hour of checking competition rates and searches on different terms relating to breast milk such as storage and freezing - so hoping my first real attempt at key word research pays off!

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         Peter Hogganposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         The great thing about keyword research is the more you learn about it the more difficult it becomes.

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      Peter Hogganposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I would disagree with that logic MyWebs, it’s not as if the two term are completely different. Google shows them as semantically related and a few of the first page results for Breastmilk actually use breast milk in the title and vice versa. With such a close relationship I would use both on the same page, perhaps giving a slight advantage to the most popular term.
      
      IMO It would take much less work to get rankings for both terms this way than creating two separate pages. A link for breastmilk will almost certainly benefit rankings for breast milk and a link for breast milk will benefit rankings for breastmilk.

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         MyWebsposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         I did also consider mentioning that they words were probably semantically related. Which does also make a difference.
         
         I never meant to make two web pages.
         
         I was mostly thinking about my recent experience of 'PageRank' verses 'Page Rank', which would seem to be similar to this case.

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            Peter Hogganposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            I had assumed that if the conclusion was to target one term only, then two pages would be required to cover both terms. OK I am unclear what you are suggesting to do with the second term?
            
            As far as PageRank and Page Rank is concerned PageRank is correct and while an SEO would be expected to use it correctly the general public might not be so exact in its usage. Anyway Google is showing both as semantically related so I would go with both on the same page.

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   sunforgedposted 15 years ago

   Misspellings and lack of spaces seem to be progressively less effective due to
   
   Did you mean breast milk ?

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   1. 68

      Peter Hogganposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I agree.

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