Deep into Web Site Focuses on Single Custom Made Garment, an article in Direct Magazine about SkirtSpot.com, an ecommerce site devoted to, yes, of course, skirts, I happened upon this paragraph:

"While changing the name of the site has definitely helped with search
marketing, there have been some unexpected results. "The most popular phrases that involves skirts are ‘look up her skirt’ and
‘camera up her skirt’" he notes. "So I try to concentrate on phrases like a-line
skirt, or color-based or style-based phrases."

"Oooopsy" as my 8-year-old daughter would say. This underscores a very important point when choosing keyword phrases for your web content.

Anticipate the entendre — mild, medium or hot, hot, hot.

Like the clueless Mr & Mrs Head who name their first son Richard … (Go ahead. I’ll wait.) — marketers and their copywriters need to anticipate the words and phrases searchers use (especially the nasty stuff) and refine accordingly. If you’re making a change in name, concept or business model, be sure to review your content and keyphrase glossary from the ground up.

You don’t want all the eyeballs, you want only the relevant eyeballs who could be in the market to buy what you’re selling.

Many times when I’m working on a new campaign, my brain starts to perculate all things silly and profane. I enjoy it, play with it and then get it out of my system before I get down to work. Not only do I have fun but this kind of free-form thinking/mind-mapping lets me see the possible pitfalls well before it gets me or my client into possible trouble. It affords us plenty of time to rethink and refine the message before we publish word one.

Of course, we can’t anticipate everything. Words are invented and reinvented. Definitions and concepts evolve. But it’s important to do the homework anyway. So take a fresh look at your keywords and phrases with a slight tilt. Review your traffic logs for odd, nasty phrases that are delivering unwanted traffic to your door and revise, refresh and refine.

But don’t forget to have fun while you’re doing it!

Maven’s Maxim
Circa 1960, Shirley Ellis had a one-hit wonder recording. It was called "The Name Game." Even tho it’s practically 50 years old, you probably know it and have sung it yourself. It is the sole reason why no little boy named Charles since that time has been nicknamed "Chuck." (Go ahead. I’ll wait.) This same kind of smart, anticipatory thinking should be used when you’re writing or revising your web content. :=D

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