I'm Not Sure Which Keywords To Use From The Brainstorm It Tool?

Question - What sort of profitability numbers should I be looking for when I use the Brainstorm It tool?

Answer - I've found that interpreting the supply/demand numbers is one of the biggest problems people face when they get started - so much information on so many words... 

Profitability is a relative term, it's the actual supply and demand numbers you need, not really the number in the profitability column. 

Look for keywords that have the maximum demand with minimum supply whenever possible. Those are the ones to target with your content pages. Ideally a demand number higher than the supply number is the best, but that's not always possible. 

Go for the best supply/demand ratio you can and start from there. 

For tier two pages, it is normally going to be difficult to rank well quickly, so I look for at least 1,000 searches in the demand column and preferably 10,000 or more, and a supply number that is not too much greater than the demand number, however this isn't always possible. 

I use these tier two pages with good demand as the backbone of my sites - they hold the thing together and act as a bridge between the home page (your main site concept) and the tier three pages that will actually attract the bulk of your traffic, at least initially. 

For the long-tail, multi word buying keywords that typically make up my tier three pages (for example - best value nikon digital camera) I look for demand of at least 500 and a supply number of about the same number or greater if possible. 

I've found that if the demand number is too much less than the Supply number, it's extremely easy to get pages to rank well. 

As the supply number gets higher than the demand number, it gets progressively more difficult to get pages ranking on the first page of Google and Yahoo (although not impossible), which is where you want to be. 

Only after I've exhausted the keywords with demand above 500 will I go down into the words with less that this if they are buying-keywords (keywords that people are searching for when they are ready to make a purchase decision), but you can find some really easy to rank well for words here that nobody is building content for. 

In summary, look for multi-word keyword 'buying' phrases (for example - buy Canon DS10 digital camera) that have a demand number that is higher than the supply number (and ignore the actual profitability number as it can get confusing) and target those keywords for your tier three pages. 

Use the sub-niche two and three word keyword phrases the Brainstormer finds for the backbone of your site (e.g. nikon digital cameras, canon digital cameras, sony digital cameras, digital camera reviews, etc.) - your tier two pages. 

You won't rank well for these keywords quickly most likely, but they do the work of holding your site together so the search engines can find your tier three pages and rank them well for you. 

Off the example tier two page I built for the keyword phrase nikon digital cameras, I'd have pages for each nikon digital camera using the full name and get very specific - using actual model numbers etc. like "nikon d70 digital camera". 

Then when somebody searches for say "buy nikon d70 digital camera", my page with that file name will rank well and get found. 

This keyword is very specific and it's the sort of word that people are looking for when they have decided on the brand and model of camera they want and they are ready to purchase. 

When you set your site up like this, your visitors start arriving at your tier three pages first as they are the easiest to rank well for (because they are built around very specific, highly targeted keywords without as much competition as the more general terms), then your tier two pages as your site gains credibility with the search engines (even though they are harder to rank well for), and finally your home page will start to rank well too. 

Of course you always have to make sure your pages are set up correctly as outlined in the Page Optimization lessons.

For tips on which keywords to use to make the most impact, watch this video tutorial.