Which comes first, content or keywords?

[Gurtie]

There's an interesting discussion on a little (non seo) linkedin group at the moment about content versus keywords, which is an interesting insight into how 'normal' people think and what they believe keywords actually are.

Most people seem to believe strongly that you shoudl create your website and only then think about the keywords you need and go back and retro-fit them. I've suggested that not only is a website better written if you understand your keywords before you start on copy, but that it might result in more sales because you're mirroring your consumers language by doing so. Apparantly this is an argument only an seo would put forward 

Anyone else been burned as a heretic for suggesting that keywords might help good marketing copy?!

[4Eyes]

We tell clients to 'persona' their potential site visitors and to try to imagine (or even research) the questions that they are likely to have in their heads.
Then turn those questions into 'search phrases' - then build content that addresses the 'questions', incorporates the 'search phrases', and does the 'sales pitch' bit as well.

If they manage to do that (big 'if'), that usually gives us just a little tweaking to do on the 'keywords' front.

I do tend to lose patience with clients who obsess on 'keywords' without reference to their ability to convert the resulting visitors  into clients - and that is probably the majority of clients. One of many reasons why my business partners keep me away from our client base as much as possible

[Zwart]

Hmm, this got me to wonder: how can I work the keywords 'mesothelioma' and 'auto insurance' into my bugnuggets website?

[ergophobe]

Hmm, this got me to wonder: how can I work the keywords 'mesothelioma' and 'auto insurance' into my bugnuggets website?

Friends, bugnuggets may suck, but they're not as bad as mesothelioma, they're way cheaper than auto insurance and a hell of a lot easier than trying to lose weight fast. Sure, you might feel like buying bugnuggets is gambling with your forex money, but hey, it's nowhere near as risky as Texas Hold 'Em. If you're the kind of person who needs a miracle, needs dynamite to get you up because, well, Viagra just won't do, you should check out our USDA prime bugnuggets.

[^^^ is proof that my boredom knows no bounds!]

[Rooftop]

Hmm, this got me to wonder: how can I work the keywords 'mesothelioma' and 'auto insurance' into my bugnuggets website?

Friends, bugnuggets may suck, but they're not as bad as mesothelioma, they're way cheaper than auto insurance and a hell of a lot easier than trying to lose weight fast. Sure, you might feel like buying bugnuggets is gambling with your forex money, but hey, it's nowhere near as risky as Texas Hold 'Em. If you're the kind of person who needs a miracle, needs dynamite to get you up because, well, Viagra just won't do, you should check out our USDA prime bugnuggets.

[^^^ is proof that my boredom knows no bounds!]

You been commenting on my blogs?

[PaulH]

Watch the spam bots come here in hordes now