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Step 1
We are all here on eHow for a few very good reasons: we like to write, and we like to earn money. After writing whatever article we'd like to submit, eHow asks for tags. This is an important part of your submission that you may not know much about or a part you may have been neglecting. Tags are basically search terms that someone may use to search for an article or website, and if yours match what they entered, they may come to your article. Using the most appropriate, popular, and effective keywords, or tags, will drive more visitors to your page. This is exactly what you want: more exposure.
A tag, or keyword, is a word or phrase that's descriptive and specific to your article or webpage. The right keywords will help optimize your exposure and also your positioning in search engines, which is where many people may find your article. You want to grab as many viewers as you possibly can to result in more performance pay for yourself and more exposure. If someone reads an article they like that you've written, they may even check out your profile and read some other things you've submitted as well.
First you may want to do some keyword research to find the most popular keywords for what you're writing. Make a list and choose the most relevant and popular keyword associated with your article, in other words, find a main keyword on which to focus. You'll want to use this word as many times as you can in your article (without being completely apparent and sounding ridiculous), and also pick two or three other related words with which to do the same; however, don't use a keyword in every single sentence as this will saturate your article and likely destroy its quality. For this to be effective the keywords must be related. This will help the search engines rank your page better and avoid getting your page rejected. Try to place your main keyword in the title of your article. This helps tell the search engine (as well as the reader) what your article is about so there will be little, if any, confusion regarding your topic. -
Step 2
Keep in mind some basic rules. It's suggested that only 2-5 keywords or tags are used per hundred words in your article. If you have an article that's only 200 words long, you don't want to saturate it with too many keywords. This would become confusing, especially for the search engines, and probably get your piece rejected. Try to have the best punctuation, grammar, and spelling to keep your articles more professional and easier to read. Once you write your article, go back and read it again, even aloud, to check for errors and make sure it's easy to understand for anyone who might read it. Also, don't forget the importance of a good and straightforward title.
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Step 3
To put it all together, I will include a couple examples to make it more clear. For the first example, let's look at this very article. Appropriate tags might include the following phrases:
best tags, most searched keywords, increase page views, keyword tagging
Some poor choices might be:
article, views, titles, search engines, performance pay
As you can see, the more descriptive phrases make more sense to use because that's how most people search. If you were searching for healthy dog treats online, for example, you probably wouldn't search for the word "treats"; you would more likely search using a phrase similar to "healthy dog treats." Try to picture yourself searching for your own article. You know what you wrote about. What phrases or main words would people use to search for your article? If you wrote an article comparing walking and jogging, people might search for "walking vs jogging," or "health benefits of walking," for example, so those two phrases would qualify as excellent keyword, or tag, choices.
Again, to summarize, always choose a good title and try to have your main keyword featured in it; try to use several main keywords sporadically throughout your article, but don't overuse them; choose good words or phrases that people may actually key in when searching for your article. These are some simple basics that may help you choose the best tags for your Associated Content articles and get more page views.
Sources:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Article-Marketing---How-to-Use-Keywords-to-Get-More-Views-of-Your-Articles&id=2513848
http://www.wetpaintcentral.com/page/Using+Keyword+Tags
http://ezinearticles.com/?Article-Marketing-Secrets-Finally-Revealed&id=2611602
Comments
judymasse said
on 9/28/2009 Thanks for the info popeye! Bethany, would you please take a look at one of my articles and see what keywords I would use? I don't seem to be popping up when I try to search them here on eHow. Thanks, Judy
ct825876 said
on 9/27/2009 Great tips on tags and keywords. 5* and a recommendation!
Upon-Request said
on 9/18/2009 Thanks for the keyword tips.
cdog1790 said
on 9/17/2009 This will come in handy. Very well written. 5*
jeni10 said
on 9/17/2009 Great info for a eHow newbie. Thank you for your article on using tags and keywords more efficiently. Us newbies can use all the good advice we can get. 5*