For those new to website optimization, finding the right keywords can seem like the hunt for a proverbial needle in a haystack. In reality, the process isn't all that terribly difficult. As long as a few basic steps are taken and common sense is employed, even a beginner can come up with a good starting game plan for locating the right keywords.

It is always a good idea to come up with a basic list of keywords before sitting down to write copy. While it is feasible to write the copy and add the keywords later, this is harder than many think. It often involves total rewriting to avoid nonsensical copy. Considering this, the effort can be counterproductive.

As you go about the process of picking the right keywords, there are several things to consider. The first thing to remember is that different people use search engines in different ways. The key here is to consider the many ways of saying the same thing. How a person searches can be impacted by gender, age, country of origin, profession and so on. What terms come to mind for the exact same product or service can vary greatly depending on the person in question.

When looking at keywords, remember they do need to relate to your individual site. Pulling people in with keywords that are not relevant is dishonest and it also results in "unqualified" hits. If you're selling something or you happen to have ads on your site, you really need to pull in visitors that are interested in your topic. Should you keyword load with irrelevant terms, you'll turn visitors off, could lose sales and might even lose ads.

The best place to start in selecting keywords is with a pad and pen. Dream up every possible word and phrase you can that relates to your site and its pages. Then ask others you know to do the same. It can be very helpful to seek out people who fall into your site's targeted audience, too.

Once you have a potential keyword list created, hit the Internet to refine and revise it. Search engine databases can be very useful for seeing what words are used to find sites like yours. AdWordAnalyzer.com, Wordtracker, Google and Overture can all be helpful tools to this end. These sites can give you an idea of what kinds and how many sites come up when you search for the keywords and phrases you've chosen.

Now's when the common sense comes into play. Take the research you've uncovered and consider your primary audience carefully. Think about the terms they would use to find a site like yours. Remember, most people search using conversational language. They tend to shy away from marketing jargon. Typically, this translates to very basic search phrases.

Even with a well-researched list, it is important to remember optimization is an ongoing process. It is very likely you'll revise your keywords from time to time. Don't fret if it doesn't go right the first time out.

Now's the time to take what you've learned and craft copy that is keyword rich and relevant. Avoid stuffing keywords in just to get them in and make sure copy is only used where it's useful. Don't try to overload the site unless it's designed to be content rich. Remember, product descriptions, blog articles, news stories and so on that are relevant and offer real information tend to pull in more traffic. Also, don't forget to use the keywords in article or page titles.

Coming up with the right keywords to optimize a site can be a tough undertaking. View it as an ongoing process and don't be afraid to tweak the effort as you go.