"Search engines don't pay your bills, but your prospects and
customers do," said Heather Lloyd-Martin, the president and CEO of SuccessWorks Search Marketing Solutions. So while building a keyword-dense site may be appealing to Google--it may actually drive
consumers away. Lloyd-Martin said balance is key--i.e. slipping in two or three keyphrases per page where they actually make sense--like FAQ pages, "how-to" articles, blog posts or newsletters.
She also recommended targeting users at various phases in the buying cycle, so that researchers can read (or see) things like testimonials and product demos, while buyers see warranty, customer service and repair info. "Grabbing people's attention should remain a top priority --they'll want to know how things can benefit them," Lloyd-Martin said.