WebProNews

"Optimize, optimize, optimize," some SEO experts will say, and that's fine as far as it goes.  But the question of what to optimize for - and how far to take the process - was addressed in a session called "Keywords and Content."

(Coverage of the Small Business Marketing Unleashed conference continues at WebProNews Videos.  Keep an eye on WebProNews for more notes and videos from the event this week.)

 Heather Lloyd-Martin

"Search engines don't pay your bills, but your prospects and customers do," Heather Lloyd-Martin, the president and CEO of SuccessWorks Search Marketing Solutions, reminded her audience.  Cramming in keywords may make your site more appealing to Google, but consumers will grow tired of the practice.

Have the few things you focus on count, then.  Lloyd-Martin suggested targeting people at all phrases of the buying process (awareness, research, purchase).  Also, "General or overarching keyphrases are great for home and subpages.  Highly specific keyphrases work best for inner pages."

Try to slip in two or three keyphrases per page, and just place them wherever they fit and make sense.  Grabbing people's attention should remain a top priority - they'll want to know how things can benefit them. 

As for where to put these strategies to work, Lloyd-Martin recommended FAQ pages, designer/manufacturer info pages, "how-to" articles, blog posts, or newsletters.  Again, it'll be a question of making things work for the consumer.

WebProNews Video anchor Abby Prince contributed to this report.