A 3rd step, covered in a strategic analysis test, must be added to determine which keywords have the best value.

The first step is the seeding process. In this step, potential keywords are gathered:

• Review website visible text for possible keywords.
• Review competing websites for possible keywords in metatags and visible text.
• Brainstorming sessions with other company employees and departments.
• Use Google's keyword suggestion tool.

The next phase is to expand the seed list to include all possible variations and synonyms, thereby attain a universe of all potential keywords.

• Use Overture  (FREE) and WordTracker  (Subscription based) suggestion tool for alternative keywords

These tools also report keyword popularity values.

Once a universe of potential keywords and their popularities are defined, the popularity for each keyword needs to be tempered with a relevancy value. Keyword relevancy is a measure of those visitors who are truly looking for your products and/or services.

Those keywords that have a combination of high popularity and relevancy (factored popularity) are sorted in descending order to reveal which keywords are best.