To gain high traffic to your site, you begin with traffic-generating keyword phrases. Here is an effective strategy that uses brainstorming, distillation and competitive research to develop a powerful list of keyword phrases.

Generally, the more specific you can be, the better. For example [Half Moon Bay real estate] is much better than [real estate].

On the other hand, you don't want to use keyword phrases that are

First, make a list of 30 phrases that describe your business - words that people would type in if they were searching for your product or service. Did you notice that I keep calling them "keyword phrases"? Why? Because most "single" words have too many Web pages competing for them. If you sell real estate, don't try to get found for "real estate" because you compete with every page on the Web with the words in them. You want "Half Moon Bay real estate," "real estate for sale," "homes for sale in Half Moon Bay" etc

So, put down the first things that come to mind until you have 30. Don't worry about how appropriate they are, just brainstorm and keep writing until you have 30.

Second, ask your employees, your friends, your clients, anyone wandering down the hall, "What phrases do you think of when you think of my product or service?" and "What words would you use to search on the Web if you wanted to find my product or service?"

Now you may have 50 phrases to work with.

Third, take the top 50 keyword phrases and prioritize them. What do you think are the most likely words people will use?

Fourth, go to a major Internet search engine or directory. Yahoo is a good place to start. Next, try Google, MSN, AOL, and HotBot. Search for each of the 50 phrases and keep track of how many listings you get for each one. Look at the results you get back for each search. Be sure and follow a few links, and see how the sites compare to your Web site. This will give you a good idea of what your competitors are doing, and how they're listing their Web sites.

Here's one thing you can do. What other keywords are they using? Go to the source code through your browser and see if they have other keywords in the HTML that you haven't considered.

Fifth, start searching for combinations of key phrases. Try combining the first two on your list. Try other combinations based on the numbers you got back for each individual word. Try each of your first few phrases combined with other phrases on your list. You'll probably discover some combinations that will give you more of an exclusive listing combination that others haven't considered.

Using real estate, for example, take [Half Moon Bay real estate] and try [Half Moon Bay homes for sale] or try [Half Moon Bay property]. What different results do you get if you use [real estate in Half Moon Bay] vs [Half Moon Bay real estate]?

If you find certain combinations that (1) would likely be searched for by your prospects and (2) don't return many other URL listings, make note of these. These are called "power combinations."

Sixth, you may want to change the priority of your key phrases based on what you find from your research. So go ahead and re-prioritize your top key phrases. Considering your original 50 and the new combinations, you may end up with 50 "cleaned up" phrases most likely to produce traffic.

Seventh, you can actually check out how much traffic your words could produce. How? A tool I have used for years, WordTracker. WordTracker is an essential tool to discover what search terms are actually being used in the major search engines, based on looking at their database of 30 million actual queries. I won't go into a complete strategy for using this tool because it would double the length of the article!

Now, what do I do with these phrases? First, consider buying these keywords in the Pay-Per-Click Search Engines.

The best tool we have found for keeping track of the keywords you purchase in GoTo, FindWhat and ah-ha.com is Keyword Bid Optimizer.

In this article, let's focus on your description on the site and in your HTML Description Tag. Many directories and search engines limit your description to around 25 words. Your description needs to include the appropriate keyword phrase.

Note that you you'll need to emphasize one keyword phrase per Web page. The suggestions here refer to the main description you will have on your home page and is the one you will use for the directories and the search engines that ask for one. But you will want to do this for every page of your Web site in the Description Tag. Remember to have a different keyword focus on every Web page.

Be precise in your use of the keyword phrase and clear in your description. Your description describes your Web site and needs to pull the visitor in. [Half Moon Bay real estate, property and homes for sale.]

Now, create several versions of your description.

First, try and create a description using three or four of your phrases, but emphasizing the one keyword phrase for that page

Second, create a description that is limited to 25 words. Use your main phrase, but include other high priority phrases.

Third, develop a 10-word description using your highest priority keyword phrase.

You now have several versions to use when you are submitting to the search engines and the directories. Why do this? Because different directories have different limits on the length of descriptions. Some permit longer descriptions, and others limit to just 15-25 words.

Also, there are other places and methods on the Internet for you to promote your Web site. Some of your descriptions can be used in other ways, such as for classified advertising.

Finally, your 10-word description will go in your description meta tag, your title and, if possible, on the top of your home page as aheader. Remember that the search engines found your page but youget to tell them how to describe it

Here's how it will look in the html for that real estate site.
<title>Half Moon Bay real estate property homes for sale</title><meta name="description" content="Half Moon Bay real estate,property and homes for sale"> <meta name="keywords" content="HalfMoon Bay, real estate, property, homes for sale">