Over the past few days, I've been experimenting with keyword density. If you have no interest in learning how to make money online, then feel free to stop reading. Otherwise, stick around to find out what I've learned.

Keyword Density

I didn't just test changes I made to existing posts to increase keyword density, I tested some existing posts. I used Google's keyword tool and checked specific URLs. I wasn't surprised by the results. The vast majority of the posts on this blog do not have the sufficient keyword density for proper keyword targeting.

The contextual ads served for Google AdSense, as well as other advertising services which use the same advertising model, are based on keyword density and related keywords. Thanks to references from places like Court's Internet Marketing School and Internet Marketing with Josh Spaulding, I discovered the SEO Book Keyword Suggestion Tool as well as SpyFu, which tells me how much advertisers pay for ads targeting specific keywords.

Shaving Cream

When I wrote about a shave as smooth as a baby's bottom, I was targeting "shaving cream" as the main keyword, or key phrase in this case. I didn't however, pay attention to related keywords. Using the SEO Book Keyword Suggestion Tool, I plan to go back and edit that post to change things up a bit without detracting from the content.

Books

I haven't written anything about books on this blog. I think I'll start writing book reviews as I get the opportunity to do so. I have 7 books authored by Kelley Armstrong in my possession, 3 of which I've already read.

There are nearly 10,000 searches per day concerning books and related terms. "Kelly Blue Book" garners an estimated 22,000+ searches per day. It's no wonder that auto trading blogs do so well.

"Books" and related terms draw advertising from Amazon, Borders Book Stores, Barnes & Noble and others. They don't pay a lot, but they advertise a lot.

Categories and Tags

Just as the content of a post needs to have good keyword density, so do the categories and tags used for the post. Books should fall into one or more categories with related keywords, such as "book reviews". The tags should relate to kinds of books, the genres, the authors and things of that nature.

When a post or page is indexed by search engines, the entire page is indexed, including the categories and tags. Categories and tags can increase proper keyword density, if used correctly.

Wrapping Up

I'm aware that most of this blog's categories and tags, as well as specific posts, don't take advantage of keyword density. I can assure you, I'm in the process of changing all that.

While this is still a personal blog, it doesn't mean it has to suck for search engine traffic. Your own personal blog, if you have one, doesn't need to suck either.

If there's one thing I've learned in my lifetime, never look a gift horse in the mouth. Some people really do just want to give without expecting anything in return.

A couple of days after I posted my quick article (and I do mean quick) on dandruff, Tony of Modern Gent sent me a message from my contact page offering to send me some Ultra Shave with his compliments. See? I'm not full of shiitake when I tell you how to climb the SERPS quickly. Tony wouldn't have found my article without digging through pages and pages of whatever search engine he used otherwise. That is, of course, unless he was already a frequent visitor (which I doubt).

After exchanging a few email messages (because I didn't want him spending a small fortune sending a package from the UK to the Philippines), he wrangled my mailing address out of me. In some of those messages, I learned enough about the product that I couldn't wait to try it out. As I informed Tony by email, the package arrived via registered mail yesterday. I had to go to the local post office and sign my life away in blood for something the notification card didn't specify. In other words, it came much sooner than expected (less than a month), and I didn't know for sure what the package was until I went to the post office to pick it up.

Ultra Shave isn't your run-of-the-mill shaving cream. In fact, it's more like a super shaving moisturizer. I tested it a few of hours ago, both for the shave and for the unusual side effect. You see, this was tested by the soldiers deployed over in Afghanistan. Not only did it provide a shave as smooth as a baby's bottom (although why anyone would want to check a baby's bottom is beyond me), it also kept the mosquitoes from latching onto their facial skin. I can attest to the smooth shave, a shave smoother than I've had in years. The cream kind of reminds me of the kind barbers used to use, but without the lather. This stuff doesn't lather up and it isn't supposed to, so make sure you read the directions if you use it.

I can also attest to the fact that not a single ninja mosquito attacked my face while I was walking around outside earlier, although one got me on my left arm and one on my right leg (I'm wearing shorts). That particular side effect can't be patented, though, any more than Avon can patent their original "Skin So Soft" product as being able to keep off chiggers (what they call harvest mites in the eastern US). So… the shaving cream actually has 3 uses:

• Shaving Cream
• Facial Moisturizer
• Mosquito Repellent (no claim of that)

Before anyone questions me about it, I was NOT compensated for this article in any way (unless you call a gift compensation in which case, feel free to start sending me some really expensive gifts). I'm merely reporting my experience with a product (and surreptitiously embedding a whole bunch of internal links). If you spot this, Tony, thanks for the Ultra Shave and thanks for a shave as smooth as a baby's bottom.