What matters to you? -- Keyword search analysis

The blog Marketing M.O. -- Marketing tips from the trenches, provides some useful insights and resources on making more effective use of paid search engine marketing.

Previously, I reported that the bulk of inquiries to this blog are in the 'long tail' -- that is, most of the 676 distinct keyword searches leading to here in the past month happened only once. However, I think it might be useful to look at the top inquires -- that is keywords selected three or more times. With the statistics you can also see the number of visitors, the average number of pages viewed, the average visit time and the "bounce rate."

1.construction marketing
92 1.72 00:02:27 77.17% 67.39%
2.constructinmarketingideas.blogspot.com
69, 1.30, 00:01:14 0.00% 79.71%
3.change order boat
42 2.74 00:03:02 85.71% 19.05%
4.construction+marketing +niche
17 3.76 00:13:46 0.00% 41.18%
5.construction marketing ideas
12 1.67 00:02:60 66.67% 50.00%
6.change order boat picture
8 4.62 00:01:52 100.00% 50.00%
7.construction social network
8 2.38 00:03:50 62.50% 62.50%
8.marketing ideas
8 1.00 00:00:00 100.00% 100.00%
9.construction ideas
7 1.43 00:00:58 100.00% 57.14%
10.commercial construction marketing
6 3.00 00:02:28 83.33% 16.67%
11.boat change order
5 1.80 00:01:57 80.00% 20.00%
12.constructionpublishing.blogspot.com
5 1.20 00:01:29 100.00% 80.00%
13.best marketing ideas ever for construction business
4 2.25 00:04:59 25.00% 50.00%
14.branding 101
4 1.00 00:00:00 100.00% 100.00%
15.construction company marketing
4 1.50 00:01:18 75.00% 50.00%
16.construction mission statements
4 1.25 00:00:17 100.00% 75.00%
17.construction name ideas
4 1.00 00:00:00 100.00% 100.00%
18.construction subtrade marketing letter
4 2.75 00:03:60 0.00% 50.00%
19.marketing aec
4 1.50 00:00:20 0.00% 50.00%
20.marketing construction
4 1.50 00:04:11 75.00% 50.00%
21.change order boat photo
3 6.33 00:00:60 100.00% 0.00%
22.construction + marketing
3 1.33 00:00:17 100.00% 66.67%
23.construction+marketing+tips+niche
3 2.00 00:02:13 33.33% 33.33%
24.dewalt marketing
3 3.33 00:01:27 100.00% 33.33%
25.environmentally friendly homes
3 1.00 00:00:00 100.00% 100.00%
26.how to build environmentally friendly homes
3 1.00 00:00:00 33.33% 100.00%
27.marketing for construction
3 2.00 00:00:40 66.67% 66.67%
28.marketing ideas for contractors
3 1.00 00:00:00 33.33% 100.00%
29.marketing in construction
3 1.67 00:01:51 100.00% 33.33%
30.michael stone construction
3 1.00 00:00:00 100.00% 100.00%
31.remodeling marketing ideas
3 1.00 00:00:00 100.00% 100.00%
32.sales commission ideas
3 1.00 00:00:00 100.00% 100.00%

What can we learn from these numbers? Outside the obvious -- hopefully people searching for information about "construction marketing" are finding their way here -- the picture of the yacht "change order" moored next to the dinghy "original contract" continues to be the most popular search topic here. My suspicion is this viral email, making its way around AEC offices throughout Canada and the U.S., is inviting questions, but since there is virtually no information about the boat, other than my blog postings on the topic, it is propelling to the top of the search engine inquiries here.

I find it interesting that "construction marketing niche" have been grouped -- I can't imagine any contractor or construction professional using that kind of language; this suggests marketing agencies and the like, looking for some information about the construction community, are searching the words and finding the blog.

Looking at things from another perspective, I searched out the keywords which led to long visits to this blog -- 20 or more minutes per visit. Users selected each of these keywords only once, but when they found the blog, they stayed a long time (they also looked at several pages on their visits):

1."brand harmony" construction marketing
1 11.00 00:42:42 0.00% 0.00%
2.construction marketing blog
1 11.00 00:38:08 0.00% 0.00%
3.construction marketing ideals
1 6.00 00:34:58 100.00% 0.00%
4.construction marketing know how
1 3.00 00:31:59 0.00% 0.00%
5.general marketing contractor
1 2.00 00:29:27 100.00% 0.00%
6.marketing ideas for engineering
1 6.00 00:29:27 100.00% 0.00%
7.informational marketing for construction
1 19.00 00:29:06 100.00% 0.00%
8.corvinelli homes
1 3.00 00:27:26 100.00% 0.00%
9.free construction telemarketing scripts
1 4.00 00:26:19 100.00% 0.00%
10.roofing contractor marketing ideas
1 2.00 00:24:49 100.00% 0.00%
11.marketing renovation business
1 7.00 00:24:26 100.00% 0.00%
12.marketing don'ts
1 2.00 00:24:06 100.00% 0.00%
13.problem selling a house comment (1)
1 10.00 00:23:54 100.00% 0.00%
14.construction social networking
1 1.00 00:21:50 100.00% 0.00%
15.marketing ideas for hockey
1 3.00 00:21:24 100.00% 0.00%
16.hilton remodeling kansas
1 3.00 00:20:41 100.00% 0.00%
17.aec marketing
1 1.00 00:20:39 100.00% 0.00%

Theoretically, knowing what blog visitors are finding/care about should provide a better idea of what we should cover in the future in greater depth. Of course, the challenge here is that search engine inquiries are based on the blog's previous content and, to another extent, whether other websites are covering the same words and have higher or lower rankings. Yet they also suggest that once people arrive here, a significant number are exploring their way around -- I can't imagine that anyone looking up "Hilton Remodeling Kansas" would find much directly on that topic here -- but perhaps the searcher operated a GC or sub contracting business and found useful insights (or just had a lot of time to spend surfing around).

The types of statistics available for free today (through things like Google Analytics and the FeedBurner reports) would astound a marketer just a decade or two ago. Our ability to pinpoint and assess data and inquiries -- and presumably modify our approaches based on this information -- would be unheard of; except for perhaps the largest corporation with huge budgets. With this granular information, we can assess details and opportunities, 'hot points' and priorities, and shift our focus accordingly. We can also determine where we may wish to spend money on paid keyword searches and marketing -- using, as well, the analytical tools described in the marketing blog link under this posting's top photo.

But equally I cannot emphasise enough the importance of truly understanding our clients and their relationship with us. I believe we indeed are misplacing our resources if we focus the bulk of our energies on the front end -- attracting brand new clients -- and ignoring the key to our marketing and business viability -- retaining existing clients and encouraging positive vibes and referrals.