No results during keyword research?

[Kimmoy]

Hey guys,

I sent this email to Lynn and she suggested I posted it here to get feedback. This has literally got me stumped :confused:

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Hi Lynn,
I have been doing a lot of keyword research for my niche product site using tips from your blog, SAH, and SEO Fast Start and what a goal mine discovery it has been! What I didn't expect was how it really got me thinking about how I do things on my main site http://www.thecurvycoach.com
I would like to increase traffic for this site using SEO but guess what? according to keyword tracker, no one is searching for 'plus size business, plus size entrepreneur, plus size customer or plus size marketing, etc.'

Having interviewed entrepreneurs in this industry, I know they need help mostly with marketing, getting the word out about their business, and increasing website traffic/sales. I can most definitely help them but how do I approach this from an SEO standpoint on my site?

Should I compete with 'marketing' keywords? Am I using the wrong keyword tool? Am I not brainstorming this the right way? Help!

Kimmoy

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[Henrik Flensborg]

according to keyword tracker, no one is searching for 'plus size business, plus size entrepreneur, plus size customer or plus size marketing, etc.'

My guess is that plus sized business owners see themselves first and foremost as business owners.

And as business owners they have the same needs as non-plus sized business owners is my guess.

I can't think of anything that a plus sized business owner needs that a non-plus sized business owner doesn't need to run their business.



Should I compete with 'marketing' keywords? Am I using the wrong keyword tool? Am I not brainstorming this the right way? Help!


The generic 'marketing' keywords is probably not the easiest place to operate in because of the level of competition.

The tool you are using is ok, but maybe it would be beneficial to try a few other ways of brainstorming.

Maybe one place to start is to look at what it is that you are exceptionally good at.

Another place to start could be location - maybe your niche is with local clients (for generic 'marketing' keywords)

And maybe I'm completely wrong, and there is in fact a market for business issues that are specifically for plus sized business owners.

When brainstorming try to get inside the head of your preferred visitor - what goes on on the inside when they punch in google.com and start searching?

My guess is that they are not searching for "plus size business" because it's not really a question or a problem.

Also, your about page talks about the site being a hub both for curvy business owners and business owners wanting to get into the plus size market.

Maybe your approach should be the rockstar approach where YOU become the product - the best examples I can come up with is Scott Stratten (http://twitter.com/unmarketing) and Carrie Wilkerson (http://twitter.com/barefoot_exec) - they are not as much promoting their skills and products as they are promoting themselves.

And maybe I've generated too many maybe's - time for me to rest my brain

[Kimmoy]

@shelwriter They do search for plus size clothing but my vision for The Curvy Coach was not to sell clothing but rather consult with the clothing store owner and the like. Make sense? Which leads me to Henrik's response...

@Henrik I think that's exactly what Lynn was trying to tell me which leaves me even more stumped. An entrepreneur is an entrepreneur no matter their size. So now I'm thinking that The Curvy Coach can simply be a place that spotlights entrepreneurs/bloggers in the community, I can do virtual makeovers like Copyblogger does, report on industry trends, etc.

So that leaves me with the advertising model and possibly info. products to monetize it? I was hoping SEO would help me somehow but probably not for this market...

[jkgourmet]

My immediate thoughts were very similar to Henricks. But I'll offer a slightly different alternative than competing in that HUGE market.

How about looking to see if clothing retailers in general are looking for marketing help?

How about looking to see if businesses that cater to women are looking for marketing help?

Maybe businesses that sell other products somehow related to plus-size women need marketing help (I hesitate on this one, as I'm afraid that many of those sites may be scammy lose 20 pounds in 20 minute type crap).

How about changing the Curvy Coach to a site that helps plus size women dress attractively and how they can find online merchants who are good at selling this stuff. How plus size women can "market" themselves (dating, job interviews, etc.) I admit, that's a big switch for your site - from targeting businesses to targeting consumers, which may be a big turn off to you.

I'm sure there are more. . .

[Kimmoy]

@shelwriter @jkgourmet you both are right in that I want to help these businesses/retailers market online/offline. I do have the experience by the way, it's what I do all day, every day for the past 4.5 yrs which I guess isn't that long but I know my stuff :) The Plus Size Market is what I can relate to most and I know there's a need so my goals was to fill that need as a consultant/coach.

The affiliate marketing model is not entirely appropriate here, what I was trying to figure out was how to use SEO to attract said clients. That's where I got stumped.

Thanks guys for your feedback, appreciate it very much. It's giving me lots to think about.

[yuri21]

Actually, wouldn't people not look for "plus size" but instead, things like "size ___"(depending on what country/region you're in, measurements would be different.) And also, sometimes, alternatives to certain "label names" or fittings or even other things that they use for designing clothing for larger women?

[Kimmoy]

@shelwriter The few that I have landed has been through twitter, facebook and my teleseminars :) Getting them interviewed on my site has been a great lead generation stategy too.

So yep it seems like I have to use the old school form of marketing and reach out to the clients vs having them find me through SEO. I got so down after realizing SEO was not a good option for my market and was beginning to doubt my whole mission. Now I realize I just need a different game plan for 2010...

Thanks to everyone for your input.

[Lynn Terry]

Glad you got some feedback here, Kimmoy - this one really had me stumped because I couldn't figure out who you were targeting exactly, so this thread clears up a lot for me.

So let's say you do a search and find various merchants who target a plus-size consumer base. That's easy enough. What do you offer them in the way of a USP that makes you more qualified than a general marketing consultant?

(not questioning your skills - brainstorming a USP)

[Kimmoy]

I would have to say that I have a keen insight on who the plus size consumer really is (we're not all depressed people who have no style and wishing to be a size 2 for example) and yes MANY people believe that. I even wrote this article to provide a clearer picture of the plus size community:

http://www.thecurvycoach.com/2009/08/all-plus-size-people-are-not-created-equal/

Secondly, I keep my eye on industry trends and know what's going on with the market. I also know where the plus size consumers hang out online and offline.

Thirdly, I launched the 1st Virtual Plus Size Business TeleSummit and will be speaking at a Big Beautiful Women Empowerment Event and Project Curve Appeal event next year.

Fourthly, I grew up in an environment that embraces the curvy woman more than the states (US Virgin Islands). so I feel I bring a positive, confident, and business savvy perspective to the community.

Is that a good enough to brainstorm my USP? Outside of those things I'd like to think that I have the knowledge and professional experience as most business/marketing consultants...and I'm always learning too :)

[Lynn Terry]

I think a good start for you might be to start a free networking and/or discussion group targeting the merchants that target that specific market. You could reach out and invite them to join in - create Twitter & Facebook & MySpace profiles to help spread the word socially about this group - and go that route.

This would put you in front of them on a regular basis without having to pitch yourself to them right off the bat. If you give them a platform to network with and share ideas with each other, you'll also be creating a platform where they can become aware of your products & services.

[Kimmoy]

@Lynn Thanks! I know this advice seems simple but I can't tell you how much pressure it has taken off of me just reading this. This allows me to build better relationships with my market and I can focus on my niche product site where SEO works :). Now one last question, to create my own group do you recommend I use something like vBulletin or moodle vs. social networking sites like my own Facebook/Ning group?

@shelwriter - Thanks! My website is still a work in progress so I'll be updating that page soon. I know the potential is there for this vision I have, sometimes I just need a different perspective from people like you and this group.

Thanks again to everyone for your feedback. Have a great weekend!

[jkgourmet]

Actually, wouldn't people not look for "plus size" but instead, things like "size ___"(depending on what country/region you're in, measurements would be different.) And also, sometimes, alternatives to certain "label names" or fittings or even other things that they use for designing clothing for larger women?

That would be true if they were consumers looking to buy clothes from a retailer or a retailer looking to buy clothes from a wholesaler.

Kimmoy wants to be a consultant and business coach to online merhants who sell those plus size clothes. Or at least, that's how I understand it.

[constance]

Kimmoy ... this is a little off-topic but related. I also work in a niche that often does not have results in Wordtracker. For me, Google's keyword tool is usually the solution. I can nearly always find some results with Google's Keyword tool when nothing shows up in Wordtracker. So I use both ... sometimes comparing results or when I know it's going to be very niche or very specialized, I go to Google and when it's a more generalized search, I go to Wordtracker.

Can I assume you know that you need an AdWords account (but you don't need to spend any money) to get access to their tool? At least that's how it was around a year ago. Best of luck and I like your confidence!

[Lynn Terry]

I'm not sure the best platform. You might want to brainstorm the features you want first. Do you want it to be private so that it isn't indexed and read by others (the discussions) - or do you want it to be public and the content readable to non-members? Once you figure out the features you want, find the platform that offers that.