The Golden Rule: If a keyword relates to something specific about the business and to the classification or heading they are advertising in it is probably a good one

What is a keyword?

When a keyword is entered into the local search field on BERMUDAYP.COM, it locates relevant results by searching for listings that are associated with that keyword.

Do I need to assign every relevant keyword to a business?

No, the local search engine will still use classification / headings. Therefore by advertising under Restaurants, the business will automatically be assigned certain keywords, like Food, Drink, Dining etc. You would add keywords specific to them to allow the user to get the most relevant results. (e.g. Curry, Italian, Pizza, Delivery)

Does a business still have to advertise under more than one heading?

Yes, if a business provides long distance calling services and internet services, then to get the relevant keywords, they must advertise under both headings. They cannot have ‘Long Distance Calls’ as a keyword for their Internet advert as it isn‘t relevant and vice versa. The site user is looking for relevancy in the results we serve up.

What makes a good keyword?

Something specific to that business, either a brand or product they are associated with (e.g. Nike, Swizzles, 2020 Cards etc.) or something that makes them stand out from the competition (e.g. Local Delivery, Live Sports etc.) If a classification / heading is quite broad (e.g. Restaurants) where the businesses vary quite considerably, we can use the keywords to narrow down what they offer (e.g. Sushi, Italian etc.) However, if the classification / heading is quite narrow (e.g. Dentists) keywords should only be used to define how a business uniquely differs from their competition (e.g. Cosmetic Dentistry.)

What makes a bad keyword?

Anything that is going to bring that business up in an irrelevant search. A pest control company will work in restaurants, but using restaurants as a keyword would be inappropriate, as the user would not want their services when looking for a restaurant. A keyword must be something that distinguishes that business from its direct competition.

But shouldn’t we be trying to maximize the number of views for the customer?

Yes, but we also want to make sure the search is relevant for the user. If they can simply find what they are looking for they will use the site more and recommend it to friends. This way the business will get more views. Our goal is to give the site user the information they need quickly.