Eloseflougs
New Member
I was wondering if anyone could explain the difference in Google results for a set of keywords versus Google results for a "set of keywords." I have always searched for my keywords in quotations to size up my real competition because that is how I was taught by my father. I'm guessing that results from "keywords" are your actual competition because it shows all the sites that have the exact phrase that is in your quotations rather than just searching any sites that have any of the words that you searched? --Thinking further, a site wouldn't be competing for your keywords unless they had those exact "" keywords on their site, so the "keywords" results shows all the sites that are potentially trying to rank for them? By putting quotes around your search you are telling the search engine you want those specific words.
Quote: Phrase search ("")
By putting double quotes around a set of words, you are telling Google to consider the exact words in that exact order without any change. Google already uses the order and the fact that the words are together as a very strong signal and will stray from it only for a good reason, so quotes are usually unnecessary. By insisting on phrase search you might be missing good results accidentally. For example, a search for [ "Alexander Bell" ] (with quotes) will miss the pages that refer to Alexander G. Bell. Google search basics: More search help
And yes it does narrow down the sites (competion) containing that exact phrase but only experienced surfers (or someone like yourself that was taught this) would do that. You still have to optimize the site so it comes up without the quotes. Quote: Originally Posted by HTMLBasicTutor And yes it does narrow down the sites (competion) containing that exact phrase but only experienced surfers (or someone like yourself that was taught this) would do that. You still have to optimize the site so it comes up without the quotes. Of course most people wouldn't know to use quotes. BUT, using quotes show all the people who are potentially trying to optimize for those keywords. MEANING, if there are 2,000,000 results, but only 100,000 "results," there are 1,900,000 results/websites that are NOT trying to rank for those keywords, they just have on accident. (Meaning they are not competition because they are not competing and will be easy to surpass.) Quote: Originally Posted by Scissorhands MEANING, if there are 2,000,000 results, but only 100,000 "results," there are 1,900,000 results/websites that are NOT trying to rank for those keywords, they just have on accident. (Meaning they are not competition because they are not competing and will be easy to surpass.) Or haven't optimized their site properly for that phrase but still are competion.
It does still give you an idea of what you are up against.
Quote: Phrase search ("")
By putting double quotes around a set of words, you are telling Google to consider the exact words in that exact order without any change. Google already uses the order and the fact that the words are together as a very strong signal and will stray from it only for a good reason, so quotes are usually unnecessary. By insisting on phrase search you might be missing good results accidentally. For example, a search for [ "Alexander Bell" ] (with quotes) will miss the pages that refer to Alexander G. Bell. Google search basics: More search help
And yes it does narrow down the sites (competion) containing that exact phrase but only experienced surfers (or someone like yourself that was taught this) would do that. You still have to optimize the site so it comes up without the quotes. Quote: Originally Posted by HTMLBasicTutor And yes it does narrow down the sites (competion) containing that exact phrase but only experienced surfers (or someone like yourself that was taught this) would do that. You still have to optimize the site so it comes up without the quotes. Of course most people wouldn't know to use quotes. BUT, using quotes show all the people who are potentially trying to optimize for those keywords. MEANING, if there are 2,000,000 results, but only 100,000 "results," there are 1,900,000 results/websites that are NOT trying to rank for those keywords, they just have on accident. (Meaning they are not competition because they are not competing and will be easy to surpass.) Quote: Originally Posted by Scissorhands MEANING, if there are 2,000,000 results, but only 100,000 "results," there are 1,900,000 results/websites that are NOT trying to rank for those keywords, they just have on accident. (Meaning they are not competition because they are not competing and will be easy to surpass.) Or haven't optimized their site properly for that phrase but still are competion.
It does still give you an idea of what you are up against.