Finding high-converting keywords is a major part of any search campaign, paid or organic. Here’s another place to start that’s often overlooked by search marketers: butchered versions of your brand names (and those of your competitors).
When optimizing small business web sites, it’s common knowledge that brand names are not going to bring as much traffic as generic descriptions of what you offer. For example, MaxFilings, an online incorporation company, would not likely see a lot of traffic for its all-inclusive package name, “Max”. You would want to put more resources into optimizing for a term like “complete online incorporation package”.
On the other hand, if you’re using any marketing besides search, like direct mail, email, tradeshows where you distribute your materials, it’s likely searchers may try some version of your brand name, because they’ve heard it before and they have a vague remembrance that that term can help them find a good solution to whatever it is they need (they’ve long since lost your marketing materials, so they turn to the Web, where they figure all the information is contained anyway).
So, as you compile and add to your keyword list over time, consider the many ways potential searchers could misspell or completely butcher your brand names and service names. It’s also worth doing the same for your competitors’ brand names, as these can even be mistaken attempts at finding you!