Ok, I've got my first keyword to aim for...

Completely new to this, I've spent the past year developing a website that's finally done, if I attempt to drive traffic myself (legitimate forum post, or submission to reddit etc..) I can get 5k UV over a weekend, however my organic traffic is next to nil.

So I'd like to try and work on increasing my rankings for a specific keyword, I've chosen one that has 15,000 monthly searches, low competition and 5.8 million results. I'm already ranked #11 currently, but I'd obviously like to get on the first page. So is the idea to make posts/articles/blogs revolving around that one keyword while also linking to my site? I'm probably over thinking it, but if your targeting a specific keyword is the end goal to use that keyword often throughout an article, post, comment, etc... and just ensure your link is in that same area?

Sorry for the dumb question, I've read and read, but I think someone verifying this for me would help a lot.

You're correct. You need to create links, but it ain so simple. If you need some more specific advices then add me on skype: Rasacz

Thanks Rasacz, I guess I better get skype

Any other suggestions while I set up the account/install?

If you spent a year putting the site up I would watch the type of links you build and how you do it...it is very easy to tank a site and it would all be for not.

Thanks for that! I'm of course tempted to try a lot of methods on this forum, but I've just put in WAY to much work into the site to risk any negative effects, so I'm trying to find the most efficient way to go about targeting one keyword for starters (it's actually two words).

I just don't fully understand how your to target that keyword, do you write articles/press releases about that keyword and link your site as a source, or is there better (white hat) ways of doing this.

Any other thoughts from anyone?

So you own a forum. This forum gets some decent traffic.

Before you even spend one minute thinking about increasing traffic and search engine ranking, do you have a business plan that projects you will be profitable or break even after so many months/years?
I ask this because the lure is to want to do more, and get more. But only YOU know what exactly what more is.

Are you prepared to scale up, reach into your pocket and throw money at it and possibly lose money and time from it all?
Because it is very hard to walk away from something that you love, if you don't prepare for success and it catches you looking in the other direction....

Food for thought

HatIsBlacked said:

So you own a forum. This forum gets some decent traffic.

Before you even spend one minute thinking about increasing traffic and search engine ranking, do you have a business plan that projects you will be profitable or break even after so many months/years?
I ask this because the lure is to want to do more, and get more. But only YOU know what exactly what more is.

Are you prepared to scale up, reach into your pocket and throw money at it and possibly lose money and time from it all?
Because it is very hard to walk away from something that you love, if you don't prepare for success and it catches you looking in the other direction....

Food for thought

Click to expand...

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

The goal of this site is definitely to try and make money, but it's also for me to learn the whole process of developing a site, marketing it and trying to sustain users. I'm not too concerned at this point about making money yet, I've got other plans for that, I wanted to make a site that involved my own interests, and make it useful so other users could take advantage of it. Most users who are aware of the site value it, and give great reviews of it, but I find trying to increase organic traffic is the hardest part, so I wanted to attempt to target a keyword (two words) and see if I could increase my ranking in google for that keyword. If I could do that, it sure would give confidence in trying other keywords.

What I'm unsure on is how you target that keyword, do you write articles including the keyword as well as the domain, how would a SE associate your keyword with your site when reading articles/press releases/backlinks etc..

Also yes, I'm willing to spend/risk money if it makes sense.

hey buddy..this is my last post for the day...and i find you thread interesting so i chose this 1.