 Topics: competitors analysis , link popularity tips, alternative keywords
Competitors analysis: who are them? How are they ranked? Why do they have THAT ranking?
Competitors (websites that have a high ranking for the keywords you're about to optimize your site for) analysis: who are them? how are they ranked? Why have they reached that ranking position?
Start a search on Google.com. As query put the keywords (or keyword phrases) you wish to compete for. Write down on a text editor the Url's of all websites appearing #1 to #10 position. Do it for each keyword.
Each competitor's site shall be analyzed following the following three steps:
1. Html source code. By viewing a site's source code try to understand
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How are on-page variables (title tag, meta tags, headings...) used?
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Which type of Html language has been used? Are there any scripting languages like javascript? Does it use Css? Is it a dynamic page (asp, php..)? Is it clearly a doorway page?
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Any "risky" techniques like tiny text, invisible text, hidden link, block of the scrollbar, have been used?
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Check out the density of the keywords
Optionally, you can also match the site's source code with Google's cache of the same site, to verify either that the target site is cloaking Googlebot or the website is frequently updated.
2. Site structure.
Don't limit your analysis to a single page. Expand it to the whole site. Check out how many pages and subpages, directories that site is made of (Google takes in great consideration "big" sites, with lot of contents). Is there a sitemap? How many links can be found on each page? Does the site use text links? Image links?
Most important, try to verify if that site's contents are really relevant for the keywords you wish to optimize YOUR site for.
3. Competitor's link popularity. Do not only think about its pagerank value (which is not tied hands/feet to web ranking...).
Reach www.google.com home page and type link:http://www.targetsite.com or link:http://www.targetsite.com/targetpage.html
You'll see how many pagerank+4 websites link to your competitor. Visit those sites too, and check out HOW they link your target site: maybe many links include the keyword you're interested in.
Another interesting online tool can be found on www.alexa.com website.
By just typing an Url in Alexa search text field you'll obtain informations about link popularity, data traffic, visitors, server speed (very important issue!)
Boring? Frustrating? Yep...sure it's not the funniest part of search engine optimization job ;-)
Anyway, this is a necessary step.
Now you should have a wide knowledge of your competitors. You may discover that some high ranked websites have a top 10 position thanks to a smart on-page variables usage, but low link pop; you may also discover other sites that have a good pagerank value but lack in optimization. Not unbeatable enemies.
In other words, whether your competitors are proud owners of a pagerank+7 website, or smart html developers, now you should know WHAT to do to try to defeat them.
You may also understand that for some keywords, competition is too hard, and, in the early stages of development, some good alternative keywords will be the right choice.
ALTERNATIVE Keywords choice
Sad but true -analysis suggested above often bring to this- sometimes keywords we would like to optimize our site for are too "hot". Optimizing a website for keywords like "sex", "travel", "money" can be like shooting mud-balls at the moon. Stemming technology into Google's algorithm has made things complicated more than ever.
Always keep in mind that the difference between a GOOD optimization and a BAD one is not the ability to make a site reach the #1 position with "money" keyword, but in the ability to find (and work it on) a series of keywords that can suit his customer's needs the same way.
Common customer is not really interested in having his site listed # 1 with "music", but he expects to have 1000/day music listeners reaching his site from Google.
It's a matter of intelligence, creativity, knowledge.
 It's easier to optimize 1000 pages for 1000 different keywords that bring one visitor/day each than trying to optimize one single page for a keyword that may be able to bring 1000 accesses/day
It's been proven that keywords showing more than 2.000.000 results, don't convert visitors into customers. Better pointing to a wide range of topic specific keywords, that bring your site huge amount of quality traffic.
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