Keyword comparison analysis - please advise

[gregmil]

Hello!
Please help with a few issues.

1. Use of dash.
I pick 2 first-occured examples:

"duty free tobacco" and "duty-free tobacco"

G. recognizes the difference and shows significantly different amount of results:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...co&btnG=Search

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...co&btnG=Search

Please give 2 clicks to G to see almost 4.5 times difference. G. translates "duty-free tobacco" to "duty free tobacco", btw, but amount of results is just 99.8K
Overture translates the "duty-free tobacco" "duty free tobacco" with no excuses. So there is no dash-version at all.
So comparison of ratio (Monthly Searches / G. Search Results) will be in this case will be 0.0005 (for "Duty free tobacco") and 0.0022 for (for "Duty-free tobacco").
Use of dash is litteraly no prohibited, but it brings about 4.5 times higher chance to be discovered of Google. In fact first result for dash-version search is "Discount cigarettes, tax free smokes & duty free tobacco", which has no dash.
Any advice?

Another issue. I intentionally take the same words.
If I the content will be optimized for "Duty free tobacco" or one with the "-", will it mean that optimization for separate words "Duty", "Free" and "Tobacco" also happened as well. I am not so naive to be expecting to be on the top of 570,000,000 results on "free" or 8.5 Mils of search results for "tobacco", but anyway I want to get general idea of this.

Thanks for any contribution!

[emils]

Originally Posted by gregmil

Hello!
Please help with a few issues.

1. Use of dash.

Why not trying both? I'd optimize my primary domain page for the no dash version. Then I'd have a couple secondary pages, well done and optimized with the dash version. If your inbound anchor text is for the no dash version, it should work ok for the dash version as well.

Originally Posted by gregmil

Another issue. I intentionally take the same words.
If I the content will be optimized for "Duty free tobacco" or one with the "-", will it mean that optimization for separate words "Duty", "Free" and "Tobacco" also happened as well. I am not so naive to be expecting to be on the top of 570,000,000 results on "free" or 8.5 Mils of search results for "tobacco", but anyway I want to get general idea of this.

Thanks for any contribution!

You get a chance for all combinations of 1, 2 and the whole 3-word phrase you have. But don't expect to get on top for "tobacco" or "free"... It's simply way too much competition. It all depends on two factors, the number of pages containing the query, but equally important, the number of webmasters fighting for top place under those keywords.

If you're really going for this, find your niche keyword first of all. Plan before attack.

Emil

[gregmil]

Plan before attack.

First of all I appreciate your help!
SEO is the strange world. It looks pretty much like Communist Dictatorship. In regular Dictatorship like Saudi Kingdom all laws are issued by King. King at least invested time to bring the law to every brain and guys know pretty much what they should afraid to do.
Communists publish one set of rules in Constitution, but there is another unpublished set of rules.
So who has special relations or has some internal information can survive. It apply to the SEO Service provider, who I basically don't blaim and clients.
So, your "Plan before attack" is more than applicable for this situation. Well ... it need to be rephrased slightly: "Learn the rules before you start".
I asked a few guys to explain what they can do for me? The answers were blurry like hell.
I understand that they are not guilty. The rules are changing before the work is done. How could they survive?
The stuff that need to be done seams so simple, that if they say what they do, the client has pretty high chance to do it himself. So they have to keep their secrets from the client.
OK, I will close my eyes and will jump into this ocean. There is huge chance that I will become a victim. Who will be guilty? First of all myself! My choice of keywords to be correct.
I know the case when the SEO work was properly done. Huge amount of visitos. Guy (client) is number one in the keyword, but no sale that able to cover the spending! Shoot! One keyword combination brings the sale and another just "window shoppers". Situation is terrible SEO guys lost client. Basically this is what I am trying to avoid.
Are you full time SEO professional, BTW.
I start thinking maybe I should offer limited partnership to SEO person?
Anyway... I appreciate your help.
BTW, the system (Portal) is dinamic and includes several services (3 types of retail, directory, communicator, wish list, Forum and some more stuff. It capable to occupy the top position in basically any industry. I spent a low of time to create it and it's 95% ready. I am planning to launch several sites (one for each industry) in several days. Basically keyword analysis I am making now is the process of indusry choice or estimate to succed in particular industry.
If you have an interest to take a look, feel free to contact me:
gm@a-1art.com
Greg