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One of the tips you’re sure to see whenever you read a “how-to” article on blogging is “Use Keywords.” Keywords get your blog noticed by search engines. Keywords bring visitors to your site.

That’s a fantastic tip for business bloggers. If you’re trying to sell, let’s say digital cameras, you’ve got many ‘keywords’ you can use: photography, digital, cameras, electronics, and the list goes on and on.

What about personal blogs? What do we do about keywords?

1. Check your site search statistics. You are using some sort of statistic program, right? If you’re hosting your own domain, you should have a wealth of information available in your control panel. If you’re on a free service like Blogger, you can use services like Sitemeter or Statcounter for free (or for a little cash, you get more options). Examine what search terms are being used to bring people to your site. You can often use this list to guide you to write other posts about those search terms. For instance, on my personal site, I told a story years ago about having to sedate my cat with benadryl. I currently get at least one hundred hits per month looking up the search terms “cat and benadryl.”
2. Use a tag cloud. You don’t necessarily have to publish it on your blog, as some people find them annoying, but they are a good way to examine what topics and keywords you use consistently. There are many tag cloud solutions out there, including Technorati’s tag cloud generator, and a multitude of Wordpress plugins.
3. Pick a topic that you enjoy and write about it often. You can pick a generic topic like music and write about all things music related, or even better, you can write about a particular genre, or a specific band that you enjoy. If you like the Beatles, write one post a week about a different Beatles song, post some lyrics, talk about the first time you heard it, and what it makes you think of. Do this once a week in addition to your regular posts, and soon you’ll be a “go to” source for Beatles information.
4. Make up your own words. This one is my favorite. Sure, you can rant about a particular blond-haired big-mouthed political pundit that makes you insanely “angry.” Or, you could say, “That Ann Coulter makes me so disconflabulated that I can’t even speak.” Which is more interesting? And guess what, if you make up a word, you won’t be sharing search engine space with anyone else.

Have you found any other way to determine what keywords work best for your site?