How to Capitalize on Misspelled SEO Keywords

Here’s a fascinating new concept: did you know that you can make the first page on a search ranking by using misspelled keywords? Think about it. Everyone in the world makes the occasional typographical error when they try searching for something on any search engine. In fact, 10% of all users do, and the number only goes higher for those words that are harder to spell. Google, the world’s largest and most frequently used search engine today, is now capable of eliminating these mistakes and set users on the right track, sure, but the competition for misspelled keywords is much smaller, so it’s easier to rank them.

Keep in mind, though, that the search engines can and will punish you if you use this tactic to boost your rankings. It’s not dishonest, per se, and it doesn’t count as a black-hat tactic in any way. Still, it may be something you might want to keep in your back pocket as a strategy to increase traffic in your chosen niche. Here’s how.

Do not intentionally place misspelled keywords on pages that generate high traffic. This includes your home and your sales pages. You do not want to look unprofessional to your visitors, for one thing. For another, Google is extremely smart about this, and odds won’t turn in your favour if you decide to employ this tactic in this manner. It is a lot smarter than you think. High profile page elements, like your heading and title tags, count in this category as well.

Instead, place your misspelled keywords in pages where there are large amounts of text. Google won’t punish you as much when it sees this happen, and will assume simple human error instead of a deliberate attempt to gain more page views. Try this in places where you copy and paste material from forums or an article written by someone else. The tactic is best employed in places that generate heaps of user-content, like forums, or the comment sections.

You can also insert these misspelled keywords in less prominent places, like the alt text for images, or in meta tags, where they’ll be kept away from your user’s eyes. Again, try not to abuse this loophole, just in the interest of keeping the overall professional look of your site.

It can also be a good idea to take a page off Google’s typo suggestions. The search engine provides alternative suggestions and corrections whenever it detects that you may be having trouble finding the correct spelling of a word. Use this trick in your site’s search bar, and account for as many commonly misspelled words your site users might accidentally enter when combing your site.

Wondering how to misspell a word for maximum effect? Use a typo generator and check for possible alternate spellings for the set of keywords you want to use for your niche. Sites like Rank Tracker have a typo generator that can greatly aid you with this: it lists down potential typographical errors users might make on your keywords. These generators usually give four different variations, covering keyword proximity typos, swapped characters, duplicate characters, and missing characters. From here, you can just choose which one you want to use on your site.

Remember, this strategy is a loophole, if anything, and should be used sparingly!

Author Bio: George S. is an advertising consultant who works with online businesses such as JAF Gifts. He also likes to dabble in web and graphic design in his spare time.