There has been a lot of discussion on the various automotive social networks about SEO of late. That's good - dealers need to stay focused on search despite all of the other things out there that are pulling our attention away from the single most powerful traffic-driving tool to our websites.

One thing that hasn't been discussed enough is the art and science of keyword research. I often field questions from dealers asking why this keyword or that keyword doesn't show them. They're normally very valid questions, but often the answer lies in the fact that some keywords are more important than others.

It comes down to volume and relevance. The combination of the two is the key to proper keyword hierarchies. A keyword could be very relevant (2012 Dodge Charger Seattle, for example) but have a low volume. It can be high volume (Dodge Dealers Seattle, for example) but have a lower relevance. As long as one of the two is covered, the keyword is usually valid. It's how we stack rank their importance that makes the difference.

This infographic on keyword research should help those who are wondering whether their current keyword selections are proper. Click to enlarge.