Forget your keywords for a moment because what you should have said is “you” and “your”.

Over years web surfers have endured many unpleasant trends – flash and animation, blinking text, pop-up windows, purple text on black backgrounds and much, much more. These days, however, they’re subjected to subtle, yet still unpleasant practice of “let’s stuff as many keywords into our web page copy as we possibly can” syndrome.

Known as “keyword stuffing” this practice stems from notion that if you place a huge amount of keyword phrases on your web page you’ll miraculously be elevated to top of search engine results and sell more of your product or service. Of course, from visitors’ point of view this doesn’t work too well because repeating same phrases over and over again on page won’t persuade your visitors to do anything much except hastily leave site.

So sneakily, just to make sure repetitive, parrot-like copy doesn’t cause a complete exodus of potential customers, some web site owners and developers hide their keyword phrases so search engines can see them, but human visitors can’t.

I idea is this: place your keywords in same color as your background and make them invisible to human eye, but not to search engines. The search engines, reading text, index site as relevant for that particular keyword phrase and rank it higher in results. Problem is, not only is it unethical, it doesn’t actually work. Well not for long anyway.

Unfortunately, this practice seems to be proliferating like locusts. And while it’s impossible to spray or swat them, I can draw your attention to it in hope that, (a) you’ll refrain from using this tactic on your own web site, and (b) I’ll shame offenders into removing offending words from their site.

Leading pack in keyword-stuffing department is an unlikely pair: churches and lawyers. Yes, you heard me right, but it bears repeating: churches and lawyers. Why that is I can only imagine, but just in case you don’t believe me, I’ve put together a kind of rogue’s gallery… well two actually because finding them is a time-consuming process that involves typing same word a lot. Please note that to see keywords you’ll have to hold down “ctrl” and “A” key on your keypad. Please also note that owners of web site may be unaware this practice has been used on their site.

It goes without saying that all of us would like better response and conversion numbers from our websites. This is an ongoing dilemma which, unfortunately for many of us, remains a dilemma.

It's just too easy to sit on same old tired, sour marketing with crossed fingers, hoping for better numbers in future. The whole idea of rolling out a new campaign or overhauling your web copy can be pretty daunting.

But if your numbers aren't what you'd like (and how many of us are really satisfied with our numbers?), then you need to get off hope wagon and and put a new plan into action.

In lines that follow, I'd like to present a concrete, low-cost, three-step plan for renewing your marketing through repositioning.

Step #1. Get Out of Commodity Business and Into Information Business

One of things that happens to many businesses, both online and offline, is "commoditization." When your business becomes commoditized, you become just another face in a sea of similar products or services.

If this is happening to you, you need to change businesses.

Even if you don't feel "commoditized", switching gears and putting your Web business into information mode can only bring good things.

The first step is to make "psychological leap" from being a product or service provider to being an information provider.

Which means you're going to become an educator.

You're going to start teaching people about your niche in a MUCH BIGGER WAY than you have been in past...

And you're going to compete on whole new turf from here on out. Instead of competing with every other Joe or Jane selling their dieting ebook or doing horoscope readings, you're going to be competing with those providing solid information about weight loss or astrological services.

A much more pleasing scenario.

Sure, you can still have your root product or service. But that will no longer be central focus of your business.

Being in information business offers you a flexibility that simply being in product or service business doesn't. You'll widen your horizons and branch out into totally new sub-areas of your present niche.

Step #2. Build A New Knowledge Base

In order to educate others, you need to know what you're talking about.

Even if you already have a huge amount of knowledge, you'll find that once you start to write and teach there will be plenty more to learn.

In teaching business there's an old saying:

"The easiest way to learn about something is to teach it."

The very act of passing on information to others will stimulate your research. You'll gain knowledge and develop fresh approaches to new areas, and even to old areas you may have thought you knew everything about already.

Consider this. If you are reading about something only because you think you "might" need information one day, how motivated will you be to really get down and study?

Better to just enjoy a novel.

But if you're reading something because it's contributing to an article or report or book or other info vehicle you're in process of writing -- one that enhances your image as an expert -- then you'll be much more motivated to read and study.

As you read and study, use power of your imagination to see yourself in a new light. As a soon-to-be respected writer and teacher. As a distinguished information publisher. As an expert consultant and coach.

Step #3. Publicize Your New Expert Status

There are four dirt-cheap vehicles (outside your basic website) you can use for establishing your position online as an expert information provider.

The Blog

If you don't yet have a blog, you're missing out on a great low-cost publishing vehicle that will get your info out there on Web RIGHT NOW.