squiggly letters that verify you're a human instead of an automated web-bot) first - then click the button that says "Get keyword ideas."

Step 3: When your list of keywords pops up, you'll be presented with a drop-down menu that says "US Dollars (USD $)" - the box you need now is the empty box right beside that menu. Enter "100." and click "Recalculate." What that tells the computer is that you want results, up to $100, on how much those keywords would cost an advertiser.

Step 4: Scroll through the list and find the most expensive keywords. If you typed "money" in your search box earlier, you'll see that the phrase "money market funds" could potentially cost an advertiser $16.47 each time someone clicks on their ad.

WHY DOES ANY OF THIS MATTER?

If an expensive ad is placed on your page, it stands to reason that you'll make more money when people view your article.

It's important to remember that the high dollar amounts related to certain keywords aren't any kind of guarantee on the money you'll make. If your article is nicely sprinkled with the right keywords, but never gets read, you're unlikely to see any benefit from structuring your article this way.

HOW DO I USE THE KEYWORDS TO MY ADVANTAGE?

Every time you publish an article on Helium, it gets it's own unique URL (that's the information that appears up in the address bar when your article is being displayed). Helium takes the first few words of your article to help create the unique address, which search engines notice first. It's helpful if you use the high-dollar keywords in your first sentence so that they end up in the URL; however, it's not necessary - you don't want your use of keywords to muddle an opening sentence, so be careful how you start your article.

Lightly sprinkle your article with your chosen keyword(s), using them once or twice in the first paragraph and selectively placing them throughout the body of your piece. You'll want to include them in your last paragraph, too. Overdoing keywords can spell trouble, though: search engines may consider the overuse a type of spam, and they could ignore your article altogether! Don't use a keyword more than seven times in any given article.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Although a particular keyword may cost advertisers a high price, that doesn't mean that Helium (or you) will earn a whole bucket of money. Google bases their keyword prices on their popularity in search engines, and they don't charge all advertisers that amount all the time.

Don't forget that the way to make money on Helium is to have people actually read your articles; without readers, even the most expensive ads don't have a chance to make you cash.

There are no guarantees on whether you're going to "hit the jackpot" with an article or not. However, by using the proper Search Engine Optimization techniques as outlined above, you'll increase your chances of both acquiring new readers and giving your earnings a boost.

Learn more about this author, Angie Papple.
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