The bane of most businesses when it comes to online advertising is the largely hit-and-miss tactic of keyword implementation. It is one thing to know which keywords should result in more click-through traffic and subsequently to more sales. However, keywords that should deliver do not always do so. The reasons are as follows, and they are surprisingly simple: Why Keywords Alone are Not Enough The goal of any online advertising campaign is to increase traffic that converts. Millions of page hits don’t do anything but drive up bandwidth usage if the click-through traffic does not result in sales once it reaches your site. Failed conversions usually revolve around some typical problems; for instance, many companies focus on keywords that don’t really add much content or traffic to their site, and they spend a lot of time, money, and effort to make something that is of little value. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this: rather than choosing keywords with high traffic volume in the hope that conversions will magically happen, choose more relevant ones, ones that add to your site’s image and credibility. The Open Internet Exchange and You There are several companies that specialize in maximizing your ads and internet traffic that you can use, such as Endai, HTP Marketing, and Phorm Inc to name a few (learn more about Phorm Inc for marketing strategies). Typically, they work with advertisers directly at the Internet service provider (ISP) level to more efficiently and effectively pair Internet users with advertisements that are relevant to their interests. Each of the participating ISPs already keeps databases of anonymous user information regarding which sites users visit and when. This information is then submitted to the Open Internet Exchange (OIX). Advertisers create campaigns based directly on a product or service and submit those to the OIX from the opposite end. When a user at a certain IP goes to a page that has advertising, the OIX matches that user with advertising campaigns that are relevant based on current and frequent surfing habits. For instance, there is no point in showing ads for camera gear to a user who accidentally visited a photography supply site once for two seconds. Conversely, someone who visits sites about camera gear frequently for longer periods is more likely to click-through and buy when they see an ad for camera gear on another site. The OIX knows the difference. Sure, this type of targeted advertising may cost a little more than traditional services, but it is far more effective. Most companies find that their advertising budgets go further due to a rapid and steady increase in sales as a result of effectively targeting users. Kevin Kaiser is a SEO enthusiast and current dental student. Follow him on twitter @kevinckaiser .