Basic keyword research is crucial for all small and big businesses because it helps reach your target audience and rank high on search engines. So, whether you're running an amateur writing blog or trying to optimize your companies' digital marketing strategy, keyword research remains essential. When your website's content features targeted keywords, you might get the front row seats on search engine result pages. Specifically-targeted keywords also help you stand out amongst the hordes of other sites churning similar content.
About Keyword Research
What is keyword research? It is an SEO technique for scoping out search terms and queries that people might have on a particular topic. The good part is that there are several different ways to go about this research. You can ensure you're providing relevant and engaging content to your audiences by locating the in-demand search terms and carefully placing them in your content.
Importance of Keyword Research
Keyword research plays a vital role in boosting your digital search marketing. Searching and integrating popular keywords in your content provides countless benefits; some of these include:
- Higher volume of quality site traffic
- Better rank on SERPs
- Better knowledge of prevailing industry trends and market conditions
- Identifying the most in-demand goods and services
- Better insight into consumer wants and preferences
List Down Topics Relevant To Your Business or Website
First, start by brainstorming some topics you want to rank for when generic buckets are concerned. It's a good idea to develop a minimum of five content/topic buckets that you consider essential for your business. Selecting these content buckets will assist you in coming up with specific keywords later.
Insert Keywords Into The Topic Buckets
Once you have your specific topic buckets, you need to pick a bunch of keywords to fill those buckets. If you're having trouble in this step, check out these free keyword research tools that may come in handy. Note that these are keywords that you wish to be ranked for in the SERPs because your target audience will likely be asking their search queries in those specific phrases.
You don't have to set your selected keywords in stone at this stage, which is to say this isn't your finalized list of keywords. All you should be looking for is to generate enough phrases that prospective customers may use for search queries in that specific topic bucket. Later in the process, you'll be narrowing this list down to get rid of some of the unnecessary bulk.
Understand Intent In Keyword Research
In the current SEO landscape, user intent is a determining factor of a site's ability to rank highly on search engines. Besides carrying the specific keyword searchers are looking for, your site/content must provide a solution to the user's overall problem.
For instance, someone's searching the keyword "where to buy good shoes" for convenience in their shopping experience. Here, shoes may mean a variety of things, such as sneakers, heels, or sandals. Consequently, a searcher's intent and interpretation of a keyword also set the course of your site's content.
To better comprehend a keyword's user intent, try inserting the keyword into a search engine yourself and analyzing the results.
Capitalize On Research Tools
Online SEO and keyword research tools can help generate better keywords based on phrase match or exact match keywords. These tools will establish the new keywords on the ideas you've developed so far in the process. Opting for this method helps you gain several alternatives you may have missed out on in your manual search.
Search Related Terms/Phrases
This step is a creative addition to the process of your keyword research. It's an excellent idea for filling out any gaps in your keyword lists.
When having trouble coming up with more keywords about a specific topic, check out the related search terms that appear on Google when you search the keyword. For example, when you plug in a particular phrase in Google's search and scroll down, you'll find some valuable suggestions for queries related to yours at the bottom.
The Best Keywords for Your Marketing Strategy
By now, you may have an understanding of the keywords you wish to rank for in SERPs. Let's move on to further refining and organizing your lists to suit your marketing strategy. Some steps to consider are:
Determining Key Factors In Keyword Selection
So, you're in the process of selecting keywords and creating relevant content to rank well. At this stage, you must structure your keywords around three main things:
1. Volume
Sometimes, ranking on the first page for a keyword might not matter. To elaborate, if nobody searches for the specific keyword, your site won't benefit from it in terms of traffic. Similar to sending out pretty wedding invitations, only for a no-show event.
2. Relevance
Another pivotal factor in search engine ranking is relevance. The idea of user intent originates from significance. For instance, a site's content will only rank for its keyword if it's following the user's needs.
3. Authority
Search engines pay more attention to sources having high domain authority. Therefore, you must direct your SEO efforts to become an authoritative source. The best approach to do so is by incorporating insightful and compelling content into your website. Then you can advertise and promote such content to receive quality backlinks and social signals.
4. Using A Mix Of Short-Tail And Long-tail Keywords
Short-tail keywords (head terms) are short-length, generic keyword phrases, ranging from one to three words. Alternatively, long-tail keywords tend to be on the longer side, having three or more than three words.
It's essential to ensure you have a mix of long-tail and short-tail keywords, which ultimately results in a more balanced keyword strategy. This way, you can achieve your long-term goals while also earning short-term benefits. Since short-tail terms appear more frequently in searches, they often have more competition and difficulties ranking well relative to long-tail ones.
Competitor Ranking For Similar Keywords
Usually, you may judge something's value by comparing it to your competitors, but this practice is futile in keyword research. Remember that different keywords have their importance for various sites. Still, it's a good idea to check which phrases other businesses in your industry are trying to rank for so you can evaluate and adjust your keyword lists.
Suppose a competitor is trying to rank for similar keyword phrases as yours. In this scenario, it's logical to try and boost your ranking for these specific phrases. Additionally, keep an eye on the keywords that your competitors might be indifferent about from time to time. Such keywords present a brilliant opportunity for you to increase your overall market share.
Conclusion
Voila! You've successfully compiled a list of keywords that'll allow you to focus on staying on top of your business's marketing strategy. Thorough keyword research offers several benefits, both in the present and in the future of your company. This article discussed the basics of keyword selection that all beginners in the SEO world can grasp. Some of these nifty tips or steps include knowing keyword intent, utilizing research tools, and making a list of relevant keywords.