Imagine you’re about to launch a new website or start a blog, but you’re not sure how you’ll get your content found online.
The competition for attention is fierce.
What if there was a way, to not only get noticed, but to attract the exact audience you’re looking for?
This is where keyword research is vital.
It’s the one method that guides your content strategy from the start, ensuring that you aren’t wasting your time and getting your content lost in the noise online.
By using the correct keyword research techniques, you can give your content the best chance of being discovered.
With the right selection of keyword topics to cover and the correct site architecture, you will attract targeted web traffic, create brand awareness and possibly build a thriving business.
Are you ready to learn how?
Let’s dive in.
Did you know: over 90% of online experiences begin with a search engine? Yet, despite the importance of SEO, a staggering 47% of small businesses still don’t have a clear SEO strategy in place. The most common issues they face include inadequate keyword research, failure to target the right audience, and poor content optimization. These challenges result in missed opportunities, lower search engine rankings, and ultimately, lost revenue.
The Importance of Keyword Research
Keyword research is the most important aspect of any successful digital marketing strategy.
Whether you’re running a blog, an e-commerce store or a corporate website, understanding what your audience is looking for is crucial.
What are keywords?
Well, keywords are the words, phrases or terms people type into search engines when they looking for information, products, or services.
When you create content for the specific terms that your business provides solutions to, you can attract customers to your website.
Properly structured content ranks higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), bringing more people directly to your website after they search in a search engine (organic traffic).
Obviously, the better you structure your content and website, your website ranks higher in the results pages, increasing your business’s visibility.
But, There’s More
Keyword research is about more than just finding popular search terms.
It’s about understanding the why (intent) behind those searches and strategically using that information to write/create content that satisfies the needs of your potential customers.
To do this, you will need to analyze keyword search volume, competition and relevance to your business industry (niche).
Doing this kind of research is both an art and science, requiring both creativity and careful consideration, so that you don’t spend more time and energy on keywords, that won’t deliver tangible results.
The initial research stages are the most important for your business, so it’s worth taking the time to do it right from the start, otherwise you could waste valuable time and resources on terms that get you nowhere.
In the following guide, I’ll show you the most effective keyword research techniques that will help you create content that’s optimized for the best results, help you find terms that will simplify your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts and in doing so, get your Business found online.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
Keyword Research Techniques: The Essentials
Keyword research consists of several techniques, each offering differing sets of data that you to use to craft a comprehensive, customer focused content strategy that will reap benefits for your business later on.
Each technique has its own advantages.
Here are some of the most effective keyword research methods:
- Brainstorming Seed Keywords
- Using Keyword Research Tools
- Analysing Competitor Keywords
- Exploring Long-Tail Keywords
- Considering Search Intent
- Utilizing Google Suggest and Related Searches
- Filling Content Gaps
- Monitoring Keyword Trends
- Local Keyword Research
- Voice Search Optimization
Brainstorming Seed Keywords
The first step when starting keyword research is to brainstorm seed keywords.
Seed Keywords are the most common words and phrases that searchers use to describe what your business is and does.
You can see seed keywords as laying the foundation of your Business, to build upon.
Think of the 4 – 6 words, products, or services or solutions that you or your business provides and write them down.
These first few keywords will be used as the main topics, from which you will do more research.
Think about what potential customers might type into a search engine to find what you’re offering.
For example:
If you have a digital marketing agency, seed keywords might include “digital marketing,” “SEO services,” “content marketing,” or “social media management.”
From these basic terms, you can expand into more specific keywords that better target your audience.
Brainstorming Seed Keywords
- Start with Core Topics: Identify the main topics related to your business or niche. Think about what your audience is interested in and how they might search for information.
- Expand with Variations: Use synonyms, related terms, and long-tail variations to broaden your list.
- Incorporate User Intent: Consider what your audience is looking to achieve with their searches—are they looking for information, making a purchase, or seeking a specific service?
Tips:
- Use your knowledge of your industry and customer questions to create your initial list of keywords.
- To speed things up, you could use tools like Answer the Public or Google Trends to find variations and questions searchers might be asking related to your seed keywords.
- Don’t overthink it, or try get too caught up in search terms at this stage; your goal is to generate a broad list that we can fine tune and filter later on.
Further Reading:
Using Keyword Research Tools
Once you’ve done the brainstorming work to find your seed keywords, it’s time to fine tune them using keyword research tools.
Keyword research tools can help you find new keywords, analyze keyword search volume, assess competition in your industry and help you spot opportunities to create content you may not have thought about.
Some of the more popular keyword research tools include:
- Google Keyword Planner: Thise tool is based upon Paid Ads. It does however offer a broad but general overview of keyword search volume and paid ad competition.
- Ahrefs: Provides in-depth keyword data, including difficulty scores and backlink analysis.
- SEMrush: It’s a comprehensive tool for finding keywords, tracking your website rank in search engines and analyzing your industry competitors.
- Moz Keyword Explorer: Moz provides keyword suggestions, difficulty analysis and SERP features.
Tips:
- Use multiple tools to cross-reference data and get a broader picture of keyword opportunities.
- Pay attention to keyword difficulty scores to ensure you’re targeting terms you can realistically rank for.
- Look for keywords with a balance of high search volume and low competition.
Further Reading:
Analyzing Competitor Keywords
Analyzing what keywords your competitors are ranking for can provide valuable insights into potential opportunities.
This process involves identifying competitors in your niche and using tools to uncover the keywords driving their traffic.
Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush allow you to enter a competitor’s domain and view the keywords they’re ranking for, along with their search volume and difficulty.
By understanding what works for your competitors, you can identify gaps in your strategy or find new keyword ideas that you hadn’t considered.
Competitor Analysis
- Identify Top Competitors: Find out who ranks highest for your target keywords. This can be done manually or using tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs.
- Analyze Their Keywords: Look at the keywords your competitors are targeting. Pay attention to their organic and paid keywords.
- Discover Gaps: Identify keywords that your competitors rank for but you don’t. These gaps represent opportunities for your site.
Tips:
- Focus on competitors that are ranking well but are within your competitive reach.
- Identify keywords where you can offer better content or a unique value proposition.
- Don’t just copy your competitors; use their data to inform and refine your own strategy.
Further Reading:
Exploring Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are specific, often longer phrases that target niche audiences.
While they tend to have lower search volume, they also typically face less competition and have higher conversion rates.
For example, instead of targeting the broad keyword “shoes,” you might focus on “best running shoes for flat feet.”
Long-tail keywords are particularly useful for capturing search intent and providing relevant content to users at different stages of the buyer’s journey.
They help you attract a more targeted audience, which can lead to higher engagement and conversions.
Long-Tail Keywords
- Low Competition, High Specificity: Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that typically have lower search volume but higher conversion rates.
- Better Conversion Rates: Because long-tail keywords are more specific, they tend to attract more targeted traffic that is more likely to convert.
- Examples: Instead of targeting “shoes,” a long-tail keyword would be “affordable running shoes for women.”
Tips:
- Use tools like Ubersuggest or Google Suggest to find long-tail keyword ideas.
- Consider the questions or problems your audience might have and how your content can address them.
- Don’t underestimate the power of low-volume keywords; they can be easier to rank for and often lead to better results.
Further Reading:
Considering Search Intent
Understanding search intent is crucial in keyword research. Search intent refers to the reason behind a user’s search query.
Is the user looking for information (informational intent), trying to make a purchase (transactional intent), or seeking to navigate to a specific site (navigational intent)?
By aligning your keywords with the correct search intent, you can create content that better satisfies the user’s needs, improving your chances of ranking higher in search results.
For instance, if you’re targeting a keyword with transactional intent, your content should be geared towards converting that visitor into a customer.
Analyzing Search Intent
- Informational Intent: Keywords used by users looking for information. E.g., “how to start a blog.”
- Navigational Intent: Keywords where the user is looking for a specific website. E.g., “Facebook login.”
- Transactional Intent: Keywords that indicate the user is ready to make a purchase. E.g., “buy DSLR camera online.”
- Commercial Investigation: Keywords used by users researching products or services. E.g., “best DSLR camera for beginners.”
Tips:
- Analyze the current top-ranking pages for your target keywords to understand what type of content Google is rewarding.
- Use modifiers like “buy,” “best,” or “how to” to target specific intents.
- Ensure that your content matches the search intent for each keyword.
Further Reading:
Utilizing Google Suggest and Related Searches
Google Suggest (or autocomplete) and related searches are valuable resources for uncovering popular search queries.
When you start typing a search query into Google, the autocomplete feature suggests related searches based on what other users have searched for.
These suggestions can be a goldmine for finding long-tail keywords and understanding the language your audience uses.
Similarly, the “related searches” section at the bottom of Google’s search results page offers additional keyword ideas.
These are searches that Google believes are closely related to the original query, providing further insight into what users are looking for.
Using Google Autocomplete
- Type and Observe: Begin typing a keyword in Google’s search bar and observe the suggestions Google offers. These are real searches performed by users and can provide valuable insights.
- Explore Different Phrases: Use various starting words and phrases to see a wider range of suggestions.
- Identify Long-Tail Keywords: Google Autocomplete is particularly useful for discovering long-tail keywords that are less competitive but highly specific.
Utilizing Forums and Q&A Sites
- Identify Questions and Concerns: Visit forums and Q&A sites like Reddit, Quora, and niche-specific forums to find out what questions people are asking.
- Turn Questions into Keywords: These questions can be turned into long-tail keywords or content ideas.
- Engage with Your Audience: By participating in these forums, you can directly address the needs of your audience and discover more relevant keywords.
Tips:
- Use Google Suggest and related searches to find variations of your main keywords.
- Incorporate these suggestions into your content to cover more keyword variations.
- Combine Google Suggest with other tools like Answer the Public for even more ideas.
Further Reading:
Leveraging Content Gaps
Content gap analysis involves identifying keywords or topics that your competitors are ranking for, but you are not.
This technique allows you to discover areas where you can create content to fill those gaps, potentially capturing traffic that is currently going to your competitors.
To perform a content gap analysis, use tools like Ahrefs’ Content Gap feature or SEMrush’s Keyword Gap tool.
These tools allow you to compare your site with competitors and identify keywords they rank for that you don’t.
By addressing these gaps, you can expand your content strategy and attract a broader audience.
Content Gap Analysis
- Find Missing Content Opportunities: Content gap analysis involves identifying topics or keywords that your competitors are covering, but you aren’t.
- Tools for Content Gap Analysis: Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush offer content gap analysis features that help you uncover these opportunities.
- Improve Your Content Strategy: By filling these gaps, you can attract more traffic and improve your site’s relevance.
Tips:
- Focus on gaps where you can easily create content or where your competitors’ content is weak.
- Prioritize gaps that align with your business goals and target audience.
- Regularly perform content gap analysis to stay ahead of the competition.
Further Reading:
Monitoring Keyword Trends
Keyword trends are constantly evolving, and staying on top of these changes is essential for maintaining a successful SEO strategy.
By monitoring trends, you can identify emerging keywords and capitalize on new opportunities before your competitors.
Tools like Google Trends allow you to track keyword popularity over time, showing you whether a term is gaining or losing traction.
This can help you adjust your content strategy to focus on rising trends and avoid wasting time on declining ones.
Google Trends
- Identify Emerging Trends: Use Google Trends to see what topics are currently trending in your industry.
- Compare Keyword Performance: Google Trends allows you to compare the popularity of multiple keywords over time.
- Regional Interest: Discover where certain keywords are more popular, which can help with local SEO strategies.
Tips:
- Use Google Trends to compare the popularity of different keywords over time.
- Identify seasonal trends that might affect your industry and plan your content calendar accordingly.
- Keep an eye on industry news and social media to spot emerging trends early.
Further Reading:
Local Keyword Research
For businesses targeting a specific geographic area, local keyword research is essential.
Local keywords include terms that people in a particular location use when searching for services or products near them.
Examples include “best pizza in New York” or “plumber in San Francisco.”
To find local keywords, use tools like Google My Business, which shows search queries that led users to your business.
You can also use keyword research tools with location filters to discover popular terms in specific areas.
Tips:
- Optimize your website and content for local keywords by including location-specific terms in your titles, meta descriptions, and content.
- Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing to improve local search visibility.
- Encourage customer reviews to boost your local SEO efforts.
Further Reading:
Voice Search Optimization
With the rise of voice-activated devices like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home, optimizing for voice search has become increasingly important.
Voice search queries are often longer and more conversational, requiring a different approach to keyword research.
To optimize for voice search, focus on long-tail keywords and natural language phrases.
Consider how people speak when asking questions and incorporate those phrases into your content.
Tips:
- Use question-based keywords that match how people use voice search.
- Optimize your content for featured snippets, as these are often the answers provided in voice search results.
- Focus on mobile optimization, as many voice searches are performed on mobile devices.
Further Reading:
Tips &Tricks For Effective Keyword Research
Keyword research is both an art and a science, and there are several tips and tricks that can help you get the most out of your efforts:
- Diversify Your Sources: Don’t rely on a single keyword research tool. Use a combination of tools and methods to get a broader perspective.
- Focus on User Intent: Always consider why someone is searching for a particular keyword and how you can best meet their needs.
- Regularly Update Your Keyword List: SEO is an ongoing process, and keyword trends change over time. Regularly revisit your keyword list and update it based on new data.
- Use Keyword Grouping: Group similar keywords together to create clusters of related content, improving your site’s structure and SEO.
- Analyze SERP Features: Pay attention to the types of content that appear for your target keywords, such as featured snippets, videos, or local packs, and optimize your content accordingly.
- Leverage Data from Your Own Site: Use Google Analytics and Search Console to identify which keywords are already driving traffic to your site and how you can capitalize on them.
- Think Like Your Audience: Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. What problems are they trying to solve? What language do they use? How can you create content that resonates with them?
Resources For Further Reading & Learning
To further deepen your understanding of keyword research, consider exploring the following resources:
- “The Art of SEO” by Eric Enge, Stephan Spencer, and Jessie Stricchiola – A comprehensive guide on all things SEO.
- Moz Beginner’s Guide to SEO – A free resource that covers the basics of SEO, including keyword research.
- Ahrefs Blog – Offers in-depth articles on SEO, keyword research, and content marketing.
- SEMrush Academy – Provides free courses on SEO and digital marketing.
- Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines – A document that offers insights into what Google looks for in high-quality content.
- Book – “SEO 2024: Learn Search Engine Optimization with Smart Internet Marketing Strategies” by Adam Clarke
- Online Course – Moz Academy: Keyword Research
- Blogs – Moz Blog, Ahrefs Blog: Keyword Research
Frequently Asked Questions About Keyword Research
- What is the difference between short-tail and long-tail keywords? Short-tail keywords are broad and often one or two words, such as “shoes.” Long-tail keywords are more specific and usually longer phrases, like “best running shoes for flat feet.”
- How do I choose the right keywords? Focus on relevance, search volume, and competition. Choose keywords that align with your content, have a decent search volume, and aren’t too competitive.
- How often should I update my keyword strategy? Keyword trends change over time, so it’s a good idea to revisit and update your keyword strategy every few months.
- Can I use the same keywords for multiple pages on my site? It’s better to target unique keywords for each page to avoid keyword cannibalization, where multiple pages compete for the same keyword.
- How important is search intent in keyword research? Search intent is crucial. Understanding why a user is searching for a particular keyword helps you create content that meets their needs and improves your chances of ranking.
- What tools are best for keyword research? Some popular tools include Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz Keyword Explorer, and Ubersuggest.
- How do I rank for competitive keywords? Ranking for competitive keywords requires high-quality content, a strong backlink profile, and on-page SEO optimization. It can also help to target related long-tail keywords.
- What are the benefits of using long-tail keywords? Long-tail keywords are less competitive, more specific, and often lead to higher conversion rates because they target users with clear intent.
- Can keyword research help with PPC campaigns? Yes, keyword research is essential for PPC campaigns. It helps you identify the best keywords to bid on and optimize your ad copy for better performance.
- How can I track the performance of my keywords?
Use tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to monitor keyword rankings, organic traffic, and other performance metrics. - What is keyword research?Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing the terms that people enter into search engines to discover what content they are looking for.
- Why is keyword research important for SEO? It helps you understand what your audience is searching for, which allows you to optimize your content to meet their needs, improving your rankings in search engine results.
- What are long-tail keywords?Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that typically have lower search volume but higher conversion rates due to their specificity.
- How often should I update my keyword list? It’s recommended to revisit and update your keyword list at least every quarter to stay in line with changing search trends.
- Can I do keyword research without using tools? Yes, you can manually brainstorm keywords, analyze competitors, and use Google search suggestions, but tools can greatly enhance your research.
Key Takeaways
Keyword research is the foundation of effective SEO and content marketing.
By understanding the search behavior of your audience and strategically targeting the right keywords, you can drive more traffic, improve your search rankings, and achieve your online goals.
The key to successful keyword research lies in a blend of creativity, data analysis, and an understanding of your audience’s needs.
- Start with Seed Keywords: Brainstorm the basic terms that describe your business or niche.
- Utilize Keyword Tools: Leverage tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Google Keyword Planner to refine your keyword list.
- Focus on Search Intent: Align your content with the intent behind each keyword to better serve your audience.
- Explore Long-Tail Keywords: Target specific, lower-competition phrases that can drive more targeted traffic.
- Stay Updated: Regularly revisit and update your keyword strategy to stay ahead of trends and changes in search behavior.
By mastering these techniques, you’ll be well on your way to creating content that not only attracts visitors but also converts them into loyal customers.
