Keyword research should typically be the first task on your marketing strategy ‘to do’ list and there may well be some aspects of keyword research that you aren’t fully aware of. In this helpful blog we’ll outline some tips, tricks and best practices that will really boost your online visibility and get your site seen by the right audience.
Why you can’t afford to neglect Keyword Research
There is much more to Keyword research than simply finding words and phrases that are associated with your niche. Your aim should be to gain valuable insights into who your audience is, where they can be found, and establish how they can best be encouraged to find you.
Once you know who your audience is and what motivates them to conduct an internet search in the first place, you can then tailor your site and its contents to meet their needs.
Keyword Research 101:
What is Your Niche?: Begin by carefully examining where you stand in your industry. This will help you determine the terms and topics associated with your specific offering.
Use Tools To Help You:Tools including Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs, can be really effective at narrowing down keywords relating to your niche.
Establishing Search Intent:Once you know what the intent of searches relating to your offering are, you can craft content that addresses these specific pain-points.
Assess Long-Tail Keywords:Long-tail keywords include phrases and terms that are highly targeted. Long-tail keywords are typically less contested, and so have a higher potential to result in a conversion.
What are your Competitors up to?:research the keywords that your competitors are ranking well on. This will help you identify underused and overused words and phrases.
Difficulty and Volume:The higher the search volume, the greater the competition. Choose less competitive keywords initially and see if you can gain traction with them.
Be Useful:Integrate keywords naturally into your content in a way that is helpful to your customers. This will help with customer engagement and SEO performance.
Keyword FAQs
Q: How often should you conduct keyword research?
A: Keyword strategies, and even keywords themselves continue to evolve. As things change you should regularly review and update your keywords.
Q: Is it good practice to use the same keywords as a leading competitor?
A: Yes you can still target them, but aim to find a different twist on a term or choose a unique long-tail keyword that is different from your competitors.
Q: How many keywords should you focus on?
A:Choose 1-2 main keywords for headings, then draw up a list of supplementary keywords to use in the main body of your content that supports your efforts.
Keyword research is an often overlooked discipline that, if conducted correctly, can help you leapfrog your competition and get your site seen by a new audience. Just remember that things rarely stay the same in the world of SEO, so review your strategy regularly to stay ahead of the game.
