Keyword research is the foundation of any SEO and SEM marketing campaign.
Without it, marketers, webmasters, writers and other content creators might end up creating content blindly without any real “business justification”.
However, keyword research alone is useless if it’s not effective. Do you know that Google’s search algorithm uses over 200 factors in ranking websites?
If you want your website to have the best chance of standing out from the crowd, you need to conduct thorough, high-quality keyword research. i.e. Effective Keyword Research.
Getting the right keywords that appeal to your target audience will allow you develop and execute a keyword strategy; thereby shooting your pages up the search engine rankings and generating organic traffic.
In this article, you’ll not only find out what keyword research is all about and the need for effective keyword research, but you’ll also be given tips on how to conduct an effective keyword research.
So, put on your seat belt dear reader! We move!
What Is Effective Keyword Research?
Keyword research is the process of finding out words and phrases people use in search engines that may be relevant to your business, analyzing them and using them to create website content.
It is the process of discovering popular words and phrases the people are typing into a search engine in order to find the information they are searching for.
The aim is to better understand the searcher’s intention so that you can write SEO friendly content that provides what the searcher is looking for and helps you rank for that keyword as well.
Keyword research is the first step you as a brand owner, webmaster or marketer should take when creating new content for your website or for your client; and as you conduct your research, make sure it’s targeted towards the right audience i.e. it has to be effective.
Effective keyword research is the process of identifying and analyzing the right keywords to focus on in order to attract the desired traffic to a website.
It ensures that your content aligns with what users are searching for, thereby improving your chances of ranking higher on search engines.
Why Effective Keyword Research Is Important
Effective keyword research is important because it helps you understand what people are searching for online and helps businesses and content creators reach their target audience, which not only allows you tailor your content to match those search queries, but also leads to increased visibility, website traffic and better ranking on search engines.
Other reasons include:
It Helps You Understand Your Audience
By analyzing keywords and search queries, you can understand what your audience is looking for i.e. you can identify the specific phrases and language your target audience use in searching for information.
This reveals their needs, questions and pain points, which allows you create content that resonates with them, as it directly addresses their needs and interests.
It Increases/Drives Organic Traffic
When you use keywords that people are actively searching for, your website is more likely to appear in search results.
Ranking for the right keywords attracts the right visitors to your site, thereby leading to an increase in organic traffic.
In addition, organic traffic is sustainable and cost effective, unlike paid ads.
Content Optimization/It Improves Search Engine Rankings
Using the right keywords helps search engines understand your content.
Incorporating relevant keywords throughout your content helps search engines better understand the topic of your page, thus improving its ranking in search results.
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In addition, optimized content is more likely to rank higher on Google and other search engines.
It Enhances/ Improves User Experience
Providing content that match search intent improves engagement, viewing time and reduces bounce rates.
By using keywords that align with user search intent, you can create content that is more relevant and valuable to visitors, thus leading to a better user experience.
It Boosts Content Strategy and Helps Identify New Opportunities
Keyword research helps you identify trending topics and content gaps. It can reveal new topics or related keywords that you might not have considered, thereby opening up opportunities for creating valuable content and reaching a wider audience.
In addition, effective keyword research allows you plan blog posts, product pages and other content that align with user search intent.
How To Conduct Effective Keyword Research
Define Your Goals
Identity your target audience and content objectives; and target a specific funnel stage and searcher intent.
Understanding the sales funnel is essential when conducting keyword research and creating optimized content, especially for Google.
There are three stages of the sales funnel you need to focus on namely: Awareness stage, Consideration stage and Decision stage.
During the Awareness stage, your prospects are still strangers to your business and your goal is to provide educational content that will help you build a relationship with the searcher.
During the Consideration stage, the prospect wants to get more information about what their options are.
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Your goal is to introduce them to your product or service and explain why it might be a good fit for their needs.
Finally, in the Decision stage, the prospect wants to find and purchase the best possible product or service.
Your goal is to show the prospect why they should purchase from your business and what makes you better than you competitors.
In addition, remember that every business is different. So, do your research on what searcher intent is like at various stages of the funnel in your industry.
Brainstorm Relevant Keywords
To begin, it is advisable to brainstorm a list of topics that are relevant to your business’ products or services.
This will help you narrow down the types of keywords you should be searching for and give you a general direction to get started with.
List core topics related to your niche. For example, if your brand is focused on health or if you work in a healthcare facility, some topics that may come to mind are: Disease, Sickness, Healthy Living, Food and Nutrition, Hospitals, Medicine, Inflammation, Exercise, etc.
These topics are not keywords, but they serve as a good starting point for diving deeper into the Keyword research process.
Use keyword Research Tools
There are many tools out there that are designed specifically to help you with the keyword research process.
Such tools include: Google Keyword Planner, SEO Scout, Answer The Public, Ubersuggest, Scout Suggest Keyword Generator, Ahrefs, SMErush, etc.
Prioritize and Organize Keywords
Group keywords into clusters for better content planning. Keywords are basically divided into three categories: Head terms, Body keywords and Long-tail keywords; with each type driving a different volume of traffic and having a different level of difficulty for ranking.
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Head terms are single or two-word keywords that are high in traffic and competition. These keywords often have unclear searcher’s intent, so it’s unlikely that the searcher will convert.
Long-tail keywords are variations of major keywords. They are more specific and less popular than the Head terms. Many are 3-4 words or longer.
In addition, Long-tail keywords are particular search phrases that don’t get a lot of search volume individually but have much lower levels of competition and evident searcher intent, which makes the searcher more likely to convert.
Long-tail keywords make up the majority of online searches. When your business is new, using Long-tail keywords will help you get started in and drive traffic to your site.
However, as your business grows, is essential to incorporate all lengths of keywords into your strategy.
Evaluate Keyword Intent
Understand search intent. By understanding the search intent for a search query, you’ll be able to create content that aligns with why people are using a keyword to find the information they’re looking for .e g. transactional, informational commercial, navigational, etc.
Keyword research helps you understand the search intent for your target keywords.
Conclusion
The importance of effective keyword research can never be overemphasized.
Effective keyword research is the foundation of successful SEO and content marketing, as it helps you attract the right audience, improve your rankings and stay ahead of your competitors.
By targeting relevant keywords that your audience use to find information related to your product or service, you can reach your target audience, improve your search rankings and drive more organic traffic.
So, dear reader, whether you’re running a blog, and e-commerce site or a local business, prioritizing effective keyword research is essential for long-term success.
Keep testing different methods and use these tips to create a keyword research plan that works for you and your business.
