One of the crucial aspects of SEO and digital marketing is Keyword research. It requires discovering the words and phrases that most customers utilize while looking for services and products online. If you wish to have your page appear on the first page of Google, it is essential to know how to write SEO content. For the newbie, this process can be complex but if you divide it into easy steps, it will make things accessible for you.
SEO Keyword Research Guide
Let’s dig into the step-by-step guide for you to begin your keyword research:
1. Describe Your Goals
Before starting your keyword research, it is important to simplify your objectives. Are you looking to grow website traffic, create leads, or improve sales? Considering your goals will help your keyword research process and make sure that you target words that associate with your business objectives.
2. Envision Seed Keywords
You can begin your research by envisioning seed keywords. These are comprehensive words associated to your industry or business. For instance, if you own a bakery, seed keywords will be like “cupcakes,” “cake,” or “bread.” Begin by making a list of words that can be the choice of your target audience. Think of all the services or products you provide and anything related.
3. Try Keyword Research Tools
Multiple tools can assist you enlarge your keywords list and give valuable insights regarding competition, search volume, as well as relevance. Some famous tools are:
- Google Keyword Planner: It is free software that offers data on keywords search volume and keyword competition.
- Ahrefs: It provides extensive keyword research options and features into keyword difficulty.
- SEMrush: It offers keyword suggestions, data on search volume, and competitive investigation.
- Ubersuggest: It is user-friendly software for producing keyword suggestions and seeing related words.
Insert your seed keywords into one of these tools to produce a list of relatable keywords, with metrics like keyword search volume i.e. “how many people look for this term” and keyword difficulty i.e. “how competitive the word is”.
4. Investigate Search Intent
Considering the search intent behind a keyword is crucial. Search intent tells the reason behind a user’s search. Keywords can have various intents:
- Informational: Users are trying to find info (e.g., “how to make a DIY clay house”).
- Navigational: Users want to look for a specific website (e.g., “Forbes website”).
- Transactional: Users wants to buy something (e.g., “buy dark chocolate”).
By evaluating search intent, you can adjust your content according to your users’ needs and make it more effective.
5. Calculate Keyword Metrics
When you have a list of keywords, assess them based on various key metrics:
- Search Volume: The more search volume, more people are looking for that word. Though, keywords with high-volume are usually more competitive.
- Keyword Difficulty: This feature indicates how difficult it will be for a specific keyword to rank. Always balance keywords with high-difficulty with lower-difficulty keywords for an effective and convenient SEO strategy.
- Cost Per Click (CPC): If you’re operating paid campaigns, Cost Per Clickcan offer awareness into what might the cost be for bidding on a keyword.
6. Prioritize & Select Keywords
Constructed on your research, prioritize keyword that matches with your goals and have a realistic search volume, and accommodate your budget & resources. Make a combination of high-volume & niche keywords to target comprehensive and specific search requests both.
7. Monitor & Refine
Keyword research is not a one-time task. Continuously monitor your keyword performance using tools like Google Analytics and adjust your strategy as needed. Trends change, and so should your keyword approach to stay relevant and competitive.
Conclusion
Keyword research is a dynamic and ongoing process. By defining your goals, brainstorming seed keywords, utilizing research tools, analyzing search intent, evaluating metrics, and refining your strategy, you can build a solid foundation for your SEO efforts. As you gain experience, you’ll be able to refine your approach and better align your keywords with your audience’s needs, ultimately driving more targeted traffic to your site. Boost your website’s performance and connect with our expert SEO Services and also avail our other on-page SEO services that align with your goals, drive targeted traffic, and improve your online visibility.
