When creating a site or article designed specifically to attract readers through its SEO (Search Engine Optimization) qualities, webmasters need reliable sources of data that can help determine which words should be used most frequently by their intended audiences.
For example, if your website sells cars, then car sales may be one of your main keywords.
If you're writing a news story about auto dealerships, then “car” might be more appropriate than “auto.”
As far as web searchers go, however, there are hundreds of thousands of other search terms available. How does a writer choose the right ones from among these seemingly endless possibilities? This is where keyword research enters the picture.
Keyword research is a very broad topic. It is a core part of any SEO strategy for digital marketing.
We have discussed keyword research techniques in the past. But to answer it in a simple way, we write this blog post today.
What are keywords research?
Keyword research is a word or set of words that are used by web searchers on search engines. It can be anything from a short keyword like “dogs” to a long-tail keyword “latest news for Facebook turning into Meta”.
According to Microsoft Bing search, searching for something like “dog collar” results in nearly 300 possible keyword matches. However, search engines have advanced algorithms of word association programs, to narrow down those choices considerably.
With the use of algorithms based upon statistical analysis of large amounts of text, search engines can isolate specific sets of key phrases. These so-called “seed keywords,” once identified, serve as guiding points for further searches.
Using tools like Google AdWords Keywords Research Tool, people looking for particular topics can see just how many times keywords are searched. Then, advertisers can work within a defined framework to craft ads that appeal to potential customers' needs.
Not just the advertisers but before beginning a new project, even experienced digital marketers must perform some basic keyword research to ensure they'll get proper results from their efforts.
In addition to determining seed keywords, keyword research usually involves analyzing competitors' sites and comparing similar websites against each other to figure out what works best.
There are several ways to begin researching relevant keywords, including typing related topics into popular search engines, examining competitor pages, conducting interviews, observing current trends, and consulting industry experts.
Using Google search operators for keyword research is highly recommended. We have written a list of search operators here: A Complete List Of Google Search Operators and also showed a little trick to find related keywords for a seek keyword. Do not miss to check this post.
Once potential keywords have been gathered, you can narrow the list down according to two criteria: relevancy and popularity.
Relevance refers to whether or not users actually type in a given phrase instead of another term that contains fewer syllables.
Popularity takes into account the number of competing sites dedicated to various subjects.
To maximize traffic, it's important to balance both factors.
After selecting keywords, copywriters can now focus their attention on crafting well-written articles geared toward attracting visitors.
Next up, we'll talk about how to conduct successful keyword research.
It's easy enough to think back over our lives and pinpoint instances in which we've searched for something via computer.
Whether it was the latest episode of Law & Order, directions to the nearest gas station, or instructions on changing a tire, we've probably typed these words into a browser window without batting an eyelash.
Just because we don't pause to wonder why we did this doesn't mean the technology isn't taking advantage of us. Companies like Google track every single user's activity across multiple devices.
They take note of everything from mouse clicks to video views, recording statistics on things like shopping habits, interests, demographics and location.
It's no surprise then that companies try to capitalize on this intelligence by selling targeted advertising space to businesses willing to pay big bucks to reach consumers.
And this is how the search engine bots gather keyword information and then rank web pages based on clicks, views, and many other parameters.
So when you start doing keyword research, always put yourself in the seat of a common searcher and see what the search engines are showing you.
How do you find keywords?
Although users tend to type long strings of words into browsers, they rarely submit entire sentences. Instead, they opt to enter shorter phrases known as synonyms.
Therefore, it becomes necessary to look beyond simple phrases and discover alternatives. At least three different methods exist for doing this:
1. Use an automated tool: One way to simplify the process of identifying suitable keywords is to employ software applications specially designed to analyze written material and extract useful information.
Search engines like Google rely heavily on keyword density, meaning that a higher percentage of usage indicates greater relevance. In order to optimize these figures, programmers develop specialized scripts that automatically scan documents for keywords on the web.
Some common examples include Semrush and Ahrefs keyword research tools.
2. Conduct research manually: Many professional digital marketers prefer to take matters into their own hands by performing extensive keyword analyses themselves.
SEO Marketers can obtain lists of relevant keywords by visiting forums and blogs associated with their field of interest. Through informal conversations with fellow enthusiasts, they can learn about existing problems and concerns.
By asking questions, participants provide insight into the mindsets of their peers. People who feel strongly about a subject typically discuss aspects of their hobby in great detail.
Since opinions vary widely, the resulting dialogue could yield numerous valuable insights.
3. Interview others: Another method for locating keywords revolves around interviewing other professionals involved in a particular area of expertise.
Professionals working in fields like law, finance, accounting, engineering, etc., may be able to offer suggestions regarding the types of terminology commonly encountered in daily life.
Additionally, interviewees can also link back to the interview if you publish it on your website. This way it will also help in link building for keywords in that niche.
After collecting a list of keywords, SEO pros must decide which ones deserve their time and attract more visitors to their website.
Can I do keyword research for free?
Most of the time, yes! You can conduct a lot of important keyword research yourself, especially if you already possess knowledge of a particular niche. However, occasionally, you may need outside assistance.
Fortunately, there are several organizations that specialize in helping people uncover hidden gems.
The following is a list of some tools that do keyword research for free:
SEMrush
We have a bigger and better list of SEO tools that are free in this post: https://underwp.com/free-seo-optimization-tools-google-loves/
Starting from a simple Google search, you can start exploring different sets of keywords for free. In the coming weeks, we will be writing more posts about keyword research so do not forget to subscribe to our newsletter.
Even with Google's current dominance of search results, people still use Bing and other lesser-known services to perform basic keyword research before launching their own sites or landing pages.
Mindset For Keyword Research
But what are some of the most important issues you should keep in mind when analyzing your business' keywords? And how do you know whether they're working for you? Let's explore it all here.
The first issue to consider is whether you think your ideal prospects would visit your business' website. If not, then why bother with key phrases that won't generate revenue?
To get started, ask yourself the following questions:
Are my keywords too broad?
In general, people tend to gravitate toward keywords that have more distinct meanings or are less ambiguous.
For example, a consumer searching for “cheap car insurance” understands exactly what he/she wants. He/she is unlikely to settle for “cheap automobile insurance” just because the two appear near each other when browsing a webpage.
Because automobile includes different type of vehicles ranging from lightweight vehicle to heavyweight vehicle.
Similarly, someone seeking “low-cost health insurance” likely means something completely different. That's why it's a good idea to focus your keyword research on more precise, unambiguous terms whenever possible.
Does a certain keyword carry a high volume of traffic?
A popular topic to write about is something like an auto accident.
Not only will searchers immediatelyrealize that the phrase is relevant to their particular interest, but since search engine systems tend to rate content that appeals to people's emotions, your page is certain to rank highly if it covers a particularly distressing event.
What about the competition?
You can find out plenty of useful information about your competition by taking a look at their websites.
Analyze where they got their ideas from, the keywords they utilized, the kind of design they have in place, and how they promote their message.
All of this data will tell you how well they're executing their strategies. The same goes for their content.
Final Words
So here we tried to answer and explain in simple terms about the keyword research topic.
Like I said at the beginning of this post, keyword research is a broad topic.
Keyword research operations require you to spend more time and practice the art of finding the keywords that will generate a good amount of traffic for your website.
There are many ways keyword research can be done either using free tools or paid tools. The final goal is to find ourselves the set of keywords that will increase the website traffic.
And if your goal is to sell a product or service on your website then keyword research is more important than just writing a blog. Selecting the right set of keywords will bring you sales.
My suggestion to every SEO is to spend more time on keywords research and master the art of it. This is and should be the core of every digital marketing campaign.
Hi! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after checking through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely glad I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!
Never forget the keyword mindset as discussed in this post. Make sure to ask as many questions as possible from a user perspective. This will help you explore keywords that are not shown by any keywords tool.