What Is Keyword Research?
Keyword research is the process of evaluating and reviewing search terms that people enter into search engines with the aim of improving traffic to your website via Google or other search engines. In other words, Keyword research is the basis of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). But how do you find the right Keywords for your business? Here are 10 tips to get the best out of your keywords.
Understanding the keyword
Keywords are broken down into different categories. Starting with broad search terms to more specific keyword terms.
Head Terms
These are your broadest keyword terms. They are usually single-word keywords with a lot of searches and are the most competitive to be found for. Examples of head terms are keywords like “cat” or “bread”. To be honest, there is no point trying to be found for a head term. They are too competitive and do not generate enough lead traffic to get enough conversions.
Body Keywords
Body keywords are 2-3 word phrases that get decent search volume. This can be around 2000+ searches a month. Closer to a moderate length keyword term these are more specific than Head Keywords and are often tied in with locality searches.
Long-Tail Keywords
These are niche keywords and are less competitive and are more sentence structured. They are best utilised in blogs or FAQs and often generate leads from people carrying out research.
Make a list of services/products/topics that you know about your business.
What do people think about when they want your businesses or services? This might seem like the most obvious question but it is the very basis of your keyword research. These are your head terms and they have to be relevant to your business. There’s no point being found for Christmas when all you sell is Easter.
Let’s use our business as an example. Here is a list of things people might search for us.
Web design
Digital marketing
SEO services
Facebook Ad management
Graphic Designer
Think about where you would want your business to be found in a directory like yellow pages. Which sections of the directory would you want to be found.
Expand these keywords.
How else might someone define these keywords? What synonyms might be linked with these?
EXAMPLES
WEB DESIGN – web designer, web hosting, web management, website creation, website makers
DIGITAL MARKETING – online marketing, digital agency, promoting online, getting found online, advertising online
SEO SERVICES – get found on Google, increase website traffic, search engine optimisation, get to page one on google, increase SERP.
Some of these might be worth using on your main products or services, or you might want to consider using them in blogs.
Blog and increase your long-tailed keywords
Blogs are much more productive at pulling in the longer tailed keywords. Use blogs to answer full questions. Answerthepublic.com can give you popular questions that people are asking about your keywords. Learn more about blogging.
Use keyword research tools
Using Neil Patel’s Ubersuggest can give you an idea of synonyms. It will also help you know how many people search that keyword, how difficult it is to rank for it and how difficult and costly it would be if you decided to use Google Ads.The free version of Ubersuggest allows you up to 3 free searches.
Be aware of the search volume
Search engines are one of the key ways that sites attract new visitors and traffic, which is why being aware of search volume is important. Hitting the right audience search volume can be difficult and you should consider different levels of search volume targeting.
Take some consideration in this. If you are trying to be found by a broad term with high volume, then you might not be found on Google due to the competition. Too niche and then nobody might be searching for it and therefore you still get no traffic. However, if your product is niche then you may only need 1-2 sales a month, so finding a search volume of 50 a month could generate you the leads you need.
Use locality
If you work only in certain towns or cities then incorporate your locality into your keyword list. There is no point working harder for national search if you want to be found only in a certain location.
Check your competitors
See what your competitors are ranking for the same keywords you want to use. You can also use ubersuggest to check on your competitors. If they are in a good position then you can look at their site and see how they are structuring their website differently from yours. There is nothing wrong with doing some competitor research and you should be doing it.
What does Google suggest?
Just start typing your keyword into Google and see what it thinks you are going to type. This is basically what everyone else is typing in so consider answering or incorporating these into your website. Google also has a section on the search pages that give you other suggestions.
Always review
Finally, always see how people are getting to your website. Using Google Search Console and your analytics can give you an idea of where to improve your keywords and also be aware of any other words that you don’t want to be found for.
Final Thought…
Keyword research is more complex than using your basic products/services associated with your business. You do need to consider how these keywords generate leads and inevitably provide you with sales of your products and services.
Are you looking to improve the SEO of your website? Why not get in touch.