SEO and the concept of keyword research are the driving force behind driving more organic traffic to your website. It’s an extremely important part of your online strategy, and the question of how to do keyword research always comes into play with new clients or new campaigns.
The key to implementing keyword research for SEO successfully is being able to get into the minds of our target audience in a way that helps us understand the actual words and phrases they type into Google when searching for information, products and services online. Without this knowledge and insight, the content you create, whilst it may read well and be super compelling, has less chance of being seen by the right people.
This guide will help you gain that insight and knowledge – we’re talking ‘keyword research for dummies’ kind of guide! So stick with us. 🤓
…It’s really not just something us digital marketers like to throw out there for fun, we promise! The main reason behind keyword research is being able to understand your audience and what they’re searching for. Pay special attention to the type of questions they’re asking and the problems they’re trying to solve. Once you know this, you’ll be able to create content that answers these questions.
Here’s why keyword research works ⬇️
Of course, different types of keywords can be used in your SEO strategy, and it’s important to know which ones to choose so that you gain the most out of your keyword research.
Short-tail keywords are typically 1-3 words long, are very broad, and have high search volume. They’re also usually extremely competitive and are great for establishing broad authority but are quite difficult for new sites to rank for. Some examples of short-tail keywords can include:
Long-tail keywords are (yeah, you guessed it) longer than three words; they’re also very specific, which means that they’re usually lower in search volume but also much lower in competition. This means that the user intent is often clearer as more words are being used to get the answer. Examples of long-tail keywords can include:
Although long-tail keywords may not bring you loads of traffic, they can often account for a significant portion of your organic traffic. They also usually convert better, as they are often further along in the user’s search journey.
When conducting your keyword research, you’ll also come across keywords that are searched for by user intent. This means that users are typing in specific keywords depending on the result they want. For example:
A word of advice: focus heavily on transactional and informational long-tail keywords when starting out because these are your golden ticket to Wonka’s chocolate factory and will help your site gain traction. 🍫
Some are free, and some are paid for, so try to weigh up what’s most useful for you in being able to conduct keyword research for SEO effectively.
This is Google’s own tool designed to provide you with keyword ideas, search volume estimates and competition levels. You’ll need a Google Ads account for this tool with running ads to be able to gain accurate results.
Google Search Console (GSC) will show you how your site is performing in Google search. You can check the ‘performance’ report to see which search queries people used to find your site organically. So, these are the keywords your site will already be ranking for and can then be used to optimise existing content or when creating new content.
Think of when you start typing something in Google and it comes up with suggestions – this is called autocomplete. You’ll also see ‘related searches’ at the bottom of the search results page. Both these components are quick keyword idea generation tools that are used on real user queries. So, you can type in your seed keyword and see what comes from it.
This tool is simple to use – all you need to do is enter a keyword, and it will generate a web of questions and phrases people are asking for.
These are industry-standard SEO platforms that offer much more comprehensive data. You’ll also find more in-depth competitor analysis, accurate keyword difficulty scores, site audits and backlink analysis.
You’ll need to pay a subscription fee, but most of these platforms offer a free trial or limited free versions, which are great for getting started.
Okay, so you’ve got your tools and have an idea of how to use them. Now, let’s look at how to actually do keyword research for SEO!
Begin by thinking about your core products, services or the topics you’d like to cover and put yourself in your customers’ shoes. What would they search for if they were looking for what your business offers?
For example, ‘digital marketing services for small businesses’
Next, take your brainstormed seed keywords and add them into your keyword research tool of choice. You can also take a sneaky peek at what your competitors are writing about. 👀
Now, look at the specific keyword metrics:
You’ve now completed most of the keyword research! 🎉All that’s left to do now is to plan your content.
Now you have an idea of how to do keyword research for SEO, but if you need the professionals to handle it, get in touch with our team at Assisted on 01788 288020! 🤓