SEO has evolved over the years into a multi-dimensional tool for improving a website’s search engine ranking. However, keyword research has remained a consistent aspect of SEO for driving organic traffic. As a go-to SEO strategy, keywords play a major role in helping search engine algorithms understand the page’s content.
Keywords also bridge your target audience and your website, allowing them to search for relevant information. But, despite being a cornerstone of content marketing, choosing the right keywords takes a lot of work. This article outlines some tips on finding the right keywords for an effective SEO strategy.
Common Factors To Consider:
Adopting a holistic SEO approach is essential when choosing keywords for your content. It’s important to focus on your website’s technical aspects and produce high-quality content. The best approach is to hire professional agencies and companies like Funnels for search engine optimization. However, since outsourcing SEO or hiring consultation may not be feasible for everyone, here are some common tips to follow:
Keyword Intent Analysis:
Search intent or keyword intent refers to the user’s purpose when they search for specific information on search engines. It commonly includes the phrases or sentences they search for when looking for data or services. Keyword intent would differ based on the objective and information a user is looking for.
Analyzing keyword intent allows markets to think like their customers and offers opportunities to bridge gaps wherever required. For instance, by analyzing what their target audience is searching for, an e-commerce website can add appropriate keywords to relevant pages to drive traffic.
Search Volume:
The search volume measures the number of individuals searching for particular information. Because it reflects the topic’s popularity, search volume must definitely be considered when choosing your keywords.
Although it is a good practice to use high search volume keywords, it is important to focus on search competition. Keywords with low search competition can help you drive traffic and reach SEO goals due to low demand and can do wonders for an SEO plan.
Keyword Types:
Not all keywords are the same. Just as every keyword has a distinct search intent, different types of keywords can be used to drive organic traffic. Keywords can be categorized based on factors such as length, intent and industry. The three common types of keywords by length are:
- Short-tail keywords
- Mid-tail keywords
- Long-tail keywords.
Based on your marketing goals, it is important to use the right keyword. For instance, if you are a local business trying to expand its services by attracting a local crowd, it is essential to use geo-targeted keywords in your content or website. Similarly, question keywords can be incorporated into a website’s FAQs and are a great way of attracting a specific target audience.
Keyword Tools:
The first step to choosing the right keywords is conducting the right keyword research. There are several tools available online that can be used for effective keyword research. Google Keyword Planner is a popular tool used by marketers that can help understand the search frequency of specific words and their changing patterns.
Other tools from Semrush and Ahrefs are also available. Combining keyword tools’ efficiency with a clear SEO plan allows you to choose the right keywords that drive traffic and improve your rankings.
Competitive Analysis:
Competitive analysis is the foundation of any successful marketing strategy. By analyzing your competitors, you can receive insights into what keywords you can use to rank higher and what mistakes to avoid. Additionally, a thorough competitive analysis would allow you to identify keyword gaps.
Final Thoughts:
Finding the right keywords can be pivotal to your SEO strategy. While creating high-quality original content is important, keywords are the means that allow search engines to analyze a web page for relevancy and authority.