Keyword research is the cornerstone of any successful SEO strategy. By understanding what your audience is searching for and tailoring your content to those queries, you can significantly improve your site’s visibility and organic traffic. This detailed guide will take you through the essential steps and advanced techniques of keyword research, complete with actionable tips and recommended tools.
Introduction to Keyword Research
What is Keyword Research?
Keyword research involves identifying and analysing the search terms that users enter into search engines. This data is invaluable for various purposes, particularly for SEO and content marketing, as it helps in understanding and targeting user intent effectively.
Why is Keyword Research Important for SEO?
Keyword research is crucial because it:
- Informs Content Strategy: Helps you create content that your audience is actively searching for.
- Enhances SEO: Improves your website’s ranking on search engines.
- Drives Traffic: Attracts more visitors to your site by addressing their needs and queries.
- Competitive Advantage: Allows you to understand what your competitors are targeting and identify gaps in your strategy.
How to Find Keyword Ideas
Brainstorm a List of Topics
Start by brainstorming a list of broad topics relevant to your industry or niche. These topics will serve as the foundation for your keyword research. Consider the following example topics:
- Social Media: Engagement strategies, platform-specific tips.
- Email Marketing: Campaign ideas, automation tools.
- Website Traffic: SEO techniques, analytics.
- Content Marketing: Blog post ideas, content calendars.
- Blogging: Writing tips, monetization strategies.
- PPC: Pay-per-click advertising, cost management.
Use Wikipedia for Topic Ideas
Wikipedia is an excellent resource for uncovering subtopics. Search for a broad topic and examine the table of contents on the page. Each subtopic can inspire potential keywords.
Example:
Search for “Content Marketing” on Wikipedia. The table of contents includes sections like:
- History
- Strategy
- Channels
- Metrics
Google’s “Searches Related To” Feature
At the bottom of Google search results, the “Searches related to” section provides additional keyword ideas. This feature shows queries similar to your original search.
Steps:
- Enter a keyword into Google.
- Scroll to the bottom of the results page.
- Note the “Searches related to” suggestions.
Pro Tip: Click on one of these related searches and scroll down to see another set of related keywords.
Advanced Techniques for Finding Keywords
Reddit is a goldmine for discovering what your target audience is talking about. To find keyword ideas on Reddit:
- Search for Relevant Subreddits: Look for subreddits related to your industry or niche.
- Analyse Popular Posts: Identify common questions and topics within these communities.
- Engage with the Community: Participate in discussions to gain deeper insights.
Example:
If your niche is digital marketing, subreddits like r/SEO or r/DigitalMarketing will have relevant discussions.
Google and YouTube Suggest
Pro Tip: Click on one of the “Searches Related To” keywords.
Google and YouTube Suggest can provide valuable keyword ideas based on actual search behaviour.
Steps:
- Google Suggest:
- Start typing a keyword into Google’s search bar.
- Note the autocomplete suggestions.
- YouTube Suggest:
- Type a keyword into YouTube’s search bar.
- Observe the suggested queries.
YouTube:
Forum Searches
Forums are rich sources of user-generated content and discussions. Use specific search strings to find forums where your audience is active.
Search Strings:
- “Keyword forum”
- “keyword + forum”
- “keyword + board”
Example:
For a fitness niche, search for “fitness forum” to find communities discussing workout routines, diet plans, etc.
Using Keyword Research Tools
Keyword research tools streamline the process of finding and analysing keywords. Here are some of the most effective tools:
SEMrush
SEMrush is a comprehensive tool that provides keyword suggestions, competition analysis, and more.
Steps:
- Enter a keyword into SEMrush.
- Review the keyword overview, including search volume, keyword difficulty, and related keywords.
- Explore the “Keyword Magic Tool” for extensive keyword ideas.
Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is free and particularly useful for finding keywords related to Google Ads.
Steps:
- Access Google Keyword Planner through your Google Ads account.
- In the Tools menu, go to Planning and select “Discover new keywords” in the Keyword Planner.
- Enter a seed keyword and review the suggested keywords.
ExplodingTopics.com
ExplodingTopics.com identifies trending topics and keywords.
Steps:
- Visit ExplodingTopics.com.
- Browse trending topics relevant to your industry.
Keyword Surfer
Keyword Surfer is a browser extension that provides keyword data directly within Google search results.
Steps:
- Install the Keyword Surfer extension.
- Perform a Google search.
- Review the keyword metrics displayed alongside the search results.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is known for its robust backlink analysis and keyword research capabilities.
Steps:
Enter a Keyword into Ahrefs Keyword Explorer
- Navigate to Ahrefs and log in to your account.
- From the dashboard, select “Keyword Explorer” from the main menu.
- Enter your target keyword in the search bar and click “Search.”
Analyze the Search Volume, Keyword Difficulty, and Related Terms
- After searching for the keyword, you will see an overview of the keyword metrics.
- Review the search volume to understand how often the keyword is searched.
- Examine the keyword difficulty score to gauge how hard it is to rank for this keyword.
- Scroll down to the “Related Keywords” section to find other relevant keywords and their metrics.
- You can also check the “SERP overview” to see the current top-ranking pages for this keyword and their metrics.
Use the “Content Gap” Tool to Identify Keywords Your Competitors Rank for That You Don’t
- From the Ahrefs main menu, go to “Site Explorer.”
- Enter your website URL and click “Search.”
- In the left-hand menu, under “Organic search,” select “Content Gap.”
- Enter the URLs of your top competitors in the provided fields.
- Click “Show keywords” to see a list of keywords for which your competitors are ranking but your site is not.
- Analyze these keywords to identify potential opportunities for new content or optimization.
Keyword Difficulty and Competition
Understanding keyword difficulty is essential for choosing the right keywords to target.
Manual Evaluation
Evaluate the competition manually by searching for the keyword on Google.
Steps:
- Search for the keyword.
- Examine the websites on the first page of results.
- Assess the authority of these sites (e.g., Wikipedia, large brands).
Tip: If the first page is dominated by high-authority sites, consider targeting less competitive keywords.
Keyword Difficulty Metrics in Tools
Most keyword research tools provide a keyword difficulty score.
Steps:
- Use SEMrush, Ahrefs, or another tool to find the keyword difficulty score.
- Compare the scores to prioritize keywords with lower difficulty.
Choosing the Right Keywords
Selecting the right keywords involves balancing search volume, competition, and relevance to your audience.
Search Volume
Higher search volume generally means more traffic potential. However, it often comes with higher competition.
Tip: Target a mix of high-volume and long-tail keywords to maximize reach and manageability.
Organic Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Consider the organic CTR for your keywords. Featured snippets and ads can reduce the CTR for organic results.
Steps:
- Check the SERP layout for your keywords.
- Note the presence of ads, snippets, and other features that might impact CTR.
Google Ads
Evaluating Keywords
Keyword Trends
Use Google Trends to see the popularity trajectory of your keywords.
Steps:
- Enter your keyword into Google Trends.
- Review the interest over time and related queries.
Tip: Focus on keywords with rising or stable trends.
Searcher Intent
Understanding searcher intent helps in creating content that meets user needs.
Types of Intent:
- Informational: Users seeking information.
- Navigational: Users looking for a specific website.
- Transactional: Users ready to make a purchase.
Steps:
- Analyse the SERP to determine the dominant intent for a keyword.
- Align your content with the identified intent.
Advanced Tips and Strategies
Barnacle SEO
Barnacle SEO involves leveraging the authority of other sites to rank well for your keywords.
Steps:
- Identify high-authority sites in your niche.
- Contribute content or get featured on these sites.
Example: Guest posting on a well-ranked industry blog to gain exposure and backlinks.
GSC Keyword Research
Google Search Console (GSC) is a valuable tool for identifying keywords that drive traffic to your site.
Steps:
- Log into GSC and navigate to the Performance Report.
- Analyse the queries bringing the most clicks.
- Optimize existing content or create new content around these keywords.
Content Gap Analysis
Content gap analysis helps identify keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t.
Steps:
- Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to enter your competitor’s domain.
- Analyze the keywords they rank for.
- Identify gaps and create content to target those keywords.
Optimizing for Synonyms and Related Keywords
Optimizing for synonyms and related keywords can expand your reach.
Steps:
- Identify synonyms and related terms for your primary keywords.
- Integrate these terms naturally into your content.
Example: For the keyword “digital marketing,” use related terms like “online marketing,” “internet marketing,” and “web marketing.”
Keyword Research Template
A keyword research template helps organize your keyword research process and data. This template ensures you cover all aspects of keyword analysis, from search volume to competition and searcher intent.
Creating a Keyword Research Template
- Columns to Include:
- Keyword: The primary keyword or phrase.
- Search Volume: Monthly search volume for the keyword.
- Keyword Difficulty: Difficulty score for ranking.
- Organic CTR: Expected click-through rate for organic results.
- Searcher Intent: The primary intent behind the keyword (Informational, Navigational, Transactional).
- Current Ranking: Your current ranking for the keyword.
- Top Competitors: Top-ranking competitors for the keyword.
- Content Ideas: Ideas for content targeting the keyword.
- Steps to Use the Template:
- Collect Keywords: Gather keywords using the techniques and tools discussed above.
- Fill in Data: Use keyword research tools to fill in the columns for each keyword.
- Analyze and Prioritize: Evaluate keywords based on the combined data to prioritize which ones to target.
Tip: Regularly update your keyword research template to reflect changes in search trends and competition.
Keyword Difficulty
Understanding keyword difficulty is crucial for choosing the right keywords to target.
Long Tails Are (Usually) Less Competitive
Long-tail keywords, which are longer and more specific keyword phrases, generally have lower competition and higher conversion rates compared to single or short phrases.
Image Description: The attached image illustrates how the number of keywords affects competition and conversion. It shows that single word phrases (e.g., “t-shirts”) are highly competitive and have low conversion rates, whereas 4+ word phrases (e.g., “Blue American Apparel t-shirts”) are less competitive and have higher conversion rates.
Head Terms, Body Keywords, and Long Tail Keywords
- Head Terms: Single word or short phrases with high search volume and high competition (e.g., “t-shirts”).
- Body Keywords: 2-3 word phrases with moderate search volume and competition (e.g., “blue t-shirts”).
- Long Tail Keywords: 4+ word phrases with lower search volume but higher conversion rates and lower competition (e.g., “Blue American Apparel t-shirts”).
Authority of Sites on Google’s First Page
Evaluating the authority of sites on the first page of Google’s search results helps determine the competitiveness of a keyword. High-authority sites (e.g., Wikipedia, major brands) indicate higher difficulty in ranking for those keywords.
Steps:
- Search for the keyword on Google.
- Examine the first-page results.
- Assess the domain authority of the ranking sites.
Conclusion
Keyword research is a dynamic and ongoing process that requires a strategic approach. By following the steps outlined in this guide and utilizing the recommended tools, you can uncover valuable keywords, optimize your content, and significantly boost your organic traffic.
I hope you found this keyword research guide helpful. Which tip are you going to try first? Leave a comment below and let me know!