Search Engine Keyword research is the foundation of any successful digital marketing campaign.
Proper keyword research allows you to understand your audience and create content that resonates with their needs.
In this blog post, we’ll cover the steps you need to take to do proper keyword research:
1. Define Your Goals
Before you start keyword research, you need to define the goals of your campaign.
When it comes to keyword research, it's important to define your goals. What are you trying to achieve with your SEO efforts?
Are you looking to increase traffic to your website, improve your search engine rankings, or generate more leads and sales? Whatever your goals may be, they should guide your keyword research process.
One way to define your goals is to think about your target audience. Who are the people you're trying to reach with your content?
What are their interests, needs, and pain points? By understanding your audience, you can identify the keywords they're searching for and create content that addresses their specific needs.
Another way to define your goals is to think about your competition.
What keywords are your competitors targeting?
How can you differentiate yourself from them and rank higher in search results?
By analyzing your competition, you can identify gaps in the market and target keywords that they may be overlooking.
Ultimately, your goal should be to find the keywords that will drive the most relevant traffic to your website and help you achieve your overall business objectives.
By defining your goals and staying focused on them throughout the keyword research process, you can optimize your SEO efforts and maximize your results.
2. Brainstorm Seed Keywords
Brainstorming seed keywords is a critical first step when it comes to keyword research. Seed keywords are the foundation upon which your entire keyword strategy will be built.
They're the words and phrases that you'll use to find other related keywords and to create content around. Here are a few tips for brainstorming seed keywords:
1. Start with a broad keyword or phrase that's related to your business or industry. This could be something like “fitness” or “digital marketing.”
2. Think about the problems that your customers are trying to solve. What keywords would they use when searching for solutions online? For example, if you're a fitness coach, your customers might be searching for “weight loss” or “strength training.”
3. Use tools like Google's Keyword Planner or SEMrush to find related keywords and to get ideas for long-tail keywords that you might not have thought of.
4. Look at your competitors' websites and see what keywords they're targeting. This can give you ideas for keywords that you might want to target as well.
By brainstorming a list of seed keywords, you'll be able to build out a comprehensive keyword strategy that will help you target the right audience and attract more traffic to your website.
3. Use a Keyword Research Tool
There are many keyword research tools available online that can help you identify high-volume and low-competition keywords.
Some of the most popular tools include Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush and Jaaxy. These tools provide valuable insights into search volume, competition, and related keywords.
The Keyword tool that I personally use is Jaaxy. Jaaxy is simply a beast.
If you're serious about search engine optimization (SEO), you need a good keyword tool. And one of the best on the market today is Jaaxy.
This powerful tool has become a go-to for many online marketers looking to improve their search rankings and grow their businesses.
So what is it about Jaaxy that makes it so effective? For starters, it provides a wealth of information about each keyword you search for.
You'll see the monthly search volume, the number of competing websites, and an estimate of how difficult it will be to rank for that keyword.
This information alone can help you make more informed decisions about which keywords to target.
But Jaaxy goes even further than that. It also provides a list of related keywords that you might not have thought of on your own. This can help you discover new opportunities for search traffic and expand your reach even further.
Another great feature of Jaaxy is the ability to track your rankings over time. This lets you see how your website is performing for each keyword you're targeting, and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Overall, Jaaxy is a powerful and easy-to-use keyword tool that can help you take your SEO to the next level.
If you're serious about growing your online business, it's definitely worth checking out. And be sure to download our free e-book on SEO tips and tricks for more helpful advice!
4. Analyze Your Competitors
When it comes to keyword research, analyzing your competitors is an essential step in the process. By understanding what keywords your competitors are targeting, you can get a sense of what's working in your industry and identify opportunities to stand out.
Start by identifying your top competitors. You can search for them online, ask around in your industry, or use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to find out who's ranking well for the keywords you're targeting.
Once you've identified your competitors, take a look at their website and look for the keywords they're targeting. This will give you a sense of what they're ranking for and what keywords you might want to target as well.
Next, take a look at their content. What kind of topics are they covering, and what keywords are they using in their content?
This will give you an idea of what kind of content your audience might be interested in and what keywords you should be using in your own content.
By analyzing your competitors, you can get a better sense of what's working in your industry and identify opportunities to stand out. So don't skip this important step in your keyword research process!
5. Refine Your List
When it comes to keyword research, one of the most important steps you can take is refining your list. This means taking your initial list of keywords and narrowing it down to just the most relevant and effective terms. Here are a few tips for refining your keyword list:
1. Consider your target audience: Think about who you're trying to reach with your content and what terms they're most likely to use when searching for information online. This can help you narrow down your list to the most relevant keywords.
2. Use keyword research tools: There are many tools available for keyword research, such as Google Keyword Planner and Moz Keyword Explorer.
These tools can help you identify the most effective keywords for your content. Like I mentioned earlier my go to tool for keyword research is Jaaxy.
3. Refine based on search volume and competition: Look for keywords with high search volume and low competition. These are the keywords that are most likely to bring traffic to your website.
4. Analyze your competitors: Take a look at what keywords your competitors are using. This can give you some ideas for relevant keywords that you may not have thought of.
By taking the time to refine your keyword list, you can increase the effectiveness of your content and improve your website's search engine ranking.
6. Monitor and Adjust
Keyword research is an ongoing process. It’s important to monitor your rankings and adjust your keyword strategy as needed.
Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your rankings and see which keywords are driving the most traffic to your site. This will help you optimize your content and stay ahead of the competition.
When it comes to keyword research, monitoring and adjusting your strategy is crucial for success.
Many businesses make the mistake of doing keyword research once and then never revisiting their strategy. But the truth is that keyword trends can change quickly, and what works today might not work tomorrow.
That's why it's important to monitor the performance of your keywords and adjust your strategy as needed. Here are some tips for doing just that:
