2023 Keyword Research Checklist
Keyword research is the process of identifying the search terms that people use when searching for products, services, or information online.
The aim of this process is to discover the most relevant, high-traffic keywords for a particular website or business.
Then use them strategically in the website's content, meta tags, and other optimization efforts to improve its search engine rankings.
In this keyword research checklist, we are going to explore the importance of keyword research and have a clear understanding of where to start in your keyword discovery.
Checklist For Keyword Research
Relevance: Ensure that your keywords are relevant to your business, products, or services. Avoid using generic or broad keywords that aren't specific enough to your business.
Search volume: Look for keywords that have a decent search volume. This means that people are actively searching for those keywords online, increasing the likelihood that they will find your website.
Competition level: Check the competition level for your keywords. Avoid using highly competitive keywords that are difficult to rank for. Instead, focus on lower competition keywords that are more specific to your business.
Long-tail keywords: Use long-tail keywords that are more specific and targeted to your business. Long-tail keywords usually have lower search volume but are easier to rank for.
Keyword intent: Consider the intent behind each keyword. Are people searching for information or are they looking to purchase a product or service? Use keywords that match the intent of the searcher.
Variations: Use synonyms and variations of your keywords to increase the chances of your website appearing in search results for different search queries.
Keyword placement: Place your keywords strategically in your website's content, meta tags, titles, and descriptions. Avoid keyword stuffing, which can negatively impact your website's search engine rankings.
By including these elements in your keyword checklist, you can create a comprehensive and effective keyword strategy that helps to improve your website's search engine rankings and drive more targeted traffic to your site.
Let's Break Each Of These Steps Down
Relevance:
Your words or phrases should be relevant to your business, products, or services.
For example: If you have a roofing company but post keywords about homes for sell or homes in the current market, it's a bit confusing as to what you are offering.
Are you a roofing company or a real estate company? Make it clear and concise!
Avoid using very general or broad keywords, as they may attract a lot of visitors but not necessarily the right ones for your business.
Another example: The same roofing company uses the keyword valentines day... I have seen this keyword rank for one of our competitors 😆
IT MAKES NO SENSE!
Just because you want to try to rank for a word doesn't mean you should.
People looking for valentines day gifts or whatever do not need to visit your site if you are a roofing company, or marketing company, you will not get them to buy anything.
Instead, focus on specific keywords that accurately describe what you offer and what services you have.
Search volume:
It's important to look for keywords that have a decent search volume.
This means that a lot of people are actively searching for those keywords online.
By targeting keywords with high search volume, you increase the likelihood that people will find your website when they search for those keywords.
It's important to note that you should also consider the competition level for these high-search volume keywords.
If they are highly competitive, it may be difficult to rank for them, so you may need to consider other options like long-tail keywords or more specific variations of those high-search volume keywords.
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For example: Marketing (General keyword) Online marketing (Variation) Online marketing for service business owners (Long-tail keyword)
If the keyword is to competitive then you want to look into variations and/or long tail keywords with a search volume of at least 100 searches or if you are just targeting local then it's more like 30-100 searches.
Competition Level:
Check the competition level for your keywords.
Avoid using highly competitive keywords that are difficult to rank for.
Instead, focus on lower competition keywords that are more specific to your business.
So again if the competition for a keyword will be difficult to rank for then go for a different variation or long tail keyword more specific to your service and location.
Long-Tail Keywords:
Long-tail keywords are phrases that are more specific and targeted to your business than general keywords.
While they may have lower search volume compared to broad keywords, they are usually easier to rank for.
By using long-tail keywords, you can attract visitors who are specifically searching for what you offer.
You'll have a better chance of converting those visitors into customers.
It's important to include long-tail keywords in your keyword research and incorporate them into your website content and meta tags.
Keyword Intent:
Understanding the intent behind a search query can help you to choose the right keywords for your website and increase your chances of attracting the right audience.
It's essential to determine whether people are searching for information or looking to purchase a product or service.
If you're selling a product or service, it's important to choose keywords that match the intent of the searcher, which could be a product name or a specific service.
For example:
Commercial roofing repair (This is service specific, meaning that the searcher wants to buy a service).
What kind of roofing materials are used for a commercial property (This is informational specific, the searcher wants to find information).
On the other hand, if you're providing information or educational content, it's important to choose keywords that match the searcher's intent, such as "how-to" or "best practices."
Variations:
By including synonyms and variations, you increase the likelihood that your website will appear in search results for different search queries.
For example: If your primary keyword is "running shoes," you could also include variations such as "athletic shoes" or "jogging shoes" and synonyms such as "sneakers" or "trainers."
Including these variations and synonyms can help your website rank higher in search results which can increase the chances of attracting more visitors to your website.
Keyword Placement:
It's important to place your keywords strategically in your website's content, meta tags, titles, and descriptions.
Rule of thumb is to place keywords in the:
Title
Meta tag
H1 Heading
Within the first paragraph
In the last paragraph
Alt text for pictures on that specific page
Now that we have a checklist of what to look for when choosing keywords what do we do now?
Let's dive into a few important topics to understand the importance of keyword research
Importance of Keyword Research:
Keyword research is a critical aspect of any successful SEO strategy because it helps to:
Target the right audience
Identify high-value keywords
Optimize your website
Let's look at each of these aspects.
Target the right audience:
By understanding what keywords people are using to search for your products or services, you can create content that targets those specific search terms, ensuring that your website appears in front of the right audience.
Learn more from this blog on unlocking the power of a target audience!
Identify high-value keywords:
Keyword research can help you identify high-value, long-tail keywords that are less competitive but highly relevant to your business.
These keywords are often easier to rank for and can help businesses identify opportunities to target less competitive but highly relevant long-tail keywords, enabling them to stand out from competitors
Optimize your website:
Keyword research can help you optimize your website for the most relevant search terms, improving your website's visibility and driving more organic traffic to your site.
Want to learn 5 issues that could be hurting your Google ranking Click here!
Tools and Techniques for Keyword Research:
There are many tools and techniques available to conduct keyword research.
Some of the most popular ones are:
Google Keyword Planner
Semrush
Google Trends
Google Keyword Planner:
Google Keyword Planner is a free tool provided by Google that helps you discover new keywords and estimate search volume for those keywords.
It also provides information on the competition level for each keyword.
Semrush:
Semrush is a paid tool that provides extensive keyword research data, including keyword difficulty, search volume, and traffic potential.
It also offers competitor analysis, allowing you to see which keywords your competitors are targeting.
Google Trends:
Google Trends is a free tool that allows you to see the popularity of a keyword over time. This can help you identify seasonal trends or fluctuations in search volume for specific keywords.
In conclusion, keyword research is a critical aspect of any successful SEO strategy.
By understanding the importance of keyword research, utilizing the right tools and techniques, and analyzing competition and search volume, you can identify the most relevant and high-traffic keywords for your business and optimize your website accordingly.
To learn SEO in more detail check out this blog post ➡️ Stupid Simple SEO!
Check out our services to see how we can help you improve your Google ranking!
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