Keyword research is one of the cornerstones of an effective search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. The goal of SEO is to get your website to rank on search engine results pages to get traffic, and hopefully leads and sales, to flow in. Keywords are simply the words or phrases that someone puts into a search engine to get the information they need.
So the game plan for SEO is knowing what keywords people are searching for and designing a website and creating content that targets those keywords according to the search engine’s guidelines. That’s why knowing how to find keywords is so critical to successful SEO. If you’re targeting the wrong keywords, you may be generating a lot of traffic, but it might not convert because your site and content is not relevant for the search.
To help you optimize your keyword research, we’re happy to share the following guide to help you get started.
Start your search for quality keywords here
Here are the top five places that a prospective keyword researcher should start:
1. Your own head — This one may seem silly, but there is a lot of intuition to keyword research. If you’re an expert in the particular industry or field that your website is built for, chances are you probably have a lot of keyword knowledge already. Start your search with a brainstorming exercise that imagines your target audience and some of the searches they might perform. While the list of keywords this exercise produces won’t be backed by data, it can be a good start.
2. Search engine results pages — The next step in your search for keywords should be performing test searches from your initial brainstorm. Do similar businesses and websites show up for these searches? While Google and other search engines don’t disclose keyword data, on-page features such as “people also asked” and “related searches” can also help you home in on popular and trending searches.
3. Google Analytics — Google Analytics can give you a wealth of information about your site, traffic and user behavior, but what it doesn’t give you is organic keyword data. However, with a bit of sleuthing and testing, you can use the data that is available to determine which pages are successful and deduce the likely searches that are driving traffic.
4. Google Ads — Although Google Ads is a tool used for pay-per-click campaigns, not SEO, it can offer up a gold mine of relevant keyword information for organic search. By dovetailing and harmonizing your PPC and SEO campaigns, you can put the data you’ve gained to work for organic keywords.
5. Keyword tools — A wide array of third-party tools are available for keyword data and research. There is a wide range of quality and pricing for these tools, and they can be somewhat difficult to navigate for the uninitiated. However, the best keyword tools are built off of years of proven SEO research and testing and can provide highly competitive information on trending keywords.
Finding an SEO partner that fits your needs
The complexity and lack of transparency involved with keyword research means many people turn to a digital marketing partner to help them succeed in this area. By leveraging their knowledge, experience and resources, businesses can collaborate to develop a successful keyword strategy.
At Burg & Co., our SEO experts recognize that finding keywords is a two-way street. We may know how to find and target the searches that are high conversion, but nobody knows your business like you. That’s why we strive to build productive relationships built on trust and respect.
Contact us today to learn more about us. We’ll be happy to provide a free marketing consultation to assess your needs.
