Keyword research is a crucial step in any digital marketing strategy. It helps you understand what your audience is searching for and allows you to optimise your content to meet their needs. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of finding and using the right keywords, exploring both free and paid tools, and even leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
Table of Contents
Step-by-step guide to keyword research
Before we start… why?
Keyword research is fundamental for several reasons, especially in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). Here’s a breakdown of its importance:
- Understanding your audience: Keyword research sheds light on what your target audience is looking for online. You can tailor your content and offerings to their needs and interests by identifying the terms they use in search queries. Imagine shouting in a crowded room – keyword research helps you know what questions people are asking so you can answer them directly.
- Content creation: Keyword research guides your content strategy. By understanding relevant keywords, you can create content that resonates with your audience and is more likely to rank well in search results. This increases organic traffic to your website or platform.
- Competition analysis: Keyword research helps you assess the competitive landscape. You can see which keywords your competitors are targeting and what content they’re creating. This allows you to develop a unique approach and identify opportunities to stand out.
- Informs SEO strategy: Keyword research is the foundation of a strong SEO strategy. By incorporating relevant keywords throughout your website or content, you signal to search engines what your content is about and who it’s for. This improves your website’s search ranking and visibility.
- Trend identification: Keyword research can reveal current marketing trends and consumer interests. You can leverage this knowledge to stay ahead of the curve and create content that aligns with what people are searching for right now.
In short, keyword research bridges the gap between what you offer and what people are actively looking for online. It’s like having a roadmap to creating content that attracts your target audience and achieves your marketing goals. Now let’s get into it and do some research!
Step 1: brainstorm seed keywords
Start by brainstorming a list of seed keywords related to your niche. These are basic terms that describe your business, products, or services. For example, if you run a fitness blog, seed keywords could include “workout routines,” “healthy recipes,” and “weight loss tips”.
Here are some examples of seed keywords for different niches:
- Travel: “best places to visit in Europe”, “budget travel tips”, “solo female travel tips”
- E-commerce: “running shoes for men”, “wireless headphones reviews”, “best laptops for students”
- SaaS: “project management software”, “email marketing tools”, “free online courses”
7 essential tips for seed keyword brainstorming
Focus on your core offering:
- Products/Services: Jot down the main products or services you offer. What are the key benefits they provide?
- Target Audience: Who are you trying to reach? What problems do they face? What language do they use to describe their needs?
Brainstorm variations and synonyms:
- List synonyms for your main keywords.
- Consider different phrasings and word combinations related to your topic.
- Include industry jargon and slang terms your target audience might use.
Think about user intent:
- What are people searching for when they use these keywords? Are they looking for information, trying to buy something, or something else entirely?
Utilise online tools:
- Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs): Look at the “People Also Ask” section and “related searches” at the bottom of search results for additional ideas.
- Keyword research tools: Many free and paid tools exist to help you generate keyword ideas. Explore options like Google Keyword Planner or AnswerThePublic.
Analyse your competitors:
- Use SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to see what keywords your competitors rank for.
- Look at their website content and paid advertising campaigns to identify relevant terms.
Consider the buying journey:
- What are the different stages of your target audience’s buying journey? Brainstorm keywords relevant to each stage (e.g., “best [product type]” for research, “buy [product]” for purchase).
Don’t forget long-tail keywords:
- While seed keywords are broad, long-tail keywords are more specific phrases with lower search volume but higher conversion rates.
- Use seed keywords as a starting point and add modifiers to create long-tail variations.
Bonus Tip: Keep a running list of keyword ideas as you come across them throughout the day. Inspiration can strike anywhere.
Step 2: use keyword research tools
Utilise keyword research tools to expand your list of keywords and gather data on their search volume, competition, and relevance. Here are some popular tools you can use:
Free tools
Google Keyword Planner: a reliable tool that provides data on search volumes and competition. It’s best used with a Google Ads account.
- Benefits: free, reliable data directly from Google.
- Drawbacks: requires a Google Ads account, limited in-depth analysis.
Check out Google Keyword Planner
Ubersuggest: offers keyword suggestions, search volume data, and competition analysis.
- Benefits: user-friendly, provides additional insights like content ideas.
- Drawbacks: limited daily searches for free users.
AnswerThePublic: visualises search queries and questions people are asking around your keywords.
- Benefits: great for content ideas, free version available.
- Drawbacks: limited daily searches, data can be broad.
Paid tools
SEMrush: a comprehensive tool for keyword research, SEO audits, and competitive analysis.
- Benefits: extensive data, competitive analysis, useful for advanced SEO.
- Drawbacks: expensive for beginners.
Ahrefs: known for its robust backlink analysis and keyword research capabilities. Also my current ride-or-die!
- Benefits: accurate data, excellent for competitive analysis and link building.
- Drawbacks: costly, steep learning curve.
Moz Keyword Explorer: provides keyword suggestions, search volume, and difficulty scores.
- Benefits: easy to use, reliable metrics.
- Drawbacks: limited data compared to SEMrush and Ahrefs, subscription required.
Check out Moz Keyword Explorer
Step 3: analyse and select keywords
After gathering a list of potential keywords, analyse them based on the following criteria:
- Search volume: how often the keyword is searched for.
- Competition: how difficult it is to rank for the keyword.
- Relevance: how relevant the keyword is to your content or business.
When selecting keywords, align your choices with your specific goals. Here are different strategies to consider:
- High search volume and low to medium competition: ideal for driving traffic. These keywords can bring a significant number of visitors to your site. However, they are often broader terms and might not convert as well as more specific keywords.
- Long-tail keywords: these are longer and more specific phrases, such as “best workout routines for beginners at home”. While they tend to have lower search volumes, they often come with less competition and higher relevance. This makes them particularly valuable for attracting targeted traffic that is more likely to convert.
- Lower-volume, higher-relevance keywords: These keywords might not bring a massive amount of traffic, but they can be highly effective for conversion. For example, a keyword like “buy organic vegan protein powder in Bournemouth” is highly specific, localised (see our article on local SEO), and indicates strong purchasing intent.
Step 4: incorporate keywords into your content
Once you’ve chosen your target keywords, it’s time to weave them into your content in a natural and reader-friendly way. Here are some key placements to consider:
- Titles and headings:
- Primary keyword: Include your primary keyword or a close variation in your title tag (the headline users see in search results) and your main H1 heading (the main heading on your page). This signals to search engines and readers the central theme of your content.
- Secondary keywords: Distribute relevant secondary keywords throughout your H2, H3, and subheadings. This improves readability, breaks up content, and helps search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of your information.
- Body text:
- Natural integration: Aim to integrate your keywords organically throughout your writing. Focus on creating valuable and informative content, not just stuffing keywords in unnaturally.
- Keyword density: There’s no magic keyword density percentage. Strive for a balance where your keywords appear enough to be relevant but not so frequently that it disrupts the flow and readability.
- Semantic keywords: Use synonyms and related terms throughout your content. This shows search engines you’ve comprehensively covered a topic and helps with ranking for broader search queries.
- Meta descriptions and tags:
- Meta descriptions: Craft compelling meta descriptions (the snippets displayed under your title tag in search results) that include your target keyword and entice users to click.
- Alt text: Optimize image alt text with relevant keywords describing the image content. This improves accessibility for visually impaired users and search engine image ranking.
- URLs: While not as crucial as the above, consider incorporating your target keyword into your URLs when possible. It can improve readability and offer a small SEO benefit.
Pro tip: When integrating keywords, think about user intent. What information are users seeking when they search for these keywords? Tailor your content to answer their questions and provide value.
Using AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini for keyword research
ChatGPT
ChatGPT can assist in brainstorming keyword ideas and generating content around specific keywords. Here’s how to use it:
- Brainstorming: ask ChatGPT to suggest keywords related to your topic.
- Content creation: request content drafts that incorporate your chosen keywords.
Benefits: quick brainstorming, helps with content creation.
Drawbacks: not a dedicated keyword research tool, lacks search volume and competition data.
Google Gemini
Google Gemini can provide advanced insights and trends related to keyword searches. Here’s how to use it:
- Keyword trends: analyse trending keywords and search queries.
- Audience insights: understand audience behaviour and preferences.
Benefits: Advanced insights, and integration with other Google tools.
Drawbacks: May require technical expertise, still developing in functionality.
Conclusion
Keyword research is essential for optimising your digital content and improving your search engine rankings. By following this step-by-step guide and utilising free and paid tools, you can identify the right keywords for your niche. Additionally, leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini can provide further insights and streamline your keyword research process. Happy researching!
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