Market research remains a cornerstone for marketers, guiding them in optimising SEO strategies and effectively promoting products or services. In the digital realm, this practice is known as ‘keyword research,’ a method that employs data to attract the target audience to a website.
Keywords, in essence, encapsulate the essence of web pages in a few words. Given the multitude of ways to express the same concept, marketers turn to keyword research to make informed decisions based on client and competitive data. In this updated guide, we’ll delve into the evolving landscape of keyword research, offering a more in-depth and accessible approach.
Brainstorming
When generating a list of words and phrases, consider the language your target audience would use to find your products or services. Think about modifiers like ‘How to,’ ‘Where can I,’ and location-specific terms such as ‘Brisbane’ or ‘Australia.’ Put yourself in the shoes of an everyday buyer to understand their search behavior thoroughly.
Using a Research Tool
Employ keyword research tools for valuable insights into demand, relevance, and attainability. Google AdWords Keyword Planner is a good starting point. Paid tools like WordTracker offer more sophisticated insights into competitive analysis and additional data from Bing and Yahoo! search engines. Leverage tools to understand the popularity of your chosen keywords and gather relevant data.
In the Google Keyword Planner, utilise the ‘search for keyword and ad group ideas’ option for distinct match search results and keyword suggestions, offering information on the popularity of your keyword phrases as you’ve inputted them.
Refining Your Keywords List
Utilise tools like Google Keyword Planner to categorise your results into Ad group ideas and Keyword ideas. Refine your list based on insights into the language your target audience uses to search for your offerings. This step is crucial for creating and refining your keywords list, as well as helping you with your product and content roadmaps.
Verifying Keyword Relevance
Focus on keywords that precisely describe your products, services, or landing page content. Eliminate loosely relevant keywords to maintain clarity and authenticity. Avoid misleading practices, as Google and consumers value relevance.
Verifying Keyword Demand
Assess the demand for a keyword by reviewing average monthly searches in tools like Google Keyword Planner. High search volume indicates the popularity and current language used by your audience. Using keyword phrases in high demand will optimise your website because Google will find your content considerably accurate. It’s typically best to use a blend of long-tail keywords (very specific, low demand) and general keywords (high demand) to ensure you connect with each of your target market’s preferences.
Competitive Analysis
Analyze what your competitors are doing by searching for keywords in your refined list. Identify similar products, services, or strong brands in the results. Analyze the style of language the top results are using and strive to locate weak points in their web pages so you can improve yours. You don’t have to be the top search result to prosper; you merely need to be competitive.
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