Is your online presence struggling? Wondering why your website doesn’t show up in the first few pages of search results? Improper keyword research may be partly to blame. If your website isn’t ranking very high, you need to be paying more attention to keyword research. No matter what your business goals are, the keywords you use are like a map that helps your target audience find your website. Want to learn more? We explain why keyword research is so important (and how to do it) in this detailed guide.
Three Reasons Why You Need to Focus on Keyword Research
It Helps You Increase Visibility and Traffic
One of the main purposes behind an SEO strategy is driving more traffic to a website. Keyword research and search-optimized content help your site rank higher in search results. The closer you are to the top, the more visible your website is to potential customers, and the more traffic you will get. The more targeted your keywords are, the easier it will be for potential customers to find your business and make a purchase.
Your Visitors Get a Better Experience
Your website needs to be user-friendly, and performing keyword research can help potential customers find exactly what they’re looking for. When key information is easily available and your products are easy to find, it helps you increase engagement, decrease your bounce rate, and make more conversions.
You Gain a Competitive Advantage
Keyword research can also keep you one step ahead of your competition. You can use it to identify gaps in the market where you can target new customers. When you can hit that first page of search results for a niche term, your business will stand out from the competition.
Keyword Research Basics
Although it’s often overlooked, keyword research is an essential part of creating an SEO strategy. It all comes down to search intent—basically, keyword research is the process of determining which terms or phrases your ideal audience is searching for online. By figuring out these “key words” and incorporating them into your web content, ads, social media, etc., more people searching for those terms will find you.
While you are working on keyword research, there are two main types of keywords you should pay attention to: short-tail and long-tail.
- Short-tail keywords: Short, broad, general terms. For example, if you own a clothing store, a short-tail keyword would be “t-shirt.”
- Long-tail keywords: Longer, specific phrases. For example, a long-tail keyword for your clothing store could be “black v-neck t-shirt for women.”
How to Perform Keyword Research: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Determine Search Intent
User intent should be your primary focus. You want keywords your potential customers will be searching for. To do this, simply start typing in a search engine, and suggestions will pop up, which can be your new keywords.
Step 2: Start a List
Next, you will consider which terms you want to rank for online. Write a list of short-tail keywords to use during your research. For example, if you have a pet store specializing in dog toys, you would include “dog toys” in as many search terms as possible: “best dog toys for puppies,” “treat toys for dogs,” “dog toys for strong chewers,” etc.
Step 3: Find Long-Tail Keywords
When people search for specific phrases, you want your keywords to match their query as closely as possible. For example, a long-tail version of the keyword “dog toys” might be “best toys for large dogs.” It answers a more specific question, and helps customers quickly find what they are looking for. These keywords will also be more likely to result in conversions.
Step 4: Check the Monthly Search Volume
Here you will use specialized tools, such as Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs, to figure out how often the topics you have selected are searched for. This step allows you to see how well potential keywords would perform, and you can find related keywords that may rank better in searches.
Step 5: Create Your Final List
Once you have gone through these steps, you can narrow down your list of potential keywords to a short list of 15-20 keywords you plan to use. Be careful to select a mixture of low-volume and high-volume keywords. This will help you strike a balance between specific search terms and more general ones, giving your content more authority.
New Wine Digital for Your SEO and Keyword Research Needs
Keyword research will help you determine the best search terms to use for your SEO strategy. But even the best keyword research guide can only take you so far. If you want to see lasting results, a little professional help can take your marketing strategy to the next level.
New Wine Digital has the expertise you need to rank higher in search results and build a strong business reputation online. If you want to improve your digital marketing strategy so you can see your business grow, contact us to learn more about our services.
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