By now you would have heard of the term keyword research used quite often, but you have probably wondered what keyword research is and why do I need it? Well, you’re in the right place to learn how this SEO tactic can help boost your online visibility and make sure your content is perfect for your own audience.
What is Keyword Research?
Keywords are the terms in your content that match with terms people input into search engines like Google. So, keyword research for SEO is all about finding the right words to use in your content so that people can find it online. Some terms you should consider are search volume, keyword difficulty, and intent. I will explain these terms and how they are used further on.
Where do I Start?
Before you dive into writing your latest blog post or creating a new website page, you need to understand what your audience is looking for. To start with the keyword search basics, you should create a list of 5 or more keywords that you want to include in your content and begin writing around them.
There are many online tools that you can use, including SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Answer the Public, to name a few. Why not sign-up for a free trial with SEMrush to have a look around. These tools are a great place to start, but of course, there are limitations in the number of searches with their free plans. Alternatively, you could hire the help of an SEO agency to do the hard work for you and give you a list of keywords most suited for your audience. Hiring an expert will give you the best chance in getting your content seen online. Check out my keyword research service here.
Keyword Research Terms
Whether you are researching your keywords yourself using keyword research tools or you have hired an SEO expert, there are several terms you should familiarise yourself with to help you find the best-suited keywords for your content.
Search Volume
Keyword search volume is the number of times the keyword has been looked up on Google per month. Ideally, you want to find keywords with a high search volume as this shows popularity for this topic and are more likely to be found online. On some platforms, you will also come across a keyword trend which shows the volume over time, which you can also use to understand the popularity of keywords.
Keyword Difficulty
Another great keyword research metric you should pay close attention to is keyword difficulty, which gives you a percentage score of how difficult the specific keyword would be to rank against the competition. Ideally, you want to look for keywords with a lower percentage.
If you are starting out with your keyword strategy, then a good place to start is to look for keywords with low competition and a keyword difficulty score of less than 40%. Later, as your keyword strategy progresses, you can begin to investigate keywords with a little more competition with a score of around 40% – 70%.
Intent
To truly understand what your audience wants, you should use intent as a key metric. Intent shows what kind of information your audience is looking for and the reason for their search. This could be:
- Informational: The user is looking for knowledge, answers, or guidance
- Navigational: The user is trying to find a specific website or brand
- Transactional: The user is considering a purchase or comparing options
By combining these keyword research metrics, you should now have a list of keywords to create content that resonates with your audience and will have a high chance of being seen online.
Hopefully, now you have a better understanding of keyword research, and you are ready to begin writing great content for your website. I’m here to provide you with a list of keywords that you can use to write your next few blogs, update your website pages, or even create new ones. Get in touch to see how I can help you get your content seen online. Check out my keyword research services to get you off to the best start.
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