What is Keyword Research?
Keyword Research is the process of finding and analyzing the search terms people type into search engines so you can use that data to inform content, SEO strategy and digital marketing campaigns. Effective keyword research helps businesses understand the language and phrases their target audience uses and, therefore, optimize their content to meet user intent and improve search engine rankings.
The keyword research process involves:
- Seed Keywords: These are the core keywords directly related to your business, products or services. They are the starting point for broader keyword research.
- Expanding Keyword Lists: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs or Moz to find related keywords, long-tail keywords (more specific phrases) and variations people search for.
- Analyzing Keyword Metrics: Search volume, keyword difficulty, competition and cost-per-click (CPC) are analyzed to determine which keywords are worth targeting. Keywords with high search volume and low competition are usually the most valuable.
- Grouping Keywords by Intent: Keywords can be grouped by user intent: informational (seeking information), navigational (seeking a specific website), transactional (ready to buy), and commercial (comparing products or services).
Why is Keyword Research Important?
Keyword research is a crucial part of any digital marketing strategy for several reasons:
- SEO Optimization: Keyword research is the foundation of SEO. By knowing what keywords your audience is searching for, you can optimize your content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). According to BrightEdge, organic search drives 53.3% of all website traffic on average, so ranking well for relevant keywords is important.
- Content Strategy Alignment: Keyword research ensures your content strategy is aligned with your target audience’s needs and interests. By targeting the right keywords, you can create content that resonates with your audience and answers their questions or pain points.
- Competitive Advantage: Knowing what keywords your competitors are targeting gives you valuable insights into their strategy and allows you to identify opportunities to outperform them. Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs allow you to analyze competitor keywords so you can refine your own strategy.
- Better User Experience: Keyword research isn’t just about SEO; it’s also about improving user experience. By optimizing your content for the keywords users are searching for, you ensure your content is relevant and valuable and that your users are engaged and satisfied.
- Cost-Effective Marketing: Keyword research helps you identify the most cost-effective keywords to target in paid search campaigns. By targeting high-value keywords with lower competition, you can maximize your return on investment (ROI) in paid search campaigns.
- Tracking Trends: Keyword research also helps you stay on top of industry trends and changes in consumer behavior. By monitoring keyword trends over time you can adjust your content strategy to capitalize on emerging opportunities or changes in search behavior.
Working with a Content Consultancy on Keyword Research
A content consultant can do the keyword research for you and implement the results into your content strategy. Agencies have access to advanced tools and expertise to analyze keyword data, so your content is optimized for the most relevant and valuable keywords.
By working with a content consultant, you can improve your SEO, create content that resonates with your audience and outperform the competition in the search rankings.