Keyword research. What is it anyway? Why is it so important? And how does someone even start looking for keywords?
These and other questions will be answered today. Keep reading to learn more about how keywords and the research behind them can bring more traffic to your website and help your brand grow.
Back to the Basics: Keywords
Moz defines keywords as “ideas and topics that define what your content is about. In terms of SEO [search engine optimization], they’re the words and phrases that searchers enter into search engines, also called ‘search queries.'” If you were to take everything on a page, whether it’s a blog, product page, landing page, or any other page on your website, and sum up the information into a few simple words or phrases, those would be the keywords.
For example, let’s say I am creating content for a company that sells shoes, and they want me to create a landing page that highlights their line of black boots for women. I’d probably use the phrase “women’s black boots” as my primary keyword. Then I’ll make sure to use this keyword multiple times in the content so that when someone searches for women’s black boots using Google or another search engine, my landing page will show up on the search engine results page (SERP).
So, Keyword Research is Important, But Why?
In the wise words of our SEO Department Head, Kailee Lish, “Keyword research is essential to an SEO strategy because it takes industry lingo and makes terms more searchable for the average person.” A big part of optimizing your website is to make it relevant to your customer, so it’s essential to use keywords that people are actually looking for.
Don’t forget that potential customers aren’t the only ones that use keywords to find you; the search engine does, too. Google and other search engines will scan your content to ensure that it’s relevant and reputable. So you’ll want to make sure that the keywords you pick out are search engine friendly and that your content makes sense in the keyword context. If your content doesn’t have the right keywords or the correct information, your page is less likely to show up in the search results.
All of this might be a lot of information to take in all at once. But if there’s anything we want you to take away from this article, it’s this: always do your research.
A Quick Guide to Keyword Research
Okay, so the example I gave you about boots was pretty elementary. And nine times out of ten, picking out a primary keyword like that won’t be that easy. But have no fear, I’m going to break down how to do your search of keywords in these three easy steps:
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Put together a list of important topics pertaining to your business.
Think about overarching issues and topics that would have plenty of subtopics to write about. Each of these topics must have the potential for content to be written about them, so start with broad terms. We suggest picking out 5-10 topics your business wants to focus on.
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Create subtopics based on the overarching subjects.
You might instinctively think that because you want to focus on the topics you picked out, those would be keywords. But don’t discount the impact that more specific search terms can have on your website traffic. Dive deep into each subject and pick out relevant keywords that you can dedicate a page of your website to.
Here’s a quick example: a lawn care business has picked out the topic, “lawn care tips.” Here are some keywords or subtopics they could create content for:
- Winter lawn care
- Preparing your lawn for spring
- When to water your grass
These are only a few of the many topics that could be covered under the overarching topic of “lawn care tips.”
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Use a Keyword search tool to find keywords based on your subtopics.
You can use a free tool like SEMrush, where you can enter in a keyword/topic, and the tool will give you related keywords that people are searching. You’ll also be given some data about which of the keywords are most searched so that you can tailor your content to these popular search terms.
Let REVITY Marketing Agency Take Away the SEO Stress
At REVITY, we know how hard it is to run a business while keeping up with your marketing efforts. That’s why we do the marketing for you. Our SEO team will do everything from keyword research to website optimization. Are you looking for more than SEO? We’ve got you covered. With specialists in content, social media, paid advertising, and more, we’re a full-service marketing agency that’s dedicated to helping you grow your business. Whether you’re a local business or overseas, we want to see your business succeed. That’s why we offer our services all over the world. Request a free proposal or contact us today to learn more about REVITY.
