How to do Keywords Research for SEO (Perth Local Business)
Keyword research is a crucial aspect of search engine optimization (SEO), pivotal in online marketing strategy. It involves finding and analyzing search terms that people enter into search engines, aiming to use that data for specific purposes such as enhancing website ranking, improving overall traffic, or boosting a local business in Perth’s online presence. With a strong keyword research approach, I can unveil queries to target, their popularity, ranking difficulty, and more.
As an SEO Specialist, I understand the importance of mastering keyword research to make informed decisions about targeting terms in content. I start by studying niche, gaining a deeper understanding of the topics, and discovering unique angles for marketing and SEO strategies that might have been previously overlooked. This approach gives me a solid foundation to build keyword research efforts.
In quest to find the best SEO keywords, particularly for a local business in Perth, I utilize various keyword research tools. These tools help me find keyword ideas, analyze their performance, target specific keywords, and prioritize them based on their potential search engine ranking impact. By implementing these strategies, I am better equipped to create compelling content that resonates with target audience, such as a local business in Perth, and ranks high on search engine results pages.
Understanding Keyword Research
Understanding keyword research is crucial, as it forms the foundation of any successful online marketing strategy. In this section, I will discuss the importance of keyword research and how it plays a vital role in modern digital marketing.
Importance of Keyword Research
Through keyword research, I can identify the popular words and phrases target audience is actively searching for in various search engines, such as Google. This is essential for several reasons:
- Content Creation: Knowing what topics interest audience allows me to create captivating and relevant content tailored to their needs. Focusing on their concerns increases engagement and attracts higher organic traffic to website.
- Competitor Analysis: Keyword research helps me understand which keywords competitors are targeting and what search terms generate substantial web traffic for them. This knowledge offers a valuable competitive advantage, allowing me to refine strategy accordingly.
- Better Search Rankings: Targeting the right keywords also leads to better search engine rankings. By optimising website for popular keywords with high search volumes, content is more likely to appear in the top search results, boosting visibility and attracting potential customers.
- Improved Conversion Rates: Proper keyword research also helps me attract visitors who are genuinely interested in products or services. By reaching the right audience with the right content, based on their search queries, I can increase the likelihood of converting visitors into customers.
In summary, keyword research is indispensable when it comes to optimising online strategy. It empowers me with valuable insights into audience’s needs and preferences, and assists me in tailoring content and digital marketing efforts to reach desired goals effectively and efficiently.
Types of Keywords for SEO
As an SEO enthusiast, I find it essential to discuss the different types of keywords we often encounter while performing keyword research. In this section, I’ll cover the following sub-categories: Seed keywords, Keywords by Search Intent, Long tail Keywords, Niche Keywords, and Branded & Unbranded Keywords.
Seed keywords
Seed keywords are the foundation of any keyword research process. They help define niche and identify the competitors in the field. For instance, if I were researching keywords for a shoe store, “shoes” would be an example of a seed keyword. From the seed keyword, a variety of keyword ideas can be generated.
Keywords by Search Intent
Understanding the search intent of target audience is crucial for optimizing content. There are four primary search intent categories:
- Navigational: When users are looking for a specific website or page.
- Informational: When users want to learn more about a particular topic.
- Transactional: When users are ready to make a purchase or sign up for a service.
- Commercial Investigation: When users are looking to make a purchase or is in the process of researching a product or service to buy.
By aligning keywords with search intent, I can create targeted content that addresses audience’s needs and goals.
Long tail Keywords
Long tail keywords are longer and more specific phrases that may have lower search volume but higher conversion rates. These keywords are valuable assets in strategy, as they allow me to target niche topics and attract users who are more likely to convert. For instance, “red running shoes for women” is an example of a long tail keyword that could drive more targeted traffic to shoe store.
Niche Keywords
Niche keywords pertain to a specific, narrow market segment. By targeting these keywords, I can develop content for a highly targeted audience, increasing chances of conversions and boosting site’s authority within that niche. For example, “vegan hiking boots” would be a niche keyword for an eco-friendly outdoor gear store.
Branded & Unbranded Keywords
Branded keywords are those that include brand’s name or any variations of it. These keywords are important for brand recognition and visibility, as users searching for them are likely already familiar with offerings. On the other hand, unbranded keywords do not mention any brand names and focus solely on the products or services. For instance, a branded keyword for shoe store might be “Nike running shoes,” while an unbranded keyword would simply be “running shoes.”
By understanding and leveraging different types of keywords for SEO, I can build a more comprehensive keyword strategy and create content that resonates with target audience.
Steps to Conduct Keywords Research
As an essential part of any SEO strategy, keyword research helps in understanding what your target audience is searching for and how you can rank higher for those terms. Here, I’ll discuss the steps to conduct keyword research efficiently, focusing on identifying your niche and analyzing competitors’ keywords.
Identifying Your Niche
First and foremost, I need to brainstorm “seed” keywords that define niche. Seed keywords are the foundation of keyword research process as they give me an overview of industry and serve as an entry point to a more extensive list of keyword ideas. I can use seed keywords to generate keyword ideas through various SEO and keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or Ahrefs. To identify these seed keywords, I must think about the main topics and categories related to website or business and consider what words or phrases people might use when searching for it.
Analysing Competitors Keywords
Once I have developed a list of seed keywords, it’s time to analyze the keywords competitors are ranking for. This step can provide invaluable insights into industry trends and give me ideas for additional keywords that I might not have considered before. To do this, I will use various SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush that allow me to enter a competitor’s domain and get information about their keywords, rankings, and traffic.
When analyzing competitors’ keywords, I’ll pay close attention to:
- Keywords with High Search Volume: These are the keywords that garner many searches per month, which means they have the potential to drive significant traffic to website.
- Keywords with Low Competition: These are the keywords with fewer websites competing for them, meaning that it may be easier for website to rank for them.
- Long-Tail Keywords: These are longer and more specific keywords with lower search volume, but they often have a higher purchase intent and lower competition.
By implementing these steps in keyword research process, I will be better equipped to optimize website for search engines and drive more organic traffic.
Keywords Research Tools
Google Keyword Planner
I find Google Keyword Planner to be a great starting point for keyword research. It’s a free tool offered by Google Ads that provides keyword ideas and data on search volume trends, competition, and cost-per-click estimates. By signing in with Google Ads account, I can access the tool and easily input seed keywords or website URL to receive relevant keyword suggestions. Since it’s directly linked to Google Ads, this tool is beneficial for anyone managing PPC campaigns or simply looking to improve organic search rankings.
Surfer SEO
Surfer SEO is another powerful keyword analysis tool that has greatly helped me. They offer an all-in-one SEO platform, but their keyword research functions are particularly noteworthy. Surfer SEO provides insightful data on search volume, keyword difficulty, and content suggestions to improve rankings. Additionally, their content planner feature helps me create optimised content based on the analysed keywords, making it much easier for me to target relevant phrases and improve search visibility.
SEMrush
SEMrush is a versatile tool for SEO Specialist that I often rely on for its comprehensive and valuable keyword research capabilities. So far, this is the best Keyword research tool that I used. It offers a Keyword Magic Tool, where I can generate a plethora of long-tail keyword ideas and analyse their metrics, including search volume, keyword difficulty, and competitive density. This helps me filter out the most profitable keywords to target. Plus, SEMrush provides insights on competitors’ organic and paid keywords as well as their performance, which enables me to strategise keyword approach more effectively.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is another indispensable tool in the arsenal for keyword research. With their Keywords Explorer feature, I can easily perform a deep dive into target keywords, analyse search volume trends, and assess keyword difficulty scores to understand the competition. Additionally, Ahrefs showcases relevant parent topics, suggesting broader topics I can focus on to cover multiple keywords. Their SERP overview feature gives me an idea of the current top-ranking pages for target keywords, offering valuable insights into competition’s strategies and the type of content that performs well in my niche.
Evaluating and Selecting Keywords
As a part of keyword research, it’s essential to evaluate and select the right keywords for your content. In this section, I will discuss the sub-topics of Keyword Relevance, Keyword Search Volume, and Keyword Competition.
Keyword Relevance
First and foremost, it’s vital to ensure that the keywords you’re considering are relevant to your content. I like to ask if the keywords accurately represent the topic and provide a clear idea of what the content is about. By choosing relevant keywords, I can ensure that content attracts the right audience and matches their search intent.
To check keyword relevance, I often:
- Brainstorm: List down words and phrases I think users may use to search for content.
- Use keyword research tools: Tools like Semrush, Ahrefs or Google Keyword Planner offer potential keywords based on initial ideas.
- Analyze the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages): Check the top-ranking pages for target keywords to see if their content aligns with mine.
Keyword Search Volume
Another crucial factor I look at is keyword search volume, which represents the number of searches for a specific keyword in a given timeframe. A higher search volume typically indicates that the keyword is popular and in demand. However, targeting only high search volume keywords might not always be ideal, as competition can be fierce. Instead, I like to strike a balance between popular and less competitive keywords.
To find the keyword search volume, I use:
- Keyword research tools: Tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Google Keyword Planner provide approximate search volumes for each keyword.
- Google Trends: This tool helps me understand the popularity of a keyword over time and compare different keywords’ search volumes.
Keyword Competition
Lastly, I evaluate the competitiveness of the keywords. Competitive keywords are harder to rank for, so I often target long-tail keywords or variations with lower competition to increase chances of ranking well in search results.
To assess keyword competition, I consider:
- Keyword difficulty metric: Most keyword research tools provide a keyword difficulty score, which indicates how challenging it is to rank for a specific keyword.
- SERP analysis: I examine the top-ranking pages for target keywords and evaluate their domain authority, backlinks, and on-page optimization. If the top-ranking pages have high authority and optimization, it might be difficult to outrank them.
By considering keyword relevance, search volume, and competition, I can make informed decisions when selecting keywords and optimizing content for SEO.
Implementing Keywords into Webpage Content
Meta Descriptions
When creating meta descriptions for webpages, I ensure they are clear, concise, and effectively summarise the content. I strategically include target keywords within these descriptions, as they play a role in improving click-through rates (CTRs) from search engines. Be sure not to overstuff keywords, as this may appear unnatural and be counterproductive.
Headings and Subheadings
As I organize the content on webpages, I make a conscious effort to incorporate keywords into headings (H1, H2) and subheadings (H3). This does not only help display the relevance of the content to search engines, but it also supports the user experience by facilitating easy navigation and making the text more digestible.
I find it useful to break down the content with proper formatting, such as using bullet points, bold text, and italicized text, to highlight important information. In addition, this makes it easier for users to skim through the article and absorb the most relevant insights.
Image Alt Texts
One aspect of content that I pay particular attention to is image alt texts. Since search engines cannot read images, they rely on alt texts to understand the context and relevancy of the image to the surrounding content. Providing descriptive and meaningful alt texts while incorporating relevant target keywords is not only beneficial for SEO, but it also improves accessibility for users with visual impairments who rely on screen readers.
My primary focus is to create valuable and informative content while smoothly incorporating target keywords into the different components of the content, ensuring a well-optimized page that provides both a great user experience and better search engine visibility.
Monitoring and Adjusting Keyword Strategy
As I continue with keyword research, it is important to monitor and adjust keyword strategy regularly. This ensures that I am staying competitive within the market and focusing on the right keywords to drive traffic and conversions.
SEO Metrics
To successfully monitor and adjust keyword strategy, I first pay attention to some important SEO metrics that provide valuable insights about website’s performance and ranking. Some of these metrics include:
- Organic traffic: The number of visitors coming to website from search engines. A significant increase or decrease in organic traffic can indicate the effectiveness of keyword strategy.
- Click-through rate (CTR): The percentage of users who click on website’s search result after seeing it on the search engine results page (SERP). A higher CTR suggests that meta titles and descriptions are appealing and relevant to users.
- Bounce rate: The percentage of users who leave website after visiting only one page. A high bounce rate can be an indication that the content on site is not meeting user expectations or that I am targeting irrelevant keywords.
- Average time on page: The amount of time users spend on website pages. Longer average times on pages can indicate that users find content engaging and valuable.
Keyword Performance
Another essential aspect of monitoring and adjusting keyword strategy is evaluating the performance of individual keywords. Here are some key considerations when analyzing keyword performance:
- Position changes: Keep track of how the ranking positions of target keywords are changing over time. This information can help me identify which keywords need improvement or require more focus.
- Keyword difficulty: Understand how challenging it is to rank for particular keywords based on factors like competition and search volume. If I find that some keywords are too difficult to rank for, it might be time to reevaluate and focus on other, more achievable keywords.
- Search volume trends: Pay attention to any changes in search volume for target keywords. This can help me spot emerging trends and adjust keyword strategy accordingly.
By regularly monitoring these SEO metrics and keyword performance indicators, I can make data-driven decisions to optimize keyword strategy, ensuring that I am targeting the right keywords to boost visibility, drive traffic, and achieve overall marketing goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which are the best free tools for keyword research?
I recommend using free tools like Google Trends, Google Keyword Planner, and Ubersuggest to begin your keyword research journey. These tools provide valuable insights into search volume, keyword competition, and potential keyword ideas.
How can I find the most relevant SEO keywords?
To find the most relevant SEO keywords, start by brainstorming seed keywords related to your niche or business. Next, use keyword research tools to generate a list of related keyword ideas. Analyse these keywords based on search volume, competitiveness, and relevance to your target audience. Also, consider focusing on long-tail keywords with lower competition and high relevance.
What is the process of keyword research in digital marketing?
The process of keyword research in digital marketing involves discovering and analysing search terms that people enter into search engines. The goal is to use this data for search engine optimisation (SEO) or general marketing purposes. It begins with brainstorming seed keywords, refining search terms with keyword research tools, analysing keyword metrics, and finally, implementing the chosen keywords throughout your content.
What are the main elements involved in keyword research?
The main elements involved in keyword research include seed keywords, search volume, keyword difficulty or competition, and keyword intent. Seed keywords define your niche and help identify competitors, while search volume indicates popularity and potential traffic. Keyword difficulty shows how hard it is to rank for a particular term, and keyword intent reveals the searcher’s purpose, such as informational, transactional, or navigational.
Can I use ChatGpt for keyword research?
Yes, you can use ChatGPT for keyword research. It can be a helpful tool for generating keyword ideas, finding long-tail keywords, and understanding search intent. However, it is important to remember that ChatGPT is not a replacement for traditional keyword research tools. You should still use other tools to get data on search volume and keyword difficulty.
Remember to track your website’s performance over time to refine your keyword strategy further.