If you’re having a problem getting your head around keywords – what they are, how to use them and how to improve your site’s ranking for them, this post is designed to help.
In this post, we’ll be walking you through the process of choosing the best and most profitable keywords for SEO. Hello, my name is Zach, SEO marketing expert, and I bring order-or rather, chaos-to the world of Digital Marketing. Let’s get into it.
What Are SEO Keywords?
Keywords, or search queries, are what your audience types into the box of search engines. They are significant in SEO and among the most crucial elements to consider.
You might have been conned by a rumor that keywords no longer matter; I need to assure you, they do.
The following article will lead you through our way of finding profitable keywords that actually drive real business value and, later on, boost rankings for your website, starting from buyer intent to customer journeys, competitor analyses, to how to map target keywords to the best pages.
A keyword may be generic or specific. For example, “diamond rings” is generic-it could be a person looking to purchase a ring, seeking images, or to actually make a ring themselves.
On the other hand, “platinum diamond engagement rings” are more specific with a clearer intention behind. The more detailed the keyword, the more likely the searcher is a qualified commercial buyer, which can make these keywords more profitable despite their lower search volume.
Keywords are important, and they count today no less than when it all began.
How Google handles keywords has changed: While, in the early days of SEO, you needed to use exact keyword matches redundantly to rank for them, today Google understands intent and variations.
All that said, using the right keywords remains relevant. Even without thinking about SEO, if a customer searches for “platinum diamond engagement rings,” you need to use that phrase to connect with them. This has more to do with keywords per se but with speaking your customer’s language.
For instance, we had a client that did corporate massages, but they had optimized for the term “on-site massage,” which was a keyword for the industry, but which people didn’t understand.
Once they optimized for words such as “corporate massage” or “office massage,” it made all the difference in resonating with audiences.
Takeaway here is to choose the right set of keywords according to the way your customers think and talk.
Useful: Get a hold of these free keyword research tools to help with your SEO workflow.
Keyword Myths
Now, let’s dispel some myths about keywords. Firstly, there is no such thing as a keyword list. Keyword research is an ongoing process, and you will be continually refining your target keywords based on the data that’s coming in from sources such as Google Search Console.
Secondly, yes, the tools will help you narrow the lists down, but it’s your common sense that is your best asset in determining which ones to target. If something doesn’t feel right, then trust your brain instead of the data.
Lastly, you don’t have to target all those keywords just to rank for them. Google ranks pages for topics, relevancy of content these days, though at times you might not be targeting a particular keyword.
Keyword Intent
There are different keyword match types: broad, exact, informational, and commercial. Broad terms, such as “Range Rover”, are very general and typically have really high search volumes but can denote several different intents.
More detailed terms, such as “Range Rover SVR fuel consumption” or “Range Rover Sport Dynamic Black Tan Leather Nottingham”, reflect more precise searches, often with clearer commercial intent.
Understanding where a keyword fits on this spectrum will help you target the right keywords for your business.
Keyword Research Process
The process of keyword research involves ideas, tool usage to expand on those ideas, adding metrics such as search volume and competition, and lastly prioritizing the keywords.
Begin with competitor analysis-what keywords your competitors target, what is most visible in ad sets in Google, for these often mark commercial intent.
Consider your own products and services, and the different stages of your customer’s journey. One searching “best luxury SUVs” is in awareness, while one searching “Range Rover SVR for sale” is much closer down the purchase funnel.
Mapping keywords to the different stages of the buyer’s journey-awareness, interest, desire, and action-ensures you get the searchers at every level of the funnel.
As you brainstorm and categorize more keywords, consider what the names are that customers refer to your products or services with at every different stage in their journey.
Broader terms work for people just beginning research, while specific commercial keywords are better for people ready to buy. This will then help you prioritize the keywords as you start implementing them into your SEO strategy.
Keyword Research Strategy
Focus on Audience
In building your SEO strategy, you should focus on the searches of your audience, not on how your industry describes your products or services. If that sounds like a big paradigm shift for you, that’s because it is.
This process involves heavy lifting. One piece to direct your attention to is differentiators and USPs.
For example, same-day or next-day delivery, or free delivery if you give these-so they should feature in your keyword approach. Somebody searching for such terms as “platinum diamond engagement rings next day delivery” will more than likely have an intention to buy.
This might be a softer way of ranking, when compared to the more generic terms. Therefore, look at how your differentiators can be weaved into your keywords and create a comprehensive list.
You can also use tools like SEMrush to see what your site is already ranking for and find opportunities to improve.
Take Inspiration From Customers
Another effective source of keywords is to take inspiration from your customers. If you’re a local business, include your location in your keyword targets, or mention areas you serve.
The best way to find golden keywords is to simply ask your customers directly: “What would you search for if you were searching for us?” Often the first answer might not be the most fitting, so keep pushing them. What you really want is to find those simple, basic Google searches.
You can also try eavesdropping on inbound sales calls to get the exact language used by customers when inquiring about your service. For example, someone would say, “Can you come to my office for a massage?”-when they’re trying to find “on-site massage,” which is a far superior keyword.
When you have a few ideas about keywords to target, you will want to expand your list using tools like SEMrush.
Use SEMrush Phrase Match
SEMrush provides phrase match keywords, related keywords, and insight into what your competitors are ranking for. For example, if you target “disability equipment,” SEMrush would suggest variations such as “disability equipment for the home” or “secondhand disability equipment.”
It will go further in expanding your list while keeping it relevant to your business. You are also able to analyze what keywords competitors are targeting both in their ads and in organic search results for more ideas to add to your list.
At this stage, your listing of keywords will likely be overwhelming, but thankfully tools like SEMrush allow you to export the search volume and CPC data, saving hours in time and making sure you have a complete set to work from.
The next step is going to be keyword prioritization based on search volume and CPC.
Focus on Commercial Keywords
There are instances where high search volume sounds very appealing, but these terms tend to be generic and less commercially focused. More targeted keywords have higher CPCs, but generally speaking, this means greater commercial intent, so just make sure those words are very relevant to your business.
Short-term keywords are more specific, commercially focused, and can be ranked within a few months.
Medium-term keywords might have more volume with higher CPCs, more challenging competition but still look promising over the next six to eighteen months.
Long-tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are usually broader and more competitive; these you want to rank in more than 12 months. These can be general terms like “engagement rings” or “Range Rover.”
You will not get quick results by targeting them directly, but you can get them to rank eventually by focusing on more the specific long-tail keywords and creating support content like guides or knowledge bases around these.
Finally, after you have built your keyword list, categorized them, and analyzed their search volumes and CPCs, now it’s time to prioritize.
The short-term keywords should be targeted for immediate improvement in ranking, while medium and long-term keywords are part of your overall SEO strategy. This enables you to rank bit by bit even for the most competitive terms.
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