Keyword research is the cornerstone of successful SEO; the strategic process helps you unlock insights into your target audience’s search habits. By identifying relevant terms and phrases that searchers use, you glean valuable insights into their needs and questions and discover opportunities to align your content with these queries.
At its core, effective keyword research serves as a compass for your content strategy, guiding every piece of content you produce to ensure it resonates with your audience and performs well in search engine results.
Let’s embark on a journey to master the art of keyword research, an in-depth process that, when executed correctly, can significantly boost your online visibility and drive targeted traffic to your website.
Use, you glean valuable insights into their needs and questions and discover opportunities to align your content with these queries.
Let’s Talk about Some Statistics
In this section, we will explore the Impact of Keyword Research by the Numbers;
The top five organic search results garner 69.1% of all clicks, highlighting the prime real estate they occupy in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
A significant 88.2% of all search queries in the United States are comprised of three words or fewer, pointing to the importance of brevity and precision in search behavior.
Keywords that amass more than 10,000 searches per month and contain three or more words constitute over 29% of the total, illustrating the value of long-tail keywords in driving substantial search volume.
Approximately 8% of search queries are framed as questions, indicating a notable portion of users seek specific answers and solutions through search engines.
Understanding these statistics showcases why is keyword research important and the undeniable importance of targeted keyword research in a high-performing SEO strategy.
Keyword research helps in building organic search traffic for the low hanging keywords with zero or low competition makes you ahead of the game to the others.
By aligning your content with meticulous keyword research, you not only enhance your online presence but also drive engagement and conversion, solidifying your place in the competitive digital landscape.
Keyword Research Elements to Consider
When approaching keyword research, professionals must focus on three pivotal elements to ensure their content’s success and visibility: relevance, authority, and volume.
Search Intent
Firstly, Search Intent cannot be overstated. Your content must meticulously align with the user’s search intent to rank effectively.
This means comprehensively addressing the searcher’s queries and going beyond to offer the finest resource available. Why should Google rank your content highly if it doesn’t fulfill user needs or surpass existing content in value?
Delving deeper, we recognize four primary categories of search intent that are crucial for refining your keyword strategy: Navigational, Informational, Commercial, and Transactional.
20 Types of Keywords in SEO (With Examples)
Navigational queries are made with a direct destination in mind. Users already have a webpage they wish to visit; they simply type key terms such as “Pedigree Foundation” to find their way there. Ensuring your site is optimized for navigational queries can capture traffic from users seeking your brand or specific pages within your site.
With Informational searches, such as “can dogs eat spicy food,” users seek knowledge. They might not be ready to purchase but are gathering information. Crafting content that serves this curiosity can position your site as an authority, building trust with your audience.
Commercial investigation is a step closer to a purchase. Queries like “best dry dog food” suggest that a user is comparing options with a purchase in mind. By targeting these users with comparison guides, reviews, and expert opinions, you position your brand as a helpful advisor in their decision-making process.
Lastly, Transactional searches indicate readiness to buy. A term like “Pedigree puppy food” is likely from someone prepared to make a transaction. Here, your keyword strategy should ensure your product pages are optimized to meet this demand, with clear calls to action and streamlined purchase processes.
Keyword Difficulty
Secondly, Keyword Difficulty is a crucial factor to consider as it indicates the competitiveness of particular keywords and their likelihood of ranking high in search results.
It’s essential to strike a balance between targeting highly competitive keywords that have significant search volume and less competitive long-tail keywords that still hold value.
Site’s Authority
Third;y, your Authority plays a crucial factor. Google prioritizes content from sources it considers trustworthy and credible. It’s imperative to cultivate your site’s authority through informative content and actively engage in content promotion to garner more social media, signals and backlinks.
Without authority, competing against established names like Forbes or The Mayo Clinic becomes a daunting task, especially if the specific keywords that you target are dominated by these entities.
Monthly Search Volume
Lastly, Volume—the metric of monthly search volume (MSV)—must align with your strategy. Ranking for a keyword with zero search volume is akin to setting up a business where there’s no foot traffic. The number of monthly searches indicates whether a particular keyword alone is worth your effort and if it will drive the desired traffic to your site.
It must not be a high search volume but you can find keywords with decent amount of organic search traffic with low keyword difficulty will skyrocket your SEO Strategy for your new site.
You can prioritize keywords that are long tail keyword and Decent search volume that requires minimum effort as compare to high search volume keywords.
Remember, integrating these elements into your keyword research strategy is not merely an option—it’s necessary to stand out in today’s saturated digital marketplace.
As you refine your SEO approach with these insights, you position your content not just to exist, but thrive and lead in the competitive arena of search rankings.
20+ Best keyword research tools (Mostly are Free!)
How to do Keyword Research for SEO
Step 1: Shortlist Seed Keywords about your Niche/Business
Seed keywords are the essence of your brand, distilled into simple, foundational terms that epitomize your products or services. To harvest these pivotal words, begin by listing terms that accurately reflect the heart of your business.
Engage in a brainstorming session to identify the terms your ideal customers might input into a search engine when looking for your offerings.
Imagine you own a digital marketing agency. Your seed keywords might include ‘digital marketing,’ ‘online branding,’ or ‘SEO services.’ These are the embryonic stages of your keyword list—broad terms that will later be refined and expanded upon to target various aspects of your niche.
Next, analyze your competitors. Which keywords are they targeting?
Tools like SEMRush or Ahrefs offer a lens into the keywords your competitors rank for, granting you insight into the battlefield of SERPs. Use this intelligence to adapt and elevate your keyword strategy.
Semrush Review 2024 – Only SEO Tool You Need!
Moreover, don’t overlook your own website analytics. Delve into your site’s performance data to understand which keywords already draw traffic. These insights are goldmines—indicating possible keywords that resonate with your audience.
Identifying your seed keywords is like setting the foundation for a building; careful consideration at this stage paves the way for a robust SEO strategy that withstands the tides of search engine algorithms and sets you apart in the digital marketplace.
In this example, I will use SEMrush, and our demo business is about “Dogs” First, I will list basic topics about dogs which will cover the following;
Dog Breeds
Dog Health
Dog Training
Dog Toys
Dog Clothes
You can add as many as you like because Brain is your first keyword research tool.
Tip: Think from a user’s perspective and brainstorm the terms they might input into search engines when looking for dog information.
Now create a new Spreed sheet or Google sheet named “Keyword Research” and add these relevant search terms as your main topic category in column A;
Step 2: Use Seed Keywords to Find Related keywords (Subtopics)
Subtopics are the branches that sprout from your seed keywords. They expand and enrich the scope of your content, enabling you to cater to a diverse audience.
Using our example, we can further divide our main categories into sub-topics by considering different aspects of each category.
For dog breeds, potential subtopics could include popular breeds in different countries, hypoallergenic breeds, or breeds suited for specific lifestyles.
In the dog health category, you could explore subtopics such as common health conditions in different breeds or natural remedies for common ailments.
For dog training, possible subtopics can include obedience training, housebreaking tips, and advanced tricks that owners can teach their dogs.
For this I will be using SEMRUSH, but you can use any Keyword research tools which are available online to find keyword ideas.
Thinking in terms of subtopics helps you create a comprehensive list of keywords.
Just type your seed keyword (Dog Breed in my case) in SemRUSH’s Keyword Magic Tool;
Now, since my site is new, I will lower the SEO Difficulty for keywords from O to 29, which makes it easier for our site to compete and rank at the same time, select the KD% filter;
Next, I will select the search intent to Informational; it might not be the case with you if you’re looking for commercial search terms or transactional terms, you can use your desired search intent as below;
Next, I will analyse keywords and start adding subtopics to my spreadsheet; for example, when google search for dog breeds, I see so many keywords that I want to know about specific dog breeds. Therefore, I will add a subtopic as “Pug Dog”, or if it’s about types of dog breeds like in the below example it says, lazy dog breed;
therefore I will add “Types of breed” in the subtopic in column B;
Also add search volume and keyword difficulty data in their respective column as you can see above.
You should repeat this keyword research process further to start adding subtopics to our main keyword or seed keywords
Step 3: Adding Informational Keywords (Long Tail Keywords) with less SEO Difficulty
After we have shortlisted sub-topics, the best way to cover topics related to your niche is to cover search queries relevant to your business, answer them on a page or post and bring more leads to your business.
Since our site is new, we need to focus only on keywords with less SEO Difficulty which means it should be easier to rank in search engines; now, you can use any keyword research tools available, but I prefer “Semrush” because of the amount of the keyword data, as well as filters they have at our disposal.
Now, I will select the “Questions” filter from the filter table;
I will start adding all unique keyword phrases or Long tail keyword with less keyword difficulty, which we have selected in step 2 above to the relevant subtopic in column F of our worksheet;
For example, there’s a keyword “Do pug dogs eyes fall out?” we can add this to the subtopic of “Pug Dog” and “Do pug dogs eyes fall out” on our worksheet.
Now, for such a scenario, I prefer to search for Pug Dog in a keyword research tool to get more keyword ideas related to our subtopic, i.e. do pug dogs shed, and start adding to my worksheet;
You can also add more columns to search terms or keyword phrase i.e. Monthly search traffic volume, Keyword difficulty and user intent.
Also, if to add more rows to specific keyword or subtopic, you can right click on last row and click on “Insert 1 row above”;
You must conduct keyword research this way for the rest of the target keywords.
Step 3.1: Average monthly search volume of your Keywords (Optional)
Now you must be wondering why this matters anyways? Well, knowing the average monthly search volume of your keywords can help you prioritize keywords which ones to target first. Generally, higher search volume means more potential traffic for your website.
However, it’s important to also consider keyword difficulty and user intent when choosing which keywords to focus on.
You can use AVERAGE Formula to Keyword difficulty as well as search traffic volume.
To find the average monthly search volume of your keywords, you can use tools like Google Keyword Planner or SurferSEO’s Keyword Research feature. Simply input your list of keywords and these tools will give you an estimate of the average monthly searches for each one.
Step 4: Adding Competitor’s Ranking Keywords on Search Engines
Now, We have done all the keyword research for our website, but there’s a possibility that your competitors are already ranking on search engines for many of these keywords.
We need to analyze their top-ranking keywords and add them to our worksheet to compete with them and outrank them in search results.
Step 4.1: Shortlist Competitors first
First, we need to list our competitors to audit their rankings on search engines. To do this, you can type your main keyword (dog breeds) on SemRUSH’s Keyword Overview;
Here you will find a list of competitors, their estimated traffic, and the total keywords they rank for in search engines.
Select the top 3-5 competitors by clicking the Competitors tab to get more insights about their ranking keywords and add to your spreadsheet column of “Competitors”;
Step 4.2: Target and Add Competitor’s Keywords
Next, Go to Semrush’s Organic research tool from the left sidebar and enter your competitor’s domain;
Do not forget to select your target audience location, i.e., the US.
Now, you will see the overview of your competitors’ ranking. In order to beat them for new sites, you must select the keyword difficulty, which is set to 0 to 29 (easy), where you can compete with them easily and outrank them quickly.
Therefore, to do this, all you need to do is click on “View All Keywords”;
Now select Keyword difficulty ratio, analyse its keyword, and start adding one by one to your subtopics on your worksheet;
Once you have added all the relevant keywords which you missed, with at least ten search volumes or even low volume keywords, you will be able to see the following result, where you can switch to “Keyword Difficulty” mode and analyse the ranking difficulty of your target keywords.
This process will help you gain an understanding of what keywords your competitors are ranking for and where you need to focus your efforts to outrank them.
Step 5: Create Topical Map of Your Seed Keyword Automatically (With Semrush)
A topical map, in the realm of SEO and content strategy, is a comprehensive diagram that outlines the hierarchy and relationship between various topics and their corresponding subtopics.
This visual representation serves as a cornerstone for building a structured content strategy that caters to a website’s relevance and authority on specific subjects within its niche.
By meticulously grouping related topics, a topical map ensures that content creators can identify content gaps, avoid overlap, and strategically enhance their site’s coverage on all fronts.
To create a topical map using Semrush’s Keyword Overview tool, start by entering your carefully chosen seed keyword into the search bar.
With precise input, Semrush will generate insightful analytics regarding keyword performance. But the real magic happens when you click on the “Keyword Cluster” feature and click on “View all clusters”;
It will take some time to create keyword clusters for your search query;
This innovative function unveils a network of interconnected topics, presenting them in an easily navigable cluster format. It’s not just about knowing what topics relate to your seed keyword; it’s about understanding how these topics interact, their relevance to each other, and their collective strength in ensuring your content’s impact and reach.
You will find your Keyword clusters in Keyword Manager section of your account;
As you delve into the Topical Map, you’ll find an intuitive layout where primary nodes represent your main categories, while secondary nodes indicate potential subtopics.
This feature accelerates your content planning process, guiding you to develop a robust framework that echoes the searcher’s journey through your domain of expertise.
In doing so, it strategically positions your website to become an authoritative source that both users and search engines trust.
Bear in mind that with Semrush’s comprehensive datasets at your disposal, your topical map is not just a visual aid but a strategic blueprint. Use it to weave an SEO tapestry that captures both the breadth and depth of your topic, ensuring your content resonates with your audience and ranks favorably on search engines.
A well-constructed topical map is the bedrock of content excellence and the catalyst for organic growth—ultimately driving targeted traffic to your business. This, coupled with ongoing monitoring and refinement, paves the way for enhanced visibility and domain authority, which are paramount in the digital landscape.
What are the Best Free Keyword Research Tools available?
When the goal is to streamline the optimization of your website and ensure your content strategy hits the mark, utilizing the best keyword research tools is an absolute must. These powerful resources equip you with the insights needed to target the right audience, enhance your online visibility, and outmaneuver the competition. Let’s delve into the top tools that can elevate your SEO Keyword research game:
Free Keyword Tools
Google Keyword Planner: A staple for any marketer, Keyword planner provides rich insights into search volumes and competition levels, helping to refine your keyword strategies, You can find these in Google ads account.
Google Search Console: A free tool by Google, it provides data on the keywords your website ranks for and their respective performance.
Google Trends: This tool displays search trends over time for specific keyword, allowing you to identify new keyword ideas with significant search volume data and capitalize on emerging topics.
Social Media: While not a traditional keyword research tool, leveraging social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram can provide valuable insights into trending topics and keywords relevant to your audience.
Google Analytics: It is the free Website analytics software, By tracking the traffic to your website, you can identify which keywords are driving the most organic traffic and focus on optimizing those for better search engine rankings.
Paid Keyword Tools
SEMrush: Not just for creating topical maps, but SEMrush is an all-in-one suite that offers extensive keyword analytics, competitor data, and much more.
Ahrefs: Renowned for its backlink analysis, Ahrefs also boasts a Keyword Explorer that offers valuable keyword research capabilities.
Moz Keyword Explorer: This tool offers detailed keyword suggestions and SERP analysis, aiding in the discovery of lucrative keyword opportunities.
KWFinder: Perfect for finding long-tail keywords with low SEO difficulty, KWFinder is a go-to for those seeking to identify niche-specific terms.
Ubersuggest: A user-friendly tool by Neil Patel, offering not only keyword suggestions but also insights into the strategies used by competitors.
In the realm of keyword research tools, having a variety at your disposal is not just a luxury, it’s essential.
Each tool offers its own strengths, from in-depth analytics to user-friendly interfaces, ensuring you can craft a robust Search Engine optimization strategy that aligns with your business goals and helps in Keyword Research process.
Utilize these powerful platforms to uncover the right keywords, that will drive targeted traffic to your site and establish your domain’s authority. Incorporate their findings into your content plan to propel your digital presence to new heights.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I hope you have mastered how to do keyword research for new sites using above simple steps. Mastering the art of conducting keyword research well is paramount to the success of any blog post or online content strategy. By strategically employing a variety of keyword research tools, marketers and content creators can analyze keywords thoroughly, ensuring that they hone in on the best keywords to amplify their message.
A robust keyword tool is a linchpin in the assembly of relevant keyword ideas, aligning closely with user search queries and fostering engagement. The journey through keyword research is a meticulous one, and with the adept use of these tools, you can effectively refine your tactics, solidifying your brand’s presence in a saturated digital world.
Remember, the keen insight derived from diligent keyword research is the sharp edge that slices through the noise and leads your content to stand out—a testament to the power of well-chosen words.
