How to Plan Keyword Research and What Tools to Use
Keyword research is one of the crucial stages of SEO. The well-chosen keywords will not just attract traffic to your site but attract targeted traffic. A benefit from the competently composed semantic core is hard to overestimate. You will be able to predict surges in demand, quickly response to the changes in market conditions, as well as offer goods, services and content your customers need. Throughout the history of marketing, there was no other such effective way of studying the target audience than the work with keywords.
The search for proper keywords never stops
I can say that the fate of your website depends on the right keywords that you have to choose. The research of popular requests is necessary not only for semantic core collecting but also to study your target audience.
If you have a clear definition of the service or product your website offers, you already know some of the most useful keywords and keywords related to them, they should already work to improve your website’s visibility. Always remember that the market and your product will evolve and your strategy should keep up. To stay on top of your game you must pay attention to what keywords your competitors use and how the industry changes.
How would a regular user search for your website?
Your SEO must be focused on keywords that match the vocabulary of your visitors. You really have to get inside people’s heads to find the correct keywords. What terms will people use? If your website answers any questions, which ones? Creating a list of the search terms that people could use is very helpful. Make sure to include all possible combinations and variations to that list.
Tools that make keyword research easier
A few years ago, making such list would’ve been a hard task. Especially since Google Analytics removed the function that allowed you to see which terms people used to find your website. Luckily, keyword research was made easier with tools available today like:
Google Adwords Keyword Planner
It’s a great tool to find new keywords and keywords related to those you’re interested in. Google AdWords Keyword Planner also provides search volume data, but it’s only useful for keywords that you’re paying to advertise for. Even though it doesn’t help in finding the keywords that your potential audience uses more often, Google Adwords Keyword Planner is a great tool for finding keyword ideas.
Google Trends
Comparing the traffic for certain keywords is a great way to find the keywords you should focus on. Google Trends is the best tool to make the comparison. It even provides information about the difference for various regions and time periods. Using Google Trends is a must if some of the keywords you use are seasonal, it will allow you to track how popular certain keywords at given time and plan your strategy accordingly.
Serpstat
This keyword research tool allows you to have a look at what your competitors are up to and see what keywords related to your website are used the most. Serpstat stores all the search requests processed by Google and provides analytics based on those requests. What’s great about this tool is the number of search suggestions it offers, and the super-useful features like Search Questions in the Content Marketing section, displaying only queries in the form of questions. Use it to analyze how your audience thinks and how they use the search engine. Serpstat is a very helpful tool if you want to find new keywords and see if you’re missing something that you competitors have.
Your own website
Does your website have a search engine? Consider adding one if your website has more than one page. You’ll see what people are looking for on your site and know what they want. Your actual audience will show you what keywords to add to your semantics. Also, make sure to check the keywords that people used but didn’t get any results. It will show you what people were expecting from your website but couldn’t find. Then work with that.
And now, briefly
Keyword research tools like the ones listed above should make creating a list of relevant keywords an easy task. Once you’ve got it, plan your SEO around it, keep researching the market and be one step ahead of your competitors. Focus on keywords that will be the most beneficial for your business and try targeting a smaller audience when you start. Your own experience will show you the best examples. There are tons of tools you can try, some of them will be more helpful than others, it’s up to you to decide which ones you’d like to keep.
