Keyword Research: What it Is & Tips for 2024

Learn how to attract more qualified visitors to your website, boost your search engine rankings, and increase your online exposure.
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Are you wondering how to get more visitors to your website?

We’re here to teach you how to attract more qualified visitors to your website (those who are really interested in what you have to offer), boost your search engine rankings, and increase your online exposure.

Table of Contents

What is Keyword Research?

Let’s begin with the first step: understanding what keyword research is.

 

Essentially, it is all about determining what keywords and phrases people use in search engines (such as Google) while seeking for material connected to your organisation. Once you’ve identified these keywords, use them into your website’s content to improve its visibility in search results.

For example, if someone searches for “best running shoes” on Google, a sports store may show at the top. This is because they optimised their website for that term, attracting individuals looking to buy running shoes.

Why is Keyword Research Important

Keyword research involves finding topics that are relevant to the interests of potential consumers, answering their questions, and eventually helping their conversion into customers.

 

This method allows you to

  1. Gain insight into your target audience’s internet preferences.
  2. Create material that is both relevant and beneficial to your target audience.
  3. Optimise your website for search engines to improve your chances of ranking high and receiving organic traffic.

Elements of Keyword Research

When doing keyword research, you should examine these key elements:

  • Relevance: Google prioritises content based on its relevance to user queries.
  • Authority: Google places greater trust in sources that it considers authoritative. To develop authority, create high-quality, informative content and aggressively promote it to get social signals and backlinks. Without perceived authority, your chances of ranking are greatly reduced, unless your material stands out tremendously.
  • Volume:While ranking for a keyword is important it is also essential that the keyword has a suitable search traffic. Ranking on the top page will not result in traffic unless the term is commonly searched. Monthly Search Volume (MSV) quantifies how frequently a term is searched across all audiences, revealing information about its potential influence on your site’s traffic.Targeting keywords like “organic vegan skincare products” may result in high ranks, but if the search volume is too low, it will not deliver substantial traffic to your site in comparison to larger phrases like “best skincare products,” which have bigger search volumes.

4. Overlooking the Importance of Visuals

Firstly, there are head keywords. These are typically short and general, like “laptops” or “travel.” However, they’re not always the best to target because their intent isn’t always clear. For instance, if someone searches for “laptops,” are they looking to buy one, compare prices, or just learn about different types? This lack of specificity can lead to lower traffic and disappointing conversion rates. Moreover, head keywords often face stiff competition, making it challenging to rank for them without significant resources.

Then we have body keywords, which offer a bit more detail. An example could be “best budget laptops” or “travel tips for Europe.” While these keywords provide clearer intent than head keywords, they still pose challenges due to their competitiveness. Most body keywords consist of two to three words and are highly contested in search rankings.

Lastly, there are long-tail keywords, which are more specific phrases. An example might be “best budget laptops for college students” or “budget-friendly travel tips for solo backpackers.” These keywords offer clear intent and are less competitive. While they may have lower search volumes compared to broader terms, they often lead to better conversion rates. For instance, targeting “budget-friendly travel tips for solo backpackers” might attract fewer searches, but it’s more likely to resonate with a specific audience looking for relevant information.

In summary, while head keywords may seem attractive, they often lack clarity and face tough competition. Instead, focusing on body and long-tail keywords can lead to more targeted traffic and higher conversion rates.

How to discover keyword opportunities

Here are 3 effective methods for discovering keyword opportunities with SEMrush:

– Existing Keyword Profile

Start by examining the keywords your website already ranks for. Navigate to your domain in the search tool, go to organic research, and click on positions to access all the keywords your website ranks for within the top 100. Sort these keywords into three categories:

  • Keywords ranking from positions 1 to 15. These are your immediate opportunities. Filter by position and keyword difficulty to find low-competition keywords.
  • Keywords ranking within positions 1 to 50. These are topics where your content could provide comprehensive guides or lists.
  • Keywords ranking from positions 51 to 100. If a page isn’t ranking in the top 50, it’s a chance to create dedicated content and improve your site’s overall visibility.

– SEMrush’s Keyword Magic Tool

Head to the keyword research section in SEMrush and click on the Keyword Magic Tool. Leverage filters to refine your search and find better opportunities. Start with low keyword difficulty and use language and exclude filters to refine your results. Explore relevant subtopics within your niche for additional ideas.

Google’s “People Also Ask” Feature

Google’s “People Also Ask” feature is a goldmine for finding related search phrases. While these phrases may not appear in traditional keyword research tools, they represent real searches occurring on Google. Select relevant variations and prioritize them based on relevance and search intent.

4 expert tips

Find High-Traffic Competitor Pages

This method involves finding competitor pages that get high search traffic can help you identify keyword opportunities that are relevant to your target audience.

Imagine you manage a yoga studio and wish to research keyword prospects linked to yoga activities. Begin by looking for competitive keywords such as “yoga exercises” on Google. Analyse the top-ranked pages to find rivals in the yoga category. Then, use tools like Ahref Site Explorer to analyse rivals’ search activity and find pages that generate a large level of organic traffic. For example, if a competitor’s website on “10 Essential Yoga Poses” routinely ranks well and receives a lot of search traffic, it suggests a keyword potential worth looking into.

Leverage Google Trends and Related Keywords

Google Trends is an effective tool for spotting hot topics and relevant keywords in your field. Analysing search patterns and related questions might help you discover new keyword opportunities and capitalise on rising trends.

Identify Low-Competition Forum Keywords

Discussion forums are an excellent source of user-generated content and recommended keywords. Examining highly frequented forum conversations and questions in your business may help you uncover low-competition keyword prospects and subjects that your target audience would find interesting.

Consider that you are searching for low-competition keywords associated with golf equipment for your website. Find reputable golf forums and go through the posts on clubs, balls, and accessories. Seek out active engagement from users and high levels of interest in the discussions on the forum.

Explore Unique Keyword Patterns and Footprints

Analysing common terms or phrases in your industry may help you locate niche-specific keywords and untapped organic traffic opportunities.

Imagine you work in a digital marketing company and want to explore unique keyword trends related to SEO services. Look for niche-specific words like “local SEO” or “SEO audit” in industry forums and discussions. Examine the language and terminology used by industry experts and practitioners. For example, if you find a lot of references to “SEO audit checklist” or “local SEO optimisation tips,” it indicates that the SEO community is using comparable terms. By leveraging these distinct keyword patterns, you may discover untapped keyword opportunities and create bespoke content to address specific SEO challenges and difficulties.

New to SEO?

Whether you’re new to SEO or looking to refine your skills, our SEO Guide for Beginners is the perfect starting point!

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