Effective Keyword Research for SEO Made Simple

The foundation of every SEO campaign is keywords. (The clue is in the name.) These terms relate to the search queries users enter into Google. Pick the wrong target keywords, and regardless of your content’s quality, you won’t get ranked.

Mastering the art of keyword research doesn’t have to be a challenge. It’s not rocket science. In fact, armed with some rock-solid tips and proven practices you can skyrocket your content up the rankings.

Here’s keyword research made simple.

What is Keyword Research?

The keyword research process is about finding the words or phrases that target customers looking for products, services, or information related to your brand in search engines like Google. Related keywords are a fundamental aspect of any search engine optimisation (SEO) or content marketing strategy.

Think about the types of keywords you last searched on Google. It might have been a product term like “running shoes,” a service query like “plumber in London,” or even a question such as “What is keyword research?”

Whatever the query, you were looking for something specific. Google’s task is to match your search query with the right results. Keyword research is the process of reverse engineering this, creating content to match the search query.

Why is Keyword Research Important?

Underestimate keyword research at your peril. Here’s a terrifying fact: over 90% of pages on the internet receive no traffic from Google. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

Why do they underperform? Well, one of the primary reasons sites struggle is they fail to integrate keywords throughout the content, nor do they track which keywords they’re ranking for. That’s a mistake!

As Google continually explains, two factors determine your ranking: (1) content quality and (2) content relevance. Google wants to find the best quality content that matches the search query. The underlying algorithm that achieves this is fiendishly complicated; however, the goal remains the same.

“The most basic signal that information is relevant is when content contains the same keywords as your search query.”

Google, How results are automatically generated

This fundamental truth has been the case ever since Google began. The only difference is that you can no longer cram your content with keywords to get ranked. You’ve got to be a lot smarter.

Take Gadget GoGo, for example. We found this quick and easy site for selling unwanted gadgets wasn’t receiving the traffic it deserved. After a thorough site audit, we integrated high-performing related keywords into new and old content. The result? A 7,000+ increase in visitors from organic traffic per month. They went from 0 to over 500 phrases on page 1 of Google, thanks to our tried and tested SEO methods.

Search Intent is the Secret to Better Clicks

How often do you scroll beyond the first page of Google? Almost never, right? It’s an algorithmic miracle. Google is an expert in matching the search query with the right content. It does this by analysing the “search intent” behind the keyword.

Search intent is precisely what it sounds. It’s the ultimate goal of your query: whether it be transactional, informational, or navigational. For example, someone searching “buy running shoes” has a transactional intent and is ready to make a purchase, while “best-running shoes for beginners” indicates informational intent, seeking advice or reviews.

Matching the search intent with your content improves your website’s relevance, increases click-through rates, and cuts down your bounce rate. The outcome is a higher search engine ranking and a boost to conversions.

Remember: effective SEO isn’t just about ranking for keywords but converting browsers into buyers. Identifying the search intent behind a particular keyword stops you from tracking the wrong terms.

When to do Keyword Research for SEO

Keyword research is almost always the first step in any content creation. Whether you’re planning a content calendar or building a website, identifying the right keywords helps inform your SEO strategy.

That being said, it’s an ongoing process. What’s ranking well one year can rapidly sink your website the next. Updating your keyword research ensures you stay ahead of trends, algorithm changes, and competitors. Indeed, it’s not unusual for business owners to wake up and discover their website traffic has dropped like a stone due to tweaks to the algorithm.

Keyword research made simple means being proactive. The longer you leave it, the harder it becomes to change. One of the key benefits of ongoing effective keyword research includes improved search engine rankings, greater organic traffic, and a deeper understanding of your audience’s evolving habits.

Understanding Paid and Free Keyword Research Tools

Finding the right keywords begins by identifying potential “seed” keywords. These are the base terms from which you’ll create longer, more specific keywords. For example, if your seed keyword is coffee, you could build longer keywords like “coffee types,” “how to brew coffee,” or “coffee beans vs ground coffee.”

Keyword research is impossible without using a specific tool. Use keyword research tools to analyse search engine traffic, helping users discover what terms people are searching for online, the volume of searches for those terms, and how competitive those terms are.

Perhaps the biggest choice is whether to pay for a keyword research tool or not. While most small businesses can get by with free keyword research tools, any serious digital marketer or larger business should select a paid option. The perks include advanced metrics (e.g., keyword difficulty scores), competitor analysis, comprehensive data (including search volume, competition, and trends), and greater support.

Popular keyword research tools include:

• Google Keyword Planner. A free tool from Google Ads that provides keyword ideas and traffic estimates to help plan PPC campaigns.
• SEMrush Keyword Generator. A comprehensive tool offering keyword suggestions, search volume, and competitive analysis to enhance SEO strategies.
• Ahrefs Keyword Generator. An SEO tool that delivers keyword ideas, search volume data, and difficulty scores to optimise content for search engines.

For best results, use your seed keyword to identify longer-tail keywords. As a general rule, the shorter the keyword, the more competitive it is – it’s also likely to have less search intent. Choose a balance of short-tail, high-volume keywords and long-tail, high-search intent keywords.

What is the Best Keyword Research Strategy?

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to identifying keywords. Any solid SEO strategy will rely on different techniques for different parts of a campaign – you’re going to target different keywords for a PPC campaign compared to an SEO blog article.

That being said, a good starting strategy goes as follows:

1. Brainstorm Seed Keywords. Write out every seed keyword you can think of relating to your business, products, and services. If in doubt, Google the terms to identify other relevant seed keywords and phrases.
2. Analyse Your Current Standing. Use a keyword research tool to identify which terms you’re currently ranking. You can also take a sneak peek at the keywords your competitors are using to see if there are any similar terms you can target.
3. Use a Keyword Research Tool. Research variations of keywords, looking for long-tail keywords, easy-to-rank-for options, and even popular questions. Ask yourself which keywords you are missing out on.
4. Evaluate, Organise, and Prioritise. Once you’ve got a comprehensive keywords list, assess metrics like search volume and keyword difficulty to determine which keywords you’re going to incorporate into your content or target with future articles.
5. Rinse and Repeat. Keyword research is an ongoing process. You’ll want to revisit your research every few months to identify any changes or opportunities. See which keywords you’re ranking for and which are diminishing in importance.

5 Common Keyword Research Pitfalls (And How to Avoid Them)

New to keyword research? First-timers (and even some experienced pros) tend to make the same old mistakes. Avoid these potholes and pitfalls:

1. Ignoring Search Intent: It’s crucial to ensure your keywords align with the user’s search intent. This means understanding whether they’re looking to buy, learn, or find something specific. Getting this right drives relevant traffic to your site.
2. Overlooking Long-Tail Keywords: Don’t overlook long-tail keywords. These less competitive, precise keywords may have lower search volumes. Still, they can significantly boost your conversions by targeting more precise queries.
3. Not Considering Keyword Difficulty: Always consider keyword difficulty. Striking a balance between search volume and competition is key to targeting realistic and attainable keywords, ensuring your efforts pay off.
4. Relying Solely on High Search Volume: High search volume is tempting, but focusing solely on these keywords can be a mistake. Prioritise relevant keywords that match user intent to achieve better conversions.
5. Neglecting Regular Updates and Trends: Keep your keyword strategy fresh and compelling by regularly updating it based on current trends and performance metrics. This helps you stay ahead of the competition and meet evolving user needs.

Final Thoughts

That’s keyword research made simple!

Remember – keyword research isn’t a one-and-done. You’ll need to turn your preliminary keyword analysis into a comprehensive content strategy detailing where you’ll integrate keywords – be it landing pages, blog content, or PPC campaigns.

Keep tracking your keyword rankings to ensure you’re seeing improvement. Add new keywords to your list, either integrating them into existing content or creating new pieces. We recommend conducting keyword research every few months at a minimum.

Feeling a little overwhelmed? It’d be strange if you didn’t. Thankfully, there’s an expert team of crack keyword researchers ready to help. It’s us! CRDone is highly experienced in identifying high-performing keywords, creating personalised content strategies, and putting them into action.

Book your free consultation to learn more about our services, or check out our other resources for further guidance.