Keyword Selection is KEY

KEYword Selection is KEY  

How do I pick the right keywords? It’s a question we hear a lot. Don’t worry, we can help you pick the right ones and improve your rankings! The first step is a little research and some brainstorming. Research takes time, but it’s crucial. You may know what you want to rank for, but what you’re actually ranking for (in terms of your audience) might be different. You’ll need to think like your audience and use keyword data to determine your keywords for successful SEO.  

Think Like Your Audience  

Here are some questions to get you thinking like you audience:

• How can you help provide the best content about your business to help people with their searches?
• What types of (your product/service) are people searching for?
• Who is searching for these terms?
• When are people searching for this?
• Are there seasonal trends throughout the year?
• How are people searching?
• What words do they use?
• What questions do they ask?
• Are more searches performed on mobile devices?
• Why are people seeking your product/service?
• Where are potential customers located—locally, nationally or internationally? 

Make a List

Once you brainstorm these questions, you can start to make a list of keywords. First, add the words that you’d like to rank for. These can be products, services or topics your website addresses—these are a great place to start. Then, expand your list with any keywords that came to mind in your “think like a customer” exercise from above. This list includes your seed keywords.    Next, think of the synonyms or related keywords for your list as well. This can help you brainstorm more ideas. Take these words into account while you’re researching…you might find a hidden gem!  

Use a Keyword Tool  

Plug your list into a keyword tool to see how each word ranks. You’ll find plenty of available tools and many are free. Research to find the best tool for your needs. As you plug in words, note the search volume—this is how important the topic is to your audience. Keep in mind that the higher the search volume, the more competition there is for these keywords. Although you want to focus on words that customers are searching for, you also want to target words that aren’t so competitive.    This research helps you expand your list because you’ll likely see similar words that you may not have considered previously. As you look at this list, also note longer tail keywords. For example, a short keyword would be “flowers” while a long tail keyword would be “wedding flower bouquets lilies.” While these are longer and more specific, they might be less competitive and lead to more conversions because the searcher knows what he/she wants.   

Get Strategic with your Keywords  

In addition to looking at your own keywords, it could help to look at keywords from a few other perspectives:   

• Competitors: It could help to look at your competitors ranking keywords and go after any that they have missed. 
• Seasonal keywords: If you offer a seasonal product or service, you can plan to zero in on those target keywords for the season. Prepare content in advance to target those keywords, so you’ll be ready to go for the seasonal push. 
• Regional keywords: If possible, you can narrow your keywords regionally (by city, state, county). Geo-specific research can help make your content more relevant to your target audience. In other words, you can look at regional-specific terms and focus on those. 

Seems manageable, right? Breaking keyword research into smaller steps allows you to focus on one thing at a time, so your customers can find you. To read more about SEO Steps, check these out:  Step 1: Find the right keywords
Step 2: Use your keywords
Step 3: Track what you’re doing

We’d be happy to give you a head start by providing a free SEO analysis. And if you have any questions, we’d love to help!