Choosing keywords for search engine optimization (SEO) or to inform organic search content creation starts with understanding what your audience is looking for when they use a search engine like Google.
But considering that 15% of the searches done in Google every day are brand-new, never-before-searched terms and phrases, SEO keyword research has to go beyond pinpointing the exactly-right phrasing.
The keywords you choose need to empower you to create readable content that demonstrates your authority to the algorithms powering the search engines.
Search engines today are smart enough to ignore content where keywords are being overused just for the sake of trying to rank and instead prioritize content that actually has proven value to readers.
So in this context…just how do you choose the right keywords? Let’s talk about the practical how-to of choosing keywords, as well as the high-level keyword research tips that can turn this headache into a daydream.
Doing keyword research is a process of data analysis and cross-referencing, especially if you are trying to use only free keyword research tools. You can use many sources of information to do your keyword research, including:
Looking up a term that is central to your operations gives you insight into what related terms and questions people are searching for. There is usually a list of associated searches at the bottom of the page for you to click if none of the results meet your needs.
You can take a look at your competitors to understand what phrases and keywords they are using to describe themselves. This can be evident everywhere from the headlines on their homepage to the titles and headlines of their blogs and other marketing content.
Align sales with your marketing efforts by asking what questions and needs they are constantly addressing. This will reveal gaps in your content library where prospective customers are challenged to self-educate about your brand.
You can also use free or paid keyword research tools to get an analytical perspective on which keywords are recommended by an algorithm. At DemandJump, we integrate search data and competitive analysis with our keyword planner so you get all the insights in one place.
Simply generating a list of keywords feels like one giant leap for marketing-kind. But how do you take the next step and choose the keywords that will actually be effective?
There are a few types of keywords that are important to include on the list in terms of both length and why the buyer is searching for them at key points of their journey.
These different lengths of keywords allow you to create evergreen content that will always be relevant while simultaneously speaking to the needs and concerns of consumers today.
Using keywords from all of these buyer stages will allow you to capture traffic from buyers throughout their journey to a purchase.
With all these different lengths and perspectives of keywords to consider at each stage of the buyer’s journey, wouldn’t it be great if there was a platform where you could get all the insights in one place? Where all the keywords and search terms that are most used at each stage of the buyer’s journey are ranked by relevance?
Okay… you caught us. DemandJump already does those things.
Entering one short-tail keyword phrase will generate a report where all the associated phrases are not only collected and sorted according to the stages of the buyer’s journey but also ranked by our algorithm to help you understand which ones are trending today.
You’ll also see if you are currently ranking for any keywords, as well as whether the competitors you identify are performing better or worse.
The result? A one-stop solution to source your keywords and start creating content that will move the needle and get you ranking higher in search.
Get started today and see just how easy it can be!