The Basics of Successful SEO Keyword Research and Selection

Content marketing is arguably one of the essential aspects of every SEO and PPC campaigns, making it a top priority for most webmasters and digital marketing agencies. The success of any content marketing strategy is measured by number of visitors you receive to your sites (traffic) meaning marketing should form a critical part of your SEO strategy. This will ensure that your site can be easily located and used by search engine search to get the information, products or services they are looking for.

Over the years search engine algorithms have evolved to provide more relevant and reliable search results based on the specific search queries. The algorithms are design to assess the quality of the content among other many factors to rank your website on the search engine result pages (SERPs) for a given search query. Despite the regular updates and changes in SEO approach, keywords research and selection have always remained the foundation of any effective SEO campaign.

Researching and Selecting the Right PCC and SEO Keywords

Selecting the right keywords can be viewed as establishing a relationship between the search queries and use of the right phrases around which your content should be built. It involves several strategies including assessment of existing keywords, industry research, competition analysis and social network analysis among others. Fortunately, there are various tools ranging from keyword rank tracker to social network checker to help you undertake thorough research and analysis to reach to the best keyword targets based on search volume, competitiveness, social network followership and the customer needs. If you want the right ROI from your marketing efforts, you must develop an effective keyword selection strategy for both your SEO and PPC content, so as to attract the right audience to your website.

3 Common Keyword Selection Mistakes to Avoid

Some marketers already understand the importance and the process of finding the right keywords, but fail on their way due to the following three errors:

• One-off Keyword Research – They only perform keyword research once. Things on the digital market can change overnight and what is relevant yesterday could be inappropriate today. Keyword research should be an ongoing practice to ensure that your strategy is in line with emerging trends, technology and consumer behaviours.
• Rigid Keyword Lists – Failure to update your keyword list with time based on new research, new opportunities and business growth.
• Targeting Highly Competitive Keywords – Selecting popular phrases that are widely used across your niche. This raises ranking competition and if you are new in the market, you will lose the game.

Essential Keyword Research and Selection Tips

• Consider The Intent Of The Searcher – The searcher intent should shape the whole keyword selection procedure from research, variations to usage. Think of what your audience could be looking forward to achieve, and how to craft your content to provide that. Analyse your target market to identify factors which influence conversion. Generate a list of search phrases that can be targeted to offer the highest value for your audience by evaluating the intent behind the search and address needed.

• Research Your Competitors – Select at least 5 top competitors in your industry and study their SEO campaigns keenly. Identify the keywords they are ranking for as well as the common targeted keywords that you aren’t using. From the competitor analysis, make a list of keyword ideas.

• Target Long-Tail Keywords – These refer to a combination of more than two terms to make a single keyword phrase. Though long-tail keywords have low search volume, they only attract relevant traffic and they are less competitive. They also help you to specify your niche or products eliminating any form of ambiguity. With the rise of voice search, long-tail phrases will also increase your chances of ranking higher on SERPs.

• Use Keyword Variations – From the collected keyword ideas, build a strong keyword portfolio using variations. You can use different keywords to say the same thing. This will not only help you to optimize your content for your niche, but also target the relevant audience. Keyword variation tactics include use of call-to-action phrases, adding your location and expanding your context. For example, ‘buy an executive four bedroom home in Milford’ can be a good keyword target for a real estate marketer in Milford.

• Use Modern SEO Tools And Software – There are many SEO tools that can be used to get keywords suggestions, analyse your competitor, identify new opportunities and monitor your keyword rankings. Such tools include: Google Analytics, Moz, SEMRush, SerpBook rank Tracker, Keyword Planner and many others.

Another important tip is to make the process a routine. Use the reports and analysis generated by the different tools to improve your keyword strategy and always stay on the look to identify new trends in the market to adjust your campaign accordingly.