Taking a strategic approach to your keyword research is fundamental to SEO success. Using the right keywords can be the difference between appearing at the top of Google, or getting pushed to the dreaded second page.
The best approach is to analyse the search terms that your customers use in their online search queries – and apply this insight to optimise your web content. However, with Google making frequent algorithm changes, it’s difficult to know which tactics to use to ensure your website is always front and centre.
Here are 5 simple tips that you can implement to boost your search visibility and increase the credibility of your digital content:
1. Cast a wide net with your initial keyword search
Consider the words and phrases that relate to your products and services. Now think about where – and for what purpose – your customers would research them online. This will form the basis of your initial keyword research. By entering them into online tools such as ahrefs.com and Google Keyword Planner, you will be able to identify the longtail keywords and similar search terms that are related to your particular offering. By casting a wide net to start with, you can really get a feel for the key terms in your niche that you may not have considered otherwise – opening up new opportunities for areas of focus.
2. Identify high-performing, easy-to-rank-for keywords
Unfortunately, the highest performing keywords tend to be the most difficult to rank for due to their competitive nature. By comparing a range of alternative keyword search volumes, trends, cost-per-click, and keyword difficulty scores – you can narrow your list down to the search terms that both perform well and aren’t too difficult to rank for. The best tools for this are kwfinder and semrush, as they both provide the metrics for overall keyword performance and ranking difficulty.
3. Explore real-life search queries
Brainstorm the questions that your prospective customers are likely to ask when researching in your product category. Ahrefs have a great resource for this, called ‘Search suggestions’. It allows you to find out exactly what consumers are putting into Google, and how many click-throughs occurred as a result:
Many high ranking terms can often start with “how”, “which”, “why”, or “what”. Incorporating questions into your headlines will deliver a higher CTR and will establish your website as an authority source.
4. Optimise your on-page content
There are several ways to integrate keywords into your page content. One simple and useful tip is including a relevant keyword in your URL – bearing in mind that shorter URLs rank better. From there, it’s important to insert and incorporate more keywords into your meta description and all headlines attributed with an H1 tag. These are key indicators for what your page is about when search engines crawl the content. Ensure your opening paragraph includes your keywords, and that all images are optimised with relevant file names and keyword-rich alt tags.
5. Build in backlinks with trusted websites
Increase confidence in your content by linking with other credible sites such as partners, publishers, news and social influencers. Backlinks from high authority or popular websites provide confirmation that your content is relevant and trustworthy, earning your site a better ranking position. Leveraging your network and building relationships with like-minded businesses is key here. It will provide an opportunity to help each other rank higher – creating a win-win situation for everyone.
While these tips provide a clear direction to get the most out of your keyword research – it’s important to recognise that keyword implementation is only one piece of the SEO pie. This is where the experts come in. For more information on how to optimise content and benefit from an advanced SEO analysis, contact one of our SEO specialists today.
