Doing keyword research to create content can make a tangible difference to your Google rankings. Anyone who works with content marketing knows that keyword research is crucial to ranking well in search engine results and improving engagement with followers. However, this can be very stressful, particularly when you look at the number of Google search results for the keywords you want to rank for.
So what is the keyword research process, and how can you get it right? This is a challenge that many content marketers and creators face. This guide aims to explain the keyword research process and help you start and improve your content marketing for all stages of the sales funnel to your potential customers.
Why Do Keyword Research?
Mainly because keywords help people find your content on the internet. When users have a specific question they want you to answer, they go to a search engine where they enter a series of words. Google then searches its databases to find content that matches those word combinations and how well they answer the questions people have asked to deliver that content to the user.
The better the content is related to the search query, the higher it will rank. Content that best answers a question asked in a search will appear at the top of the first page of Google results (below the ads, of course). This part of the strategy is essential to any digital marketing plan these days because brands will want to decide which keywords or combinations they want to appear in search engine results leading the user to their page directly.
A relevant piece of content with good SEO will have a better chance of taking a higher position in search results. Consequently, it will generate more leads, increase sales and improve ROI. Without keywords, the content will be too far down or on other Google pages. No one will see it, even if its quality is high.
Relate Your Keywords to Your Business
What does your business sell or produce? Take a look at the products or services you offer in your shop and which ones you need to sell through content marketing strategies. Make a list of those items and which terms you think are most relevant, and build your strategy around them. You can make your keyword combinations straightforward, like “buy an Italian cookbook,” or play around with more difficult ones like “is paperhelp.org legit” to foresee your clients’ next question: is the reputation of your business good enough to trust it?
Search Google for Some Keywords
We have determined the importance of keyword research and why you should do this process. With that discussed and understood, it’s time to go straight to Google.
Although numerous online tools will give you keyword rankings and associated rankings, Google is really the best place to find the answers you’re looking for. After all, it is the most popular search engine today and the one we all want to be listed first. Whether you’re undecided about the type of content you will create or already know your strategy, you can still search Google for keywords to implement.
For example, let’s say you have a language learning school and want to start a blog about languages to attract more customers and write about how to learn a foreign language. To find out what has already been written on the topic, you can start with “learn Chinese/Hindi/any other language” as an example and see what results come up. But it is a very popular search, so you might want to make it more precise.
Let’s try something more specific like “how to learn Chinese for beginners.” In this case, the terms and results become more specific as your search further. Instead of writing an article about learning a language, you can write something more specific.
Remember that Long-Tail Keywords Have Less Competition
The term “how to learn Chinese in 3 months” is a long-tail keyword, while just “learn Chinese” is more of a middle-tail.
Long-tail keywords are easier to place among the first results of Google. This is because they are less likely to be used by competitors. Therefore, it is beneficial to aim to use them as long as they align with your business niche.
One tip here is not to only use keywords for your product specifically, as that will only show you your competition in searches. Instead, find and research how people use or will use your product or service and choose your keywords accordingly.
Research What Keywords Your Competitors Are Using
As we have noticed, Google will show you the best results for the terms you place. Some of those results will most likely be from your competitors, so why not study them more carefully?
Look at the first three search results that appear for the terms you have entered. Avoid review sites as they will not be relevant in this case. Look at the article’s subheadings once you have chosen the competing piece of content. These are the ones that appear with the H1, H2, H3 tags, and so on within a piece of text.
The necessary Google search keywords can almost always be found in the title, the first subheading, and within the text, if it has good SEO. Make a list of what you see in your competitors’ content. Knowing what keywords they use will help you structure your content better.
Create Your Own Content
Once you have chosen your long-tail keyword, you can incorporate it into your text. An important thing to keep in mind in content marketing is that your material should, first and foremost, answer the question that the person has asked on Google and that you think you can answer.
Your goal is to appear on Google and get more visitors to your site, but if your content is solely focused on SEO, with no consideration for what the reader needs, you will have high bounce rates that will impact your ranking negatively.
Additionally, keywords are not the only reason your content will appear higher on Google. Numerous other factors can help you, such as link building, incorporating visual elements such as a pie chart, Venn diagram, infographic, video or other, and bounce rates. Using relevant keywords that appeal to your audience will bring you results over time. You can also find out if keyword research brings positive results with analytics tools.
To Sum Up
Keywords affect your Google ranking, and that’s where you should go first to find the best keywords for you and your content.
Using long-tail keywords instead of head-tail keywords with a lot of competition is crucial. Also, search for your keywords among the biggest competitors to decide if those will work for you as well.
Finally, create your content with your potential customers in mind, not just with SEO, to improve the likelihood of your content being read.
With these steps completed in your keyword research, you are now well-positioned to start creating content that will help drive you toward the top of Google’s rankings.
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