It’s no question that Google can significantly impact the overall success of any small business, so entrepreneurs often spend hours revising their SEO strategies in an effort to land their website on that coveted first page of results. However, Google’s algorithm changes about 500-600 times a year; how is a startup supposed to keep up with these constant updates?
In short, choosing the right keywords is the key to improving your website’s ranking on Google. You can make sure that your website stays relevant throughout any algorithmic changes by using these proven keyword research tips for finding and selecting the perfect keywords for your business.
QUICK AND EASY RESEARCH STRATEGIES
First and foremost, jot down a list of products, services, and common terms associated with your company. Once you have a general outline of keywords, use the following strategies to find similar content and learn what search terms your potential customers commonly use:
Let autofill inspire you. Both Google and YouTube have an auto-suggest feature that will automatically load the most popular terms and phrases people search for as you type. Just make sure you do this in an Incognito tab so your suggestions won’t be based on your own personal search history.
Check out Quora. This awesome Q&A site can be a goldmine for finding keywords! Spend some time checking out questions people have about your area of expertise to pick out some specific keywords (and get some new ideas for blog posts, too).
Research related search queries. Scroll to the bottom of the Google results page and click on one of the suggested links. This neat feature acts like a modern-day thesaurus by showing you similar phrases and keywords that potential customers may use!
Do some light stalking via social media. Visit your competitor’s social media page to see how they engage with their followers, what hashtags they frequently use, and which posts appear to be gaining the most attention. On a slightly different note, Twitter and Facebook both have “Trending” sections where you can see what popular terms people are talking about. If it happens to be a topic related to your company, you can boost your online visibility by joining in on these discussions and adding the trending hashtags to your posts.
Go down the Wikipedia rabbit hole. Wikipedia contains a plethora of potential keywords, ranging from broad terms to incredibly niche topics. Simply go to a Wikipedia page for a broad topic and get new ideas by scrolling through the contents section or by clicking on the “See also” links that are usually interspersed throughout most articles.
Utilize keyword research tools. Google Keywords Planner and Answer The Public are free online resources that will give you valuable insights about your target audience. Simply enter any keyword to get instant feedback about queries regarding that topic.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT KEYWORDS
Now that you have a lengthy list of possible keywords, it’s time to narrow it down to the phrases that are most likely to attract customers and boost SEO. Vague keywords will cause your website to get lost among countless other sites, but overly specific phrases will rarely be searched for at all. So, how do you strike that “just right” Goldilocks balance?
Check volume and competition. There are several online resources, such as SEMrush, where you can type in any keyword to see how often that word appears in searches, how the results have changed over time, and similar search queries related to your topic. For example, if your keyword is being used in hundreds of thousands of searches per day, you would likely benefit from choosing a more niche phrase.
Use a mix of broad and long-tail keywords. Try typing “coffee” into Google, and then take a look at the wide variety of suggestions that appear. If you have a specific question or need, typing that one broad keyword likely won’t give you the results you’re looking for. Now, if you search “where to buy fair-trade coffee,” the results will be catered to that specific topic area. To find potential customers, think about what they might be searching for when they need a product or service that you offer.
Don’t get discouraged if your website still isn’t gaining the attention it deserves after you first employ these keyword research tips. Remember that when you’re building a brand new website, it takes time to build your domain authority and for search engines to recognize that your site is reputable. As long as you continue to create original content and high-quality products, your business will soon earn a top spot on the first page of search results!
Want help implementing these keyword research tips? Book a demo with one of our product specialists to learn more about keyword research and how Content Cucumber can help your business’s SEO.
