The Definitive Guide to Keyword Research (Updated)

Finding the right keywords to use in your content is important if you want to boost your rankings or keep them high. However, you can’t approach the use of keywords the same way as before. For keywords to work for you, you must be able to make use of certain tools and know how to get the keywords that work in certain niche topics. You also need to learn how to use resources such as Wikipedia to find out the best keywords for your content.

Using Google Keyword Planner

Google’s keyword planner is a free tool but it’s quite powerful when used correctly. This tool is designed for those who intend to advertise using Adwords so there may be tools that won’t be useful for you. There are three main tools that you should focus on when using this tool:

· Get search volume data and trends

· Multiply keyword lists to get new keywords

· Search for new keywords using a phrase, website or category

You can use this tool to find the right keywords depending on your target geographical location etc. and to also get other keyword ideas.

Finding Long tail keywords

Long tail keywords are important when you want your page to rank high on more relevant searches. A good place to find long tail keywords is at the bottom of the search page where ‘searches related to’ your keyword are displayed. You can also find out what people are talking about in popular forums and boards and the words they use. Alternatively, you can use tools such as Soovle.com, UberSuggest and Answer the public.

Finding keywords that buyers are using

Not focussing on commercial intent is a common mistake people make when doing SEO. While search volume may be important, focusing on people who search with the intention of buying is even better. Research has shown that buyers will search keywords together with specific words when they are about to make a purchase. These words include buy, discount, coupon, shipping and deal. There are also other words that can convert but not as well as the first ones mentioned such as review, top 10, best, specific brand name/product, cheap, comparison etc.

Analyse completion for the Keyword

When the first result page for a particular keyword is dominated by big name brands, you’ll be better off trying some other keyword. You can use tools such as Mozbar or Linkio to quickly analyse how much competition there is for a certain keyword. Mozbar can also show you the site level authority of the search results for a particular keyword.

Keyword Research tools

Using the right tools when researching your keywords can make the process go a lot faster. There are tools you can use to find keywords such as SECockpit and Moz keyword explorer.

The right content for Keywords

The best keywords in the world mean nothing if the content is shallow. Use your keywords in the title tags and remember that long content is favoured more by Google compared to short 400 word articles.