A Guide To Keyword Research For SEO

Keyword research is a term that is often touted by Internet marketers and search engine optimisers. The theory behind it is to research the most relevant and beneficial keywords for your web pages. Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, is then the practice of tailoring your web content and other marketing activities based on these keywords. SEO can prove to be one of the least expensive methods of promoting a website, but in order to ensure you gain the greatest financial benefit you do need to ensure that your keyword research has been done effectively.

The Right Keywords

Keyword research is one of the more important facets of an effective SEO campaign.

• Choosing the right keywords means fewer competing pages for a greater number of potential visitors.
• Targeted keywords also tend to attract much higher conversion rates from the visitors that you do receive.

The Wrong Keywords

• Using the wrong keywords could mean ranking top for a keyword that is never searched.
• Ranking highly for overly competitive keywords can take a lot of time, money, and resources.
• Using inappropriate or excessively generic keywords can lead to poor conversion rates.

Striking A Balance

Finding the right balance between competitiveness and popularity may prove to be the difference between a successful SEO campaign and a failed one. In a lot of cases it can pay dividends to target keywords that receive fewer monthly searches, but are also less competitive. Keyword research is the analysis that leads you to find the most appropriate keywords for your web pages.

Be Specific – Specific Keywords

Generic, or broad term, keywords are usually poor converters. When we are looking to make a purchase and use a search engine to find relevant sites we tend to use two, three, or more word phrases. We may also look for geographically close businesses to start a relationship with. Start your keyword research with general terms, because this helps to find a good range of keywords, but bear in mind that the more specific terms are likely to generate high profits.

Be Specific – Specific Pages

Every relevant page should have its own SEO campaign, and therefore its own keywords. This may seem like a daunting task for e-commerce sites, but the deep product pages are those that will target more targeted keywords. As we discussed above, the more targeted keywords are likely to be the ones that generate the best conversion rates. Conduct keyword research for every page on your site, treating it as an individual campaign.

Be Persistent – Ongoing Research

Your website, the Internet, the market, and the industry in which you operate are constantly evolving. It stands to reason, then, that your SEO campaigns, and keyword research should also evolve. A specific keyword may be the best match for one page today, but it may change dramatically by tomorrow, or next week, or next month. Always look for ways to increase your traffic and improve your conversions.

Be Smart – Traffic Level Isn't Everything

Keyword research, and SEO in general, isn't necessarily about driving as much traffic to your site as possible. There is ineffective traffic and there is active traffic. Active website visitors are more likely to convert into paying customers and are certainly more likely to yield a greater profit. Consider the people that are likely to purchase your products, pay for your services, or click your advertising links. Try to gear the keywords you use towards those groups of people.

Keyword Research Importance

Keyword research is only one part of an SEO campaign, but it is an important one. Certain keywords will obviously prove more popular and more fruitful than others and good SEO is all about striving to continually find the best combination of traffic levels and competitiveness. Do it well and you will increase your chances of making a greater profit for your marketing spend.