If you’re an avid content writer, or if you just start optimizing your pages for your business website, you must be familiar with keywords. Keywords are one of many essential elements of SEO writing as it ultimately dictates how well the search engine finds your content. However, keywords don’t just fall from the sky. It requires proper SEO keyword research to find the right keyword for your content.
Keyword research is where most beginner content writers get stuck. So, in this article, we have covered the information on some keyword research tips to make you better at SEO.
What is keyword research in SEO?
Keyword research is the initial process of creating digital content. Essentially, it involves gathering ideas, phrases, and terms that people search on the search engine. This is important as you need to know what words or topics internet users are searching for. As a result, you can incorporate those words and topics into your content. To make it simple, keyword research is the brainstorming process of your writing.
In doing so, you can use several tools, such as Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner, or SEMrush to find the exact word to be added to your content. While it might look simple, keyword research is a crucial aspect to increase your website’s performance.
Why is keyword research important in SEO?
Gaining insight into what internet users are looking for is the true purpose of keyword research. This way, you’ll be able to know how users use the search engine to find your website’s content. That gathered insight information can help you determine what content you create and how you want to realize that content.
For example, by knowing the latest topic, you can present your website to the users who seek that specific topic. On top of that, keyword research can also reveal the missing part of your website. In other words, you can add more content that suits the users’ needs.
SEO keyword research tips
Now you know the definition and the importance of keyword research. Now, the most important step is to know how to make the keywords work for your website. If you’re a beginner in SEO writing, we have provided several keyword research tips for you to try.
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Learn your niche.
Before doing keyword research, it is a good idea to learn more about the niche or topic of your content. By doing this, you will be able to form some out-of-the-box ideas to manage your SEO and marketing strategy. To understand more about your niche, you can interact with your website’s loyal visitors. You can ask them what terms they use when searching for your content.
The next niche keyword research tip is to change your mindset by shifting into the visitor’s perspective. Joining the online community of your niche is also a good idea. You can accomplish this by getting involved in several online forums spread across various social media platforms.
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Utilize Google Search.
If you’re a beginner, forget about fancy SEO tools. Instead, you can start your keyword research using one of the simplest tools that you can get, Google Search. Despite being widely used, Google Search’s function as a keyword research tool is often overlooked. To make the most out of this search engine, go ahead and type a keyword on the search field. Immediately, Google will recommend several autocomplete suggestions.
Scrolling down your search result page, you will also find the Related searches section. In this section, you will find some specific queries that are related to your original keyword. Also, don’t forget to look at the People also ask section in which you will find users’ frequently asked questions. Finally, you can adopt all of those search results as your seed keyword on your content.
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Being too general isn’t always good.
One of the best keyword research tips is to choose a specific keyword. In SEO, there are two distinct types of keywords: the longtail and the head keyword. In terms of research volume, head keywords are shorter and general, making them more frequently searched by users. On the other hand, long tail keywords are longer and more specific. As a result, they have relatively low search volumes. However, this doesn’t always mean a bad thing.
Head keywords are often targeted by most huge corporations. As a result, using this keyword will make your content buried in the sea of competitors. On the other hand, long tail keywords are less preferred by corporations and businesses alike. So, this makes this type of keyword less competitive. So, incorporating long tail keywords with the right content will make your website ranked at the top of search results.
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Research the competitors’ keyword
Researching competitors’ strategies are often overlooked by many content writers and SEO strategists. However, in reality, SEO keyword research alone is not enough. You also have to know your competitors to gain the insight information to reach the top rank of search results. Remember that, in sports, one of the most important strategies to win is learning your opponent’s tactic.
By creating a solid idea of your competitors, you will be able to formulate their weaknesses and strengths. Competitors’ weakness plays a huge role in determining what should be done and what shouldn’t. One of the easiest ways to learn about your competitor using the Google Keyword Planner. Using this tool, you can know what keywords your competitors are trying to achieve. So, you can use this information to formulate the final touch of your keywords.
Conclusion
To sum up, some keyword research tips for your SEO are to learn about your niche, use Google Search, use specific keywords, and research the competitor’s keywords. However, be aware that keywords are always changing. So, the keywords that work today may not be effective next month. The key is to continuously gather new information and insight to form your next SEO strategy.
For that reason, prioritizing keyword research is the key to keeping on top of the search rank and ensuring your website makes the most out of the search engine.
