Keyword Research – The beginner’s Guide

Keyword Research is an essential part of search engine optimization (SEO) and is the process of identifying the words and phrases that people use when searching for products or services like yours. By understanding these keywords, you can optimize your website and content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) and drive more traffic to your site.

For beginners, the process of keyword research can seem overwhelming, but with the right tools and approach, it can be a simple and effective way to improve your website’s visibility and drive more traffic to your site. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the basics of keyword research and how to use it to improve your SEO.

Step 1: Start with a List of Seed Keywords

The first step in keyword research is to create a list of seed keywords. These are the broad, general keywords that describe your products or services. For example, if you sell handmade soap, your seed keywords might include “handmade soap,” “organic soap,” and “vegan soap.”

To generate a list of seed keywords, you can start by brainstorming a list of keywords that you think people might use when searching for your products or services. You can also use tools such as Google Trends or Google Autocomplete to see what people are searching for in relation to your products or services.

One effective way to generate seed keywords is to look at your competitors. You can use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and SimilarWeb to see what keywords your competitors are ranking for and try to identify gaps in their keyword strategy.

Step 2: Use a Keyword Research Tool

Once you have a list of seed keywords, the next step is to use a keyword research tool to find related keywords and their search volume. There are many free and paid tools available, such as Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Keywords Everywhere. These tools will help you find related keywords, their search volume, and their competition level.

Google Keyword Planner, for example, is a free tool offered by Google. It allows you to see the average monthly search volume for a particular keyword, as well as related keywords and their search volume. SEMrush and Ahrefs, on the other hand, are paid tools that offer more advanced features such as keyword difficulty, keyword trends, and backlink analysis.

You can also use a keyword research tool to find long-tail keywords which are more specific and longer phrases that are less competitive and often have higher conversion rates. For example, “organic lavender handmade soap” is a long-tail keyword compared to “handmade soap.”

Step 3: Analyze the Competition

Once you’ve identified your target keywords, the next step is to analyze the competition. Look at the top-ranking pages for your chosen keywords and analyze their content, meta tags, and backlinks. This will give you an idea of what you need to do to outrank them.

To analyze the competition, you can use tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Majestic. These tools will show you the top-ranking pages for a particular keyword, as well as their backlinks and other metrics.

You can also use a tool such as the Moz Bar, which is a free browser extension that shows you the Moz Domain Authority and Page Authority of a website, to help you understand the quality of the competition.

Another important aspect to consider while analyzing the competition is to look at the type of content they are producing. Are they writing blog posts, creating videos or infographics? This will give you an idea of what type of content is resonating with your target audience and how you can differentiate your content to stand out from your competitors.

Step 4: Optimize your Website and Content

Once you’ve identified your target keywords and analyzed the competition, the next step is to optimize your website and content to include those keywords. This includes updating your meta tags, headlines, and body content to include your keywords.

When optimizing your content, it’s important to remember that keyword stuffing, or cramming too many keywords into your content, can actually harm your SEO. Instead, focus on creating high-quality, informative, and engaging content that naturally incorporates your keywords.

In addition to optimizing your website and content, you should also optimize your website’s technical SEO. This includes things like making sure your website is mobile-friendly, has a fast loading speed, and is easy to navigate.

Step 5: Track your Progress

Keyword research is an ongoing process and it’s important to track your progress to see how your website is performing in terms of traffic, bounce rate, and conversion rate. Use tools such as Google Analytics to track your website’s performance and make adjustments as needed.

One important metric to track is your website’s organic traffic. This will give you an idea of how well your website is ranking for your target keywords and if your optimization efforts are paying off. You can also track your website’s ranking for specific keywords using tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs.

Another important metric to track is the click-through rate (CTR) of your website’s SERP listings. This will give you an idea of how well your website is performing in terms of visibility and how well your title tags and meta descriptions are resonating with your target audience.

Keyword research is a vital part of SEO and can help you improve your website’s visibility and drive more traffic to your site. By understanding the keywords your target audience is using to find products or services like yours, you can optimize your website and content to rank higher in SERPs and drive more targeted traffic to your site. It’s important to remember that keyword research is an ongoing process and you should regularly track your progress and make adjustments as needed to stay ahead of your competition.

Thank you for reading,
Simon M.
Typical Hosting.