Become a Keyword Master

Keyword research is quite simply the most crucial part of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  

"Keyword research is the practice of identifying which phrases are used on search engines when people are looking for information, and usually includes finding both the search volume and relative competitiveness of the terms." (Eubanks N., 2014)

It all starts with what you type into a search box. With the right keywords, you can expand your search network campaign and direct prospective customers to your website and products/services. Keywords are the foundation of an online search campaign and help connect potential customers to your site.The right keywords can lead to higher ranking in search lists, greater and more qualified traffic, and more importantly, higher ROI (Return on Investment) for your marketing efforts. 

It is not about driving just any traffic to your site; it is more about getting the right customers discover your products/services on your site. Choosing keywords related to your web content ensures more relevant traffic to your site.

So how do you choose your keywords?

• Think like a customer when brainstorming your list of keywords.

       Brainstorm terms and phrases that customers will most likely use to search for your products/services. Be sure to create a list of keywords that is relevant to your web content. For example, if your company sells shoes, you may want to consider keywords such as "Women's high heels" or "Men's sports shoes". 

• Optimize the long-tail keywords.

       Using longer and more specific keywords, in other words, long-tail keywords could massively benefit your search network campaign by giving you the most bang for your buck. With shorter and more general keywords, competition for high ranking in the search list can be fierce. Especially if you are a small business or a start-up, it would be nearly impossible to appear near the top of the search list as bigger companies take their places at the top of the list. In this case, a more specific long-tail keyword like "Men's leather shoes" will yield a better result than a general keyword like "Shoes". However, if you are a big company and your goal is to reach a wider audience, you may benefit from using more general keyword like "Shoes" to reach customers searching for a wide variety of shoes.

      

(Source: http://www.seonick.net/keyword-research/)

          Long-tail keywords can help you attract exactly the right kind of customers to your site with genuine purchase intentions. Customers searching with the keyword "Shoes" may just be browsing but customers using more specific long-tail keyword like "Women's black leather high heels size 8" are more likely to buy your products.  Long-tail keywords will make you stand out from the crowd with shorter and more general keywords. There is also less competition for long-tail keywords; thus lower bid amounts mean significantly lower cost-per-click for your advertising campaign.

        The rule of thumb in choosing the right keyword, whether it is the head or the long tail, is that it must always be relevant to your web content. The winning formula here is to look for a keyword that gives you a combination of a high search volume and low competition.

• Organize the keywords into groups or themes.

       Sorting your list of keywords by topic or category yields more relevant search results to your potential customers. For example, you may want to group keywords such as "Sports shoes", "Running shoes", and "Sneakers" so when a customer looks for athletic shoes using the keyword "Running shoes", you could also show the search result for other keywords such as "Sports shoes" and "Sneakers" in the same group.

• Use a keyword research tool. 

       Utilize a keyword research tool such as Google Keyword Planner to look for keyword ideas, track how popular a keyword is, and test traffic to see how well it converts. It can also give you the cost estimate of running campaigns using particular keywords. You will be able to work out bids and budgets for your search engine campaign more efficiently based on these estimates.

          Click on the video below to learn more about Google Keyword Planner..

            Keyword research not only drives traffic to your site but also helps convert visitors into new clients for your business. When used effectively, keyword research can engage your audience better, lead to more qualified traffic and higher conversion rate, and add a major boost to your business.

            Optimize your keyword research and see your business grow.


May Mandy Han

       

Additional Resources:

Google AdWords



References:

Eubanks, N. (n.d.). How To Do Keyword Research For SEO. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
Google AdWords. How to build the best keyword list. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2014.