Effective Keyword Research for Your Small Business
Keywords are the words or phrases that people type into search engines when they are looking for information, products, or services online. Keywords allow search engines to connect users with relevant, useful content using the queries and search terms they type in.
By strategically peppering relevant keywords into your website's content, you can improve your search engine rankings and boost the visibility of your brand.
This post is spilling the beans on our foolproof strategy for finding the perfect keywords to skyrocket your online brand. So, grab a cuppa, and let's dive right in!
Step 1: Creating the Perfect Topics
First things first, let's talk about creating captivating topics that all of your keywords will sit within. We like to aim for five to ten juicy topics that reflect your business services or product categories. For example, if you're a copywriter, think of things like blogging, case studies, newsletters, and website copy. Once you have a few main topics for your keywords to fall into, use them as headers of a list on Google Docs or similar.
Step 2: Expanding on Topics with Keywords
Once you have your core topics, it's time to start filling them in with relevant keywords. Think about words that naturally pop up for your business when you consider each topic. For instance, for blogging, you might consider behind the scenes, industry news, small business testimonials and content marketing.
Step 3: Plug Keywords into Google Autocomplete
Now, let's harness the power of Google Autocomplete to show you what people online are searching for around these topics. Go to Google and use the autocomplete feature to uncover more keywords and key phrases. Search engine users will often ask full questions, so look for those long-form gems like "how to write a blog for ecommerce website" or "ecommerce blog examples." Trust us; these are pure gold as you can answer your customers questions directly. This is also great for finding high search blog titles!
Related searches from Google
Step 4: Dig Deeper with Related Keyword Searches
For the best keyword results, don't stop there! Scroll down to the bottom of the search engine results page and explore the related searches section. Discover even more keywords and high search questions that you can target using your website copy and blog posts.
Step 5: Finish Off with Google Keyword Planner
To finish off your keyword research process, head over to Google's Keyword Planner. Plug in your chosen keywords from under your main topics that you started in step 1 and explore the results. Aim for keywords with a high search rate and low competition. It might take a bit of trial and error, but it's worth the effort.
Bonus Tip: Keep an Eye on Your Competitors!
If you know your competitors, sneak a peek at their website. Use tools like Google's Keyword Planner to unveil the keywords they're ranking for. It's like having a backstage pass to their SEO secrets. This allows you to target different search terms with less competition!
Some top tips for higher performing keywords
Use keywords organically.
Instead of forcing loads of awkward-sounding keywords into your website copy, it's important that your content flows naturally. Search engines want your content to be readable and engaging for human users, so allow the keywords to crop up organically.
Research, don't assume!
Use the steps highlighted in this blog post to properly research your keywords. Don't make assumptions about what people are searching for, or what language they're using or you could end up with keywords that lead nowhere. Do your research and trust the process.
Focus on different keywords on different pages.
You should have some core keywords that run through your website as a whole, but the wonderful thing about SEO is that you can hit lots of different search terms at once. Think carefully about what you want the conversion goal of each of your pages to be (download a resource, join your email list, make an enquiry) and then use unique keywords that will attract the right people.
Consider the competition of the keywords you use.
You’re unlikely to improve your visibility if you only focus on very high competition keywords. Instead, get specific and try to carve out a niche online.
Remember, incorporating a mix of short and long-tail keywords can help you strike a balance between broad visibility and targeted audience engagement.
And there you have it, lovelies! A step-by-step guide to keyword research that'll ensure your online business thrives.
If you have any burning questions or just want to chat about keywords, feel free to reach out. Until next time, happy keyword hunting!
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