Proper keyword research should be the foundation of your search engine optimization efforts. Without it, it can be almost impossible to determine the intent of your audience and optimize your content so that it meets their exact needs.
The problem is that the rules of modern keyword research have changed significantly and continue to evolve. If not too long ago you could stuff your content with a bunch of key terms, nowadays, search engines are quite sophisticated and can understand and interpret natural language.
At D6 Interactive, a Dallas SEO company, we’re always up-to-date with the latest changes and best practices in the industry. Here’s a short guide that can help take your keyword research practices to the next level.
Make a List of Relevant Keywords
Put yourself in your audience’s shoes and ask yourself what keywords you would use to look for the products or services your business offers. You could also include some misspelled words and analyze the results.
Analyze Your Potential Keywords
Understanding how your competitors are ranking for your keywords is a vital step in creating a sound SEO strategy. If one of your primary keywords has a high search volume, it may take you quite a while to outrank those with a massive SEO and advertising budget. It would be wise to look for related search terms and opportunities that your competitors might have ignored.
Leverage Long-Tail Keywords
It would be awesome if you could rank high for terms that define your business, such as “secondhand laptops.” However, this would be a costly endeavor – one that may amount to nothing in the end. According to recent reports, long-tail keywords represent over 70% of all searches. That’s because people are more likely to use complex queries, such as “where to find cheap secondhand laptops in Dallas,” rather than head terms. Go beyond the obvious and try to get creative.
Conclusion
Keyword research is both an art and a science. It takes creativity to identify opportunities where most people see nothing and complex tools to analyze the potential of your keyword list. Let the experts at D6 Interactive, a Dallas SEO company, help you grow your business.
Sources
https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/keyword-research
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-do-keyword-research-ht
