Keywords are an important part of SEO. Target the right keywords effectively and you have a chance of achieving those all-important first page rankings on search engines such as Google. But how do you know which keywords to target?
It’s always a good idea to find Search Engine Optimization services to perform keyword research if you’re new to SEO. After, they’re the experts in the field.
However, if you’re looking to have a go at keyword research yourself, here’s some handy tips to follow.
Step one: List topics important to your business
First things first, write a list of topics which are important and relevant to your business. Think about your customer and the types of things they might type into a search engine to find your business.
For example, if you’re a builder, your list might include topics such as:
- Home extension
- Garage conversion
- Home improvements
- Roof repairs
Step two: Become more specific
Once you’ve got your list of topics, you can delve deeper into each. Think about the phrases that your customer might be typing into a search engine for each of the topics.
For example, under ‘home extension’, you might list:
- Planning permission
- Permitted development rights
- Single storey extension
- Kitchen extension
- Party wall agreement
At this point, you aren’t trying to compose your finalised list of keywords. You’re simply listing any phrases that your customers might be searching for. Find affordable SEO services.
Step three: Expand your search
Type one of the keywords from your list into Google, then scroll to the bottom of the page. You’ll see a list of related searches. These are common search terms related to your topic. You can use these to give you further inspiration.
You can also use keyword research tools such as SEMrush or Ahrefs to expand your list of keywords, giving you alternatives that you may not have already considered.
Step four: Choosing your keywords
It’s important to choose a mixture of both head terms and long tail keywords. A head term is generally between one and three words long and relatively generic, such as ‘kitchen extension’. A long tail keyword is a longer phrase containing three or more words which are more specific, such as ‘kitchen fitters in Wrexham’.
Long tail keywords are generally much easier to rank on the search engines with, so they can be quick wins. However, it’s important to keep chipping away at the more competitive head terms at the same time.
You can then use a tool such as Google Search Console to see the monthly search volumes for your keywords. After all, there’s no point putting all your effort into ranking on the first page of a search term that no one is looking for.
Once you’ve done this, you’ll be left with your completed list of keywords to target with your SEO.
To sum up
It’s important to spend time on choosing the right keywords to target for your business. With most internet traffic beginning on a search engine, the potential for new customers to find your business is huge – you just need to know how to become visible.