How To Do Keyword Research For A Small Business

Introduction:

This guide has keyword research tips for a small business, how to outline a strategy, and suggestions on tools to use for the process.

Keyword Research For Small Business

What Is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is all about understanding search data to improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO), attract new users through search engines, and make a list of words people might use to find a product or service. Small businesses can benefit from keyword research by identifying specific words searchers use to describe their business, product, or service.

Before you start keyword research for your small business, create a written document to clarify why it’s important. In this document:

  • Write a business case statement to understand why you need keyword research.
  • Define how SEO and ranking keywords on Google Search Engine Result Pages (SERP) will help achieve your business goals.
  • List specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-framed (SMART) business goals.
  • Devote a section to the types of content needed for each group of keywords. This helps determine what content is necessary to achieve your business goals.
  • Consider including a section for competitor analysis. This helps map your small business’s competitive advantages and learn about competitors. Keyword research can also lead to creating unique products or services.
  • Describe your small business’s ideal target audience. Keyword research aids in discovering the words your target audience uses to find your website.

Purpose of Keyword Research For A Small Business

Conducting keyword research for a small business requires outlining the purpose. Listed below are a few examples. There are many more reasons, but these are just a few.

An informational blog does keyword research to:

  • drive organic traffic so you can use affiliate marketing or display ads as a revenue stream.
  • Use pay per click to drive traffic to the website
  • increase it’s email list

Ecommerce stores could need keyword research:

  • paid listing ads, (like Google Shopping or Amazon).
  • to optimize category and product pages.
  • To increase organic growth.
  • to fund new product ideas or search trends.

Youtube content makers need keyword research to:

  • optimize video descriptions, titles, tags , and other meta data.
  • find popular or trending content.
  • find which video content types work well for their audience.

Keyword Research Tip For Small Business #1: In what context do you need to do keyword research? Youtube, Blog, SEO, Pay Per Click, website.

Developing an effective keyword research strategy- Start with an idea.

An effective keyword strategy can help your small business achieve its overall goals. Good keyword selection starts with understanding what your content needs to accomplish. One method of keyword research involves clustering keywords based on intent and the user journey. Users use different keywords at different points in their journey. In the middle of the funnel, searchers may use brand names, product names, colors, and other descriptive information to make decisions. It’s essential to know what conversions occur during each phase of the user journey process as well.

Here’s another keyword research tip. Begin by narrowing down the ideas for the content topic before starting keyword research. For example, a bakery could focus on types of cakes and create unique landing pages for each cake or category of cakes, based on why the user is searching. If you don’t have a specific topic or need to use keyword research for content gap analysis, the process will be slightly different.

Keyword Research Tip #2: Consider the buyer’s journey to purchase your product or service. Identify the touch points during customer interactions, such as telephone conversations, text messages, and email communications, to better understand how users perceive your product or service.

Keyword Research Tip #3 If you are starting keyword research, focus on the goals of a single landing page.

Step 1. Keyword Research: Embrace Your Target Audience’s Communication Style

When choosing keyword embrace your target audience's search style

Consider your business tone versus the customer’s expectations. Internal corporate communication styles may not align with the end user’s preferred communication style. The exercise below guides you through a Google Search Engine Results Page Competitive Analysis. You can grasp the tone and communication style used by each brand to convey its message to the user. In your content, use keywords that the end user typically employs to describe a product or service, avoiding internal corporate jargon.

Keyword Research Tip #4: If you have a new business, you may have limited customer data to build user personas. However, if you possess customer data, create a user persona based on this information. The way a person speaks, writes, and interacts online will influence how users type keywords into a search engine.

Here’s an exercise in understanding different communication styles:

  1. Use Google Incognito to search on Google (Avoid using your regular Google browser, as recommendations are tailored to your personal search history).
  2. Type in your product or service.
  3. Identify the first four websites in the search engine and analyze how they phrase their headlines and descriptions. Take note of the words Google bolds.
  4. Examine the bottom of the SERP page. Check for related search results. If present, write down all related keywords and add them to your keyword seed list.
  5. Note if Google’s search bar provides auto-complete or suggested terms. If so, include these terms with your related keywords. Observe the overall SERP page for different result types (Google Ads, Google Ads Shopping, Google Ads Local, Video content).

Keyword Research Tip For A Small Business#5: Explore forums or other websites with comments to uncover users’ pain points. Users may describe a problem using various terms. Identify synonyms or alternative ways users might enter a search query into a search engine.

Step 2. Keyword Research: Understand Your Product or Service

In Keyword research, it's important to generate keyword ideas related to your product or service

The most crucial aspect of keyword research is understanding your products or services. Keywords can be descriptive, and users often add modifiers like “free,” “new,” “old,” “antique,” “clogged,” “hair,” or a color to word phrase. It’s important to note that a modifier can change the meaning of a keyword. Exercise caution when dealing with high-volume trending keywords; just because a keyword has high volume doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good fit for your business or brand. To understand why, enter the keyword into a social media platform like Twitter to grasp the context and meaning.

Here’s an exercise for your keyword research process in a small business:

  1. List at least two products or services your business offers.
  2. Write at least 3-4 unique aspects of each listed product or service.

Step 3. Learn About Types of Keywords

Google Ads has 3 types of keyword match types: broad,phrase, and exact match. In SEO choose synonyms as users use different words to describe a product or service

What are Long Tail Keywords

Long tail keywords are phrases that are more specific and typically longer than regular keywords. They are essential in targeting a niche audience and often have lower competition.

How To Find Long Tail Keywords

Discovering long tail keywords involves using tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or even brainstorming based on your business’s unique offerings. Look for phrases that capture specific user queries.

What Is Keyword Intent in SEO?

Keyword intent refers to the purpose or goal behind a user’s search query. Understanding this intent is crucial for tailoring your content to meet the user’s needs effectively.

Keyword Research Tip #6: If you are expecting top-of-funnel users (new informational searches), what type of keywords do searchers use in search engines? Are they asking questions about a product or service? Are they looking for more descriptive information that signals they are in the middle of the funnel? Or does the search use keywords with a “buy intent”? (keyword intent has more searches than “search intent”. Other keywords: user search intent, user intent seo) Keyword research can help determine the content that needs to be made based on user search intent.

When targeting top-of-funnel users, focus on informational keywords. Users at this stage may be asking questions or seeking detailed information about a product or service. Keyword research is instrumental in aligning your content with the specific intent of these users.

There are four basic types of user keyword search intents:

  1. Informational Search Intent
  2. Commercial Search Intent
  3. Navigational Search Intent
  4. Transactional Search Intent

Extended Search Intents:

  1. Product-Brand Specific
    • Add product-brand specific keywords as a type of keyword intent. This involves users searching for a specific product or brand, indicating a high level of specificity. Review your keyword strategy carefully with product-brand intent keywords.
  2. Localization
    • For localized businesses, incorporate location-based user search intent. Keywords may include zip codes, city names, or “near me” keywords.

How To Classify Keyword Intent For SEO (How to Use Google Sheets for Keyword Intent – could be a video or a saleable course)

Creating a classification system for keyword intent involves understanding the user journey and tailoring your SEO strategy accordingly. Utilizing tools like Google Sheets can enhance organization and analysis. Here’s a keyword research tip for a small business that I suggest you use: Create a spreadsheet for different keyword categories and themes. The spreadsheet will assist with identifying keywords that you don’t really want to rank for in search engines or could be negative keywords in a PPC marketing campaign.

Special Case Keywords: Seasonal Keywords

Seasonal keywords are those tied to specific times of the year, events, or holidays. Incorporating these keywords in your content helps capitalize on timely trends.

What Are Semantic Keywords?

Semantic keyword research involves identifying and mapping relationships between words to describe a product, service, or business. Latent Semantic Index (LSI) keywords, rooted in Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA), can be used to find similarities between documents. While LSA isn’t primarily for keyword research, it can be valuable for comparing blog post relevancy and competitor analysis during content audits.

Step 4. Basics of Search Engines and Keywords

Search engine bots need text to understand the contextual relationship between your landing page and the user's search.

Keywords serve as the primary means for content to surface in search engines. Users input search queries into the search bar, and the search engine returns a list of results relevant to the user’s query.

Web crawlers are designed to index contextual data. Search bots rely on written language to comprehend information in various content formats, such as blog posts, videos, PDFs, and audio files. Search engines then surface content that is deemed relevant to the user’s search query.

The process of finding words that accurately describe how users search for a business, service, or product is known as keyword research. This involves categorizing keywords based on search intent.

How To Do Keyword Research For A Small Business:

  1. Understand the Business: Begin by gaining a comprehensive understanding of the small business, its products, services, and target audience.
  2. Identify Seed Keywords: Start with a list of core or seed keywords related to the business. These are fundamental terms that describe the main offerings.
  3. Use Keyword Tools: Employ keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to expand your list. These tools provide insights into search volumes, competition, and related keywords.
  4. Categorize Keywords: Group keywords based on search intent. Common categories include informational, commercial, navigational, and transactional intent.
  5. Consider Long-Tail Keywords: Explore longer and more specific phrases, known as long-tail keywords, which can attract a niche audience.
  6. Analyze Competitor Keywords: Study competitors’ websites and identify the keywords they are targeting. This can offer valuable insights and uncover potential gaps in your strategy.
  7. Evaluate Search Trends: Keep an eye on current search trends and seasonality to incorporate relevant keywords into your strategy.
  8. Create Content Around Keywords: Develop high-quality content that aligns with the identified keywords. This can include blog posts, videos, and other formats.
  9. Optimize Website: Ensure that the website is optimized for the selected keywords. This involves integrating keywords into meta tags, headers, and content.
  10. Monitor and Adjust: Regularly monitor the performance of keywords using analytics tools. Adjust your strategy based on evolving trends and user behavior.

By following these steps, small businesses can conduct effective keyword research to enhance their online visibility and reach their target audience.

Step 5. Choosing The Best Keywords With Seed Keywords

During keyword research, start with seed keyword developed from tools such as Google Trends.

How to Choose Keywords for Your Business:

Selecting the right keywords for your business is crucial for effective online visibility. Also read 6 Keyword Mistakes Made With Google Ads. Follow these steps to make informed decisions:

A. Start with a List of Descriptive Words:

  1. Compile a list of words that describe your product, service, or topic/category.
    • Example:
      • Marketing, Digital Marketing, Content Marketing
      • Plumber: Water Heater Installation, Drain Repairs, Gas Line Repairs
      • Bakery: Cakes, Cookies, Pies, Bakery in Memphis

B. Consider Customer Service Interactions:

1. Reflect on customer service interactions and how customers describe their problems when contacting your small business.

  • Example customer queries:
    • “I need to grow the number of customers for my business, but I need a more professional website.”
    • “I want to get found online and drive more business.”
    • “I would like to explore Google Ads and SEO.”
    • “I need video content creation help.”
    • “I have a leaky faucet.”
    • “My water heater is not working.”
    • “I am having a birthday party this weekend for a three-year-old.”
    • “We are having a 50th birthday party celebration. The birthday girl likes chocolate cake.”

Keyword Research Tip For Small Businesses: If keyword research is for Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising, try to use more phrase-matched keywords versus broad match keywords. Broad match will match anything close to your keywords of choice.

Using more phrase-matched keywords in Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising can enhance the precision of your ad targeting. Unlike broad match keywords, which can match anything close to your chosen keywords, phrase-matched keywords provide a more focused and relevant audience for your advertisements.

By incorporating these strategies, you can refine your keyword selection process and increase the effectiveness of your online presence, especially in paid advertising platforms like Google Ads.

5 Localization Tips For Keyword Research For Small Businesses

If You Serve a Small Localized Community:

  1. Localize Keywords by Area:
    • Use specific location-based keywords such as zip codes, city names, or general location points like “bakery near me,” “bakery Cordova,” or “bakery within 5 miles of me.” These location-based keywords signal an intent to contact services closer to where users live, typically falling under informational or commercial intent type keywords.
  2. Localize to a Specific Keyword Category:
    • Tailor keywords to a specific category, for instance, “Who makes the best cakes near me?” Examples include “Bakery that sells German chocolate birthday cake,” “Bakery that sells German chocolate cake near me,” or “Bakery that sells German chocolate cake 38111.” These keywords indicate purchase intent and are highly valuable. Utilize Google Ads local search ads, implement SEO strategies on product landing pages with these terms, and include contact information via a phone number. Having an order management system in place is crucial for efficient customer service and gaining new customers.
  3. Consider Exploratory Keywords and Create Localized Content:
    • Explore and create content tailored to users’ interests. For example, create a tutorial on making a moist multi-tier German chocolate birthday cake. This type of content serves an exploratory purpose and engages users with valuable information.
  4. Utilize Localized Long-Tail Keywords for SEO:
    • Improve SEO with localized long-tail keywords to enhance the visibility of your small business. This approach helps your business get found for specific long-tail queries. Additionally, consider incorporating affiliate marketing to sell products mentioned in tutorials, or sell them through your e-commerce website.
  5. Bonus Tip for Small Business Bakeries:
    • Take it a step further by selling complete ingredient kits locally based on the tutorial. The video can serve as a demonstration on how to make your own cakes. This strategy not only engages the community but also opens up opportunities to connect with local individuals interested in making their cakes. The video, along with companion content, becomes a powerful tool for reaching and serving local customers.

By incorporating these localized keyword strategies and content creation tips, small businesses, especially bakeries, can effectively reach and engage with their local communities, driving customer engagement and business growth.

Step 6. Gather your tools – Get to work – My step by step process

You need to have a keyword research tool. aHrefs, SEMRush, and Google Ads Keyword Planner tool are just a few established and well known keyword research tools.

Use the Right Tools for Effective Keyword Research:

When planning a Google Ads campaign for your small business, it’s essential to use the appropriate keyword tools to build a targeted keyword list. While there are various paid solutions available, it’s crucial to manage your marketing budget wisely by selecting the best-fit keyword planner tools.

Keep Things Organized with Spreadsheets:

Use spreadsheets to collect and store keyword data, allowing you to segment keyword lists into different categories or topics. Include each keyword’s metrics such as search volume, estimated clicks, and competitive index. Spreadsheets are also helpful for creating and managing seed lists of keywords.

A Strategic Approach to Keyword Discovery:

  1. Utilize Google Trends:
    • Start by using Google Trends to generate a list of seed keywords. This tool is excellent for discovering related queries, topics, and interests over time. Generate a list of 5-15 seed keywords for a topic to understand the trends around them.
  2. Explore AnswerThePublic.com:
    • Enter one of the search queries from Google Trends into AnswerThePublic.com. Download the generated file containing search queries for multiple keywords. This process may take time but is valuable.
  3. Optimize the Keyword List:
    • Clean, sanitize, and normalize the keyword data obtained from AnswerThePublic. Remove irrelevant search queries, eliminate repetitive keywords, and segment the list based on topic ideas and user intent. Utilize Latent Semantic Indexing to enhance relevancy.
  4. Plug into Other Keyword Planner Tools:
    • Input the optimized keywords into other tools such as Google Ads, Ahrefs Keyword Planner, or SEMRush. These tools will generate additional keywords, providing estimated search volume data. Repeat the cleaning, sanitizing, and normalizing process for this expanded list.

Effective Use of Google Keyword Planner Tool:

  • Google Keyword Planner Tool is essential for creating a keyword list with search volume estimates and a competitive index. Prioritize keywords with significant search volume and a low competitive index. A competitive index of 100 indicates a challenging keyword to rank for without a robust SEO marketing and backlink strategy.

Keyword Research Tip For Small Business #7: When starting, only use 2-3 keyword research tools.

When initiating your keyword research journey, focus on using 2-3 keyword research tools. This approach allows you to streamline your efforts, maintain efficiency, and derive meaningful insights for your small business marketing strategy.

[Free or Best] Keyword Research Tools For Small Businesses

17 Keyword Tools & Software To Use For Free & Paid

  1. Brainstorming Keywords-free:
    • Begin with brainstorming keywords, thinking about all the ways people might describe your business. List alternate search phrases and include “purchase intent” words that indicate users are ready to make a decision. These intent keywords help in segmenting content types after conducting keyword research.
  2. Google Trends -free:
    • Google Trends for keyword research tools.
    • Use Google Trends to identify trending keywords and leverage this free tool for keyword research and topic generation. Google Trends is helpful in seeding your keyword list, determining search history, and identifying seasonal trends. It provides insights into aggregated Google Search organic trends over time, although it doesn’t offer search volumes.
  3. Google Search Console-free:
    • A clicks impressions from Google Search Console.
    • Connect your website to Google Search Console (GSC) to access a comprehensive list of keywords, positions, and impressions. Although Google Analytics no longer provides keyword data, GSC remains a free and valuable tool to measure the effectiveness of your keyword plan. It helps identify which landing pages are ranking in Google’s organic search, making it an essential resource for assessing the implementation of your keyword strategy.
  4. Google Suggest-free:
    • Type a keyword in the search bar to let auto-suggestions give you related keywords. Utilize Google’s related search terms to expand your brainstormed list for potential keywords and content topics.
  5. Bing Webmaster Tools-free:
    • Limited keyword research tool for Bing’s organic search. Useful if you plan to use Microsoft Advertising for your small business.
  6. Social Media Platforms-free:
    • Use social media hashtags as a source for keyword research. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok can reveal emerging trends. Understand how people use words in conversations for effective keyword usage.
  7. Forums (Reddit, Quora) -free:
    • Explore forums like Reddit and Quora for valuable ideas and keyword suggestions. Forums provide insights into the context of conversations, helping you choose keywords wisely.
  8. Google Analytics (Website Search Bar) – free :
    • Use your website’s search bar through Google Analytics to identify the keywords your target audience is searching for. Analytics tools can pull the words people use to find products and services on your website.
  9. Spyfu – paid:
    • Paid tool for serious keyword research in paid marketing campaigns. Offers competitor analysis, backlink analysis, and SEO rank tracking. Affordable at $39 per month.
  10. Keywordtool.io – paid:
    • Keywordtool.io keyword research tool.
    • Limited free keyword research tool that supports Amazon Ads, Bing Ads, YouTube, and more. Simple interface, and you can download keyword lists. Premium plans available for more features.
  11. aHrefs – paid:
    • Paid long-tail keyword research tool with backlink checking capabilities. Powerful for checking competitors’ keywords and discovering potential keywords for your business. Offers a 7-day free trial, but the monthly plan is $149.
  12. Answer The Public – paid:
    • Free tool to discover new keywords and find questions people ask about a topic. Ideal for generating topics for your content marketing strategy.
  13. Moz Keyword Explorer – paid:
    • Limited unless you pay for a premium addition. I have tried Moz Explorer tools for keyword research. Moz keyword planner tool is simpler than some of the other tools listed below. The premium features of Moz keyword research tool are priced at around $149 per month. Moz can also be used to manage SEO. If you don’t plan to use this tool often, it’s not worth the expense. Use a keyword research service for small business, like Cliively.
  14. SEMRush – paid:
    • competitive analysis and content marketing. The keyword platform also has a competitive gap analysis tool. However the free edition has limited features unless you pay for the premium edition. SEMRush is also an expensive tool that you can use for keyword research and for SEO. SEMRush’s features are robust including backlink outreach tools, site audit, and a topic research tool to assist with content creation. Pricing for SEMRush starts at $119 per month. Again, if you are a small business just starting your keyword research journey, then this tool may overwhelm you. You can find gaps in your keyword research.
  1. Honorable Mentions (School, Jaxxy, Keywords Everywhere) – paid:
    • Tools not personally used but recognized by others in the industry.

Platform-Specific Tools:

  • YouTube – paid:
    • Utilize platform-specific tools like Tubebuddy and VidIQ for YouTube keyword research.
  • Amazon Ads – paid:
    • Amazon sellers benefit from keyword planning tools like Jungle Scout and SellerZone. Amazon has its own set of tools for finding organic keywords.

In summary, choose a mix of free and paid tools based on your specific needs. Tailor your selection to the platforms you use for marketing, whether it’s Google, Bing, social media, forums, or e-commerce platforms like Amazon and YouTube.

Choose 3-4 of the Following Free Tools for Keyword Research:

  • Best Keyword Analysis Tool:
    • Consider using Ubersuggest or Keywords Everywhere for a comprehensive analysis of your chosen keywords. These tools offer insights into search volume, CPC, and competition.
  • SERP Analysis Tools:
    • Try MozBar or SEOquake to analyze the search engine results pages (SERP) for your keywords. These tools provide information on domain authority, backlinks, and other crucial metrics.
  • Keyword Generators vs Keyword Analytics Tools:
    • Explore tools like AnswerThePublic for keyword generation and Google Keyword Planner for analytics. AnswerThePublic offers insights into the questions users ask, while Google Keyword Planner provides search volume data and keyword suggestions.
  • Google Sheets for Keyword Analysis:
    • Leverage Google Sheets for organizing and analyzing your keyword data. It’s a versatile tool for creating spreadsheets, making it easy to manage and categorize your keyword lists.
  • SEO Keyword Analysis:
    • Use SEO Book’s Keyword Suggestion Tool or SEO Chat’s Free Keyword Tool to analyze keywords from an SEO perspective. These tools provide insights into search volume, competition, and suggested keywords.
  • Long Tail Keyword Analysis:
    • Explore tools like Soovle or LSI Graph for long-tail keyword analysis. These tools help in discovering variations and related terms to broaden your keyword strategy.

Remember, especially when starting, focus on using 3-4 of these free keyword research tools to effectively plan and implement your keyword strategy.

Why Use Multiple Keyword Planning Tools?

Using multiple keyword planning tools is essential due to the inherent limitations and variations in the data provided by each tool. No single tool can offer 100% accuracy, and different tools have distinct strengths and weaknesses. Here’s why diversity in your toolkit is crucial:

  1. Inaccuracy in Keyword Data:
    • Each keyword planning tool relies on different algorithms, data sources, and methodologies to generate results. This can lead to variations and inaccuracies in the estimated volume, competitiveness, and other metrics associated with keywords.
  2. Limitations in Google Keyword Planner:
    • Google Keyword Planner, while a valuable tool, may omit certain “intent” keywords and often provides generic keywords. This limitation can impact the precision of your keyword strategy, especially if you’re aiming for highly targeted and specific keywords.
  3. Unknown Data Sources:
    • Tools like keywordtool.io use the search engine’s auto-complete list to pull query data. However, the sources of estimated volume and competitive index are often unknown. This lack of transparency can make it challenging to assess the reliability of the data.
  4. Variation in Data Collection Methods:
    • Tools such as Ahrefs use scraped and crawled query data to generate results. While this method provides valuable insights, it may not capture the entire spectrum of user behavior, leading to variations in the data compared to other tools.
  5. Comprehensive Insights:
    • Using a combination of tools allows you to gather comprehensive insights from different perspectives. One tool might excel in providing long-tail keywords, while another might be more accurate in estimating search volumes.
  6. Verification of Findings:
    • Cross-referencing data from multiple tools can act as a form of verification. If multiple tools show similar results, it adds confidence to the accuracy of those findings. Conversely, discrepancies between tools may highlight areas that require further investigation.
  7. Coverage Across Different Platforms:
    • Different tools cater to specific platforms (e.g., Google, Bing, YouTube, Amazon). Utilizing a mix ensures that you have the right insights for each platform you are targeting in your marketing strategy.
  8. Adaptability to Changes:
    • Algorithms and data sources may change over time. By using multiple tools, you increase your adaptability to these changes and reduce the risk of relying on outdated or inaccurate information.

The use of multiple keyword planning tools is a strategic approach to mitigate the limitations of individual tools, enhance the accuracy of your keyword research, and ensure a well-informed and robust marketing strategy.

Step 7. How To Get Keywords To Rank In Google

Learn how search engines work. They use algorithms to deliver the best content for the user experience.

In order to get keywords to rank effectively in Google, it’s crucial to follow a strategic approach that goes beyond targeting high-competition single keywords. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

  1. Diversify Your Keywords:
    • Instead of targeting single, high-competition keywords like “bakery” or “plumber,” focus on long-tail keywords and specific phrases related to your business. This approach reduces competition and increases the likelihood of ranking.
  2. Utilize Rank Tracking Tools:
    • Look for reliable rank tracking tools to monitor your keyword positions. Here are three suggestions:
      • 1. Ahrefs: Provides comprehensive insights into keyword rankings, backlinks, and competitor analysis.
      • 2. SEMRush: Offers features for tracking keyword positions, analyzing competitors, and optimizing your content.
      • 3. Moz: Known for its keyword tracking capabilities and providing actionable insights for improving your SEO strategy.
  3. Avoid Single Keywords:
    • Steer clear of targeting single keywords and opt for more specific, long-tail variations. This enhances your chances of ranking higher in Google’s search results.
  4. Keyword Position Tracking:
    • Implement thorough keyword position tracking, including:
      • Website Position Tracking: Monitor the overall performance of your website’s rankings.
      • Keyword Rank Analysis: Regularly analyze the rankings of your targeted keywords.
      • Google Search Console Data: Leverage data from Google Search Console for valuable insights.
      • Bing Webmaster Tools: Utilize Bing Webmaster Tools as an additional resource for SEO ranking information.
      • Paid Services Ranking Tools: Consider paid tools for in-depth tracking and analysis.
  5. Understand Search Engine Positioning in SEO:
    • Search engine positioning in SEO involves optimizing specific keywords to achieve higher rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). It’s a fundamental aspect of SEO strategy aimed at increasing visibility and traffic.
  6. SEO Search Optimization:
    • Localized keyword optimization, especially for locations like Memphis, involves identifying high-search-volume keywords specific to your area. This enhances your local search visibility.
  7. Content Creation for Keywords:
    • Keywords alone cannot rank in Google; content is essential. Create content tailored to user intent, search location, and SEO guidelines. Consider various content formats, such as landing pages, videos (YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok), and audio content (podcasts).
  8. Keyword Research as the Foundation:
    • Keyword research serves as the foundational step in your content marketing strategy. It guides topic ideas, content creation, and helps you stay informed about current search trends among your target audience.

In summary, a holistic approach to keyword optimization involves diverse, specific keywords, effective tracking with reliable tools, and content creation aligned with user intent and SEO guidelines.

Step 8 – How To Do Keyword Research Analysis

Analyze the keywords that are driving traffic and conversions to your website. Use Google Search console or Bing Webmaster tools to learn how users fin you organically. Analyze Google Ads Search terms report for PPC campaigns.

Performing effective keyword research analysis is a crucial step in developing a successful SEO strategy. Follow these guidelines for a comprehensive approach:

  1. Organize Keywords in a Spreadsheet:
    • Input the keyword list generated by the keyword planner tool into a spreadsheet application. This provides a structured platform for further analysis.
  2. Classify Keywords Based on User Intent and Topics:
    • Categorize keywords based on user intent, topics, and categories. Each categorized list becomes the foundation for a strategic SEO keyword strategy.
  3. Utilize AI and Machine Learning Tools:
    • While artificial intelligence tools and machine learning can expedite the process, manual creation and analysis of keyword lists tend to be more accurate. Understand the basics of keyword research before incorporating machine learning tools for deeper analysis.
  4. Keyword Analytics:
    • Explore semantic keywords and conduct in-depth analytics on search terms. This includes keyword search analysis and the analysis of search term patterns.
  5. Understanding Competitive Index:
    • Familiarize your small business with the competitive index in keyword research. The competitive index, ranging from 0 to 100, indicates the competitiveness of a keyword. Higher values indicate higher competition, requiring substantial resources to rank.
  6. Keyword Analysis Difficulty Tools:
    • Evaluate the difficulty of ranking for specific keywords using tools that assess competition. Understand the competition scale and its implications for your small business’s resources.
  7. Estimated Search Volumes vs. Clicks vs. Actual Search Numbers:
    • Analyze estimated search volumes provided by keyword planner tools. Recognize that these are estimations and not precise figures. Tools like Google Keyword Planner or Bing Webmaster Keyword Tool offer reliable estimates.
  8. Search Volume Analysis:
    • Dive into search volume analysis to understand the average monthly clicks for a keyword. Consider the seasonality of keywords, especially for holiday-related or time-sensitive terms.
  9. Optimize Keyword List for Location:
    • Tailor your keyword list for specific locations, whether by country, city, state, zip code, or geographic target. Geographic optimization enhances local search visibility.
  10. Analyze Keyword Research Results:
    • Utilize tools like Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools to evaluate the impact of your keyword research on traffic and rankings. Monitor keyword traffic by landing page and compile data in a spreadsheet.
  11. Improve Underperforming Keywords:
    • Identify keywords with an average position between five and 25 in Google Search Console. Focus on improving these keywords through optimization strategies such as updating heading tags and metadata.
  12. Competitive Keyword Research Analysis:
    • Conduct a comprehensive analysis of competitor keywords, including gap analysis. Tools like SEMRush or aHrefs can assist in understanding competitor strategies and improving your own.
  13. Keyword Analysis in Various Contexts:
    • Analyze keywords in different contexts, such as social media, web content, AI applications, marketing, PPC campaigns, and Google Ads. Tailor your analysis based on the specific platform or context.
  14. Keyword Gap Analysis:
    • Explore how to conduct a keyword gap analysis to identify opportunities and areas for improvement in your content strategy.
  15. Bulk Keyword Analysis:
    • Employ tools and techniques for analyzing keywords in bulk, especially when dealing with extensive lists.

In summary, effective keyword research analysis involves a systematic approach to understanding user intent, competition, and search volumes. Utilize various tools and strategies to refine your SEO keyword strategy for optimal results.

Final Thoughts

While this blog post provides a comprehensive guide to keyword research, there might be additional steps not covered here. To stay updated on the latest insights and tutorials on keyword research, subscribe to Cliively’s Email List. The Cliively team plans to release walk-through videos on various keyword planning tools mentioned in this guide.

If you find the process overwhelming or prefer to have an expert handle your keyword research, consider reaching out through Cliively’s contact form. For a more direct and convenient option, explore the possibility of scheduling an appointment or purchasing a keyword research course. Your journey to effective keyword research and improved SEO awaits!

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