Keyword Research

At the foundation of all search engine marketing efforts is Keyword Research.

Most marketers understand why keyword research is important for SEO (search engine optimization), but it also helps your marketing in several other ways. Finding the right keywords to write your content about will improve your Google ranking and get more eyes on your content. But as any savvy marketer knows, its all about the customer. Knowing what type of content they want to read will help you grow your audience.

Its frustrating when you work hard on a piece of content and nobody reads it. Besides having wasted your time, you’re also not going to generate any new leads or interest in your brand. Do due diligence beforehand, in the form of keyword research, and can spare you this fate. Using Google AdWords and Keyword Planner you can find the sweetspot of keywords that:

• Appeal to your customer (high search volume)
• Are realistic in terms of being able to rank for (low to medium competition)
• Won’t eat up your marketing budget (low bids)

How people search online.

The mistake many people make is that they stop at three or four keywords.  You should be identifying at least 25-30 keywords or phrases that are relevant to your business.  And don’t limit it to one or two-word phrases. Remember, people often geo-tag their searches (e.g. “restaurants Philadelphia”). They also search for things in the form of a question, looking for an answer to a problem or need. For example, one might use the search terms “how to generate more leads for my business”.  Or perhaps, “how to change the flux capacitor in a 1985 Delorean”. These are called long-tail searches and studies have shown that these are much more highly qualified leads, should they convert to traffic to your website.

Once you’re writing quality content that Google ranks well and your target audience is actually reading, you’ll see that good keyword research has other advantages too. When you’re writing posts for social media or other ads, you’ll have a reserve of messaging to draw from. This will make ensure you stay “on brand” with your audience.

Keyword Research is a crucial step in the marketing process. It is the foundation of SEO, the fuel to your content marketing fire and the best way to become a knowledgeable marketer.