Researching a keyword is one of the most important parts of any successful SEO campaign. It allows marketers to identify potential search terms that users are likely to enter into search engines and determine which keywords would be most profitable to target. 

So, in this article, we will explain how to do keyword research like an SEO pro. We’ll discuss how to identify the best keywords, analyze their usage and demand, and then deploy those keywords to generate more organic website traffic. 

With no further ado, let’s get started!

How to Do Keyword Research Like a Pro

Understanding the words and phrases that potential customers use to find products or services is key to creating content that is relevant and valuable to them. However, keyword research is more than just identifying high-volume keywords and stuffing them into the content. 

That is, you need to adopt a more strategic approach to keyword research that examines your target market, competitors, and marketing objectives. Here are some tips on how to conduct keyword research like a pro.

Start with a list of seed keywords

Seed keywords are the core terms you think people might use to search for your products or services. These keywords can help you identify the most relevant long-tail keywords and phrases your target audience uses to find information online. 

To create a list of seed keywords, start by brainstorming the main topics and themes your business or website covers. You can start with your business name, product or service name, or any related terms that come to mind.

Use keyword research tools

A number of tools are available for keyword research, including:

• Agency Dashboard – A free keyword explorer
• Google Keyword Planner 
• Semrush
• Ahrefs
• Moz Keyword Explorer.

These tools can help you expand your list of seed keywords and provide insights into the search volume, competition, and estimated cost-per-click (CPC) of each keyword. If you want to have the best keyword research and content writing, you can choose CLICKVISION for the best topical map to grow your business or website. 

Focus on long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that have lower competition and higher conversion rates. These keywords are usually more targeted and relevant to your audience and can drive more targeted traffic to your website.

Use keyword analysis tools

Keyword analysis tools such as Google Trends and Semrush can provide you with data on the popularity of keywords over time and the geographical distribution of searches. This information can help you make informed decisions about the keywords to target. Investing in a Google Trends API will get you all the information you need to thoroughly conduct your research without having to worry you’re missing something.

Look for related keywords

Keyword research tools can also help you identify related keywords and synonyms that you can use in your content. You may expand your audience and increase your chances of ranking for several keywords by using these related keywords.

Analyze your competitors

By researching the keywords your competitors are targeting, you can identify gaps in their keyword strategy and find new opportunities to rank higher in search results. You can use tools such as Semrush to perform a competitor keyword analysis.

Consider keyword intent

When conducting keyword research, it’s crucial to consider the intent behind each keyword. Some keywords may indicate that the user is simply searching for information, while others may indicate that the user is ready to purchase. 

Understanding keyword intent can help you create content that is more likely to meet the needs and expectations of your target audience.

Organize and prioritize keywords

Once you have a comprehensive list, you need to organize and prioritize them. You can categorize keywords based on relevance, search volume, and competition. Then you should prioritize the keywords that have the most potential to drive traffic and generate conversions. 

Besides finding related keywords, consider exploring zero search volume keywords. Though they appear to have low search traffic, these keywords can help you reach a highly specific audience, potentially increasing the effectiveness of your SEO strategy

Use keywords in your content

Once you’ve created a list of your target keywords, you can utilize them in your website’s text, meta descriptions, and other on-page components. 

However, it’s crucial to employ keywords naturally and pertinently within the text and to avoid overloading your material with keywords, which might lower your ranks on search engines.

Monitor and adjust your keyword strategy

The process of conducting keyword research is constant, so you should keep an eye on it and modify your keyword approach when needed. You should continually assess your search engine rankings, traffic, and conversions and make changes to your keyword strategy when necessary.

Why Are Keywords Important?

While developing content for their websites, website owners should perform keyword research to discover the terms and phrases for the target audience. This helps the search engine understand what the website is about and increases the chances of the website appearing in search engine results pages (SERPs) for those keywords.

Including keywords in website content should be done in a natural and relevant way, as search engines penalize websites that use keywords excessively or unnaturally. 

The aim is to provide high-quality, relevant content that satisfies the user’s search intent, and including keywords is just one part of achieving that goal. When a user types a query into a search engine, the engine scans its index for pages containing the searched keywords and returns the most relevant results.

How Many Keywords Should You Have?

The number of keywords you should target on your website depends on various factors, such as the size of your website, the competition for those keywords, and your target audience. Here are a few general guidelines for the number of keywords to target:

For smaller websites

It’s best to focus on a smaller number of keywords, around five to ten, and aim to rank well for those keywords.

For larger websites

You may be able to target a larger number of keywords, up to 20 or more, but it’s important to prioritize the keywords based on relevance and search volume.

Keyword saturation

It’s important to avoid keyword stuffing, where you try to use too many keywords in your content. This can impact your website’s rankings and readability. Instead, focus on using keywords in a natural and relevant way throughout your website.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to choose keywords relevant to your website and target audience and create high-quality, engaging content that provides value to your audience. Focusing on quality over quantity will attract and retain more visitors to your site and improve your search engine rankings.

Elements of Keyword Research

The following are some of the key elements of keyword research.

Keyword relevance

Find relevant keywords for your website and target audience.

Search volume

Determine the number of searches performed for a particular keyword to determine its popularity.

Competition

Analyze the level of competition for a keyword. It helps to determine how difficult it will be to rank for it.

Keyword trends

Study the trend of a keyword over time to determine if it is gaining or losing popularity.

Long-tail keywords

Look for longer, more specific phrases that are less competitive and may drive more targeted traffic to your website.

Keyword intent

Consider the intention behind a keyword search, whether it is informational, navigational, or transactional.

Keyword match types

Consider the different match types, such as broad match, phrase match, and exact match when selecting keywords for your website.

Local keywords

If you target a local audience, include location-based keywords in your research to target specific geographic areas.

How Do You Organize Keyword Research?

Organizing your keyword research is important for ensuring that you are using the right keywords for your website and maximizing the potential for search engine optimization. Here are a few steps to help you organize your keyword research

Create a master list

Start by creating a master list of all the keywords you have researched. This will give you a comprehensive view of your keywords and help you identify patterns and trends.

Categorize keywords

Categorize your keywords based on relevance to your website and target audience. This will help you prioritize the most important keywords for your site.

Analyze keyword metrics

Use keyword research tools to analyze keyword metrics, such as search volume, competition, and trends, and prioritize the keywords that have the greatest potential for your site.

Track keyword performance

Utilize web analytics tools to monitor the progress of your keywords over time, and then modify your approach as necessary in light of the information you gather.

Update your list regularly

Regularly update your master list with new keywords and re-evaluate your targeting keywords to ensure that you are always using the most relevant and effective keywords for your website.

You can optimize your website for search engines and raise your rankings by arranging your keyword research. This might drive more traffic to your site and reach your target audience more effectively.

How Long Should Keyword Research Take for SEO?

The amount of time required for keyword research depends on several factors, such as the size and complexity of your business, the number of products or services you offer, and the size of your target market. 

On average, keyword research for a small to medium-sized business can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, while keyword research for a larger enterprise can take several days to a few weeks.

It’s important to note that keyword research is an ongoing process, and you should regularly review and update your keyword strategy as your business evolves and your target market changes. 

As such, the time required for keyword research can vary greatly and may require a significant investment of time and resources, especially if you’re targeting a competitive market.

Overall, the length of time required for keyword research for SEO depends on the size and complexity of your business and target market. It should be viewed as an ongoing process that requires regular monitoring and updating.

When Should You Conduct Keyword Research?

Keyword research is an ongoing process and should be conducted regularly to ensure that you’re targeting the right keywords and reaching your target audience. However, there are certain times when conducting keyword research is particularly important

Before launching a website or launching a new product or service

Conducting keyword research before launching a website, a new product, or a service can help you identify the keywords that are most relevant to your target audience and have a high search volume and low competition. 

This knowledge can assist you in making your website more optimized and in producing content that has a higher chance of performing well in search results and drawing in targeted traffic.

When launching a new SEO campaign

If you’re launching a new SEO campaign, conducting keyword research can help you identify the keywords that are most likely to drive traffic and generate conversions. You can use this information to create a targeted SEO strategy focusing on the most relevant keywords for your target audience.

When revamping your website

If you’re revamping your website, conducting keyword research can help you identify changes in your target market and the keywords that are most relevant to your new audience. You can use this information to update your website content, meta tags, and other on-page elements.

When monitoring your SEO performance

Conducting keyword research regularly can help you when you want to know your SEO performance. By doing so, you can also make the necessary changes that are required based on the performance of search engine algorithms. You can use this information to make informed decisions about your SEO strategy and stay ahead of the competition.

Conclusion

This is it! We hope that we were able to guide you on how to do keyword research like a pro. Researching the keyword is the main factor that can take your blog or website to success. 

All the steps and factors mentioned in this article are very important and have to be followed if you want to grow your website. Try to implement everything carefully and experience what success looks like.