Why is keyword research an important part of our SEO roadmap?

As we continue our SEO roadmap, keyword research takes center stage. Beyond the initial SEO audit, the next step is understanding the importance of keyword research. You might have a website that ranks high for certain keywords, but if you’re not reaping the desired results and your customers can’t find you for the products or services you’re offering, it’s time to reconsider your keyword strategy.

What is a Keyword Search?

A keyword search encapsulates the phrases internet users type on Google to find the information they seek. To better explain, if I’m in the market for new sneakers, I might input queries like ‘white trainers for women’ or ‘Nike white trainers for women.’ These phrases are examples of keywords. Keywords can vary in length, ranging from concise to elaborate.

But wait, are there really “good” keywords? The answer is a resounding yes! It makes no sense to dominate search terms that see minimal monthly searches. This is where keyword research comes into play—a fundamental process showing us the keywords you should target.

However, it’s not just users who are engaged in keyword searches. Search engines, including Google, scan the content on your website to identify relevant keywords and subsequently rank your content based on those terms. And this is what affects your rankings, basically your website’s position in Google’s search results. And this is the inception of SEO, better known as Search Engine Optimization.

Why is Keyword Research So Important?

Understanding your keywords goes beyond mere SEO; it’s about understanding your brand and business essence. What do you offer? What services do you provide? Answering these questions can help you identify your keywords. Additionally, keyword research provides valuable insights such as your keyword rankings, keywords that offer easy ranking opportunities, and keywords your competitors are capitalizing on. It reveals the true intent behind user searches rather than relying on assumptions. It’s all data we can act upon. 

When your website is associated with specific keywords on various pages, search engines like Google can optimize their rankings for those keywords. Selecting keywords for blogs and outreach initiatives can substantially drive traffic to your website. Just note that keyword research isn’t a one-time deal—it’s a continuous process. Regularly evaluating your keywords and updating your content against your competitors helps you stay on top of Google’s search results. After all, even as users, we always need fresh and relevant content.

Did you know?

60. 75% of the top 10 Google search results, on average, contain keywords in their titles

According to a study conducted by Backlinko in 2020, there is a strong connection between keywords and search engine rankings. This highlights the significance of optimizing your title with the appropriate keyword, as it significantly enhances your website’s visibility to online users.

Our Keyword Research Process

At The Roadmap, we’ve created a systematic approach to keyword research that ensures tangible outcomes for our clients. Our process is designed to uncover valuable insights and identify strategic opportunities. Here’s an in-depth look at each step of our keyword research journey:

Step 1: Website Audit

We begin with an analytical website audit, analyzing the keywords you’re already ranking for, your competitors, potential growth opportunities, existing content gaps, and a retrospective evaluation of past strategies. This audit lays the foundation for a data-driven and focused keyword strategy.

Step 2: Finding Keywords with High Search Volume

Let’s talk about “good” keywords and how to define them. One universal measure is the average monthly volume (AMV), representing the number of monthly searches for a term. To illustrate, consider a site offering dog training and care. While you might rank well for a keyword like “training dogs,” which draws 600 searches per month, the term “dog training” gets a staggering 51K monthly searches. This stark contrast underscores the significance of keyword research. Higher search volume translates to increased visibility and potential traffic—a crucial consideration in keyword selection. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Source Ahrefs Keyword Research

Step 3: Uncovering Low-Competition Keywords

Assessing competition is a must. Our tools of choice, Google Keyword Planner & Ahrefs Keyword Research, measure competition by analyzing the number of advertisers targeting specific keywords relative to all keywords across Google. By identifying low-competition keywords, we unearth opportunities to dominate niches that competitors might overlook, thus enhancing your website’s discoverability.

Step 4: Assessing Rank Difficulty

While Google Keyword Planner’s competition metric provides a snapshot of the competitive landscape, our SEO experts are here to comprehensively evaluate the difficulty of ranking for certain keywords. We then group these keywords based on their difficulty ratings. Keywords with ratings of 0-9 are considered relatively easy to target, while those with ratings of 50 or more are classified as challenging. Opting for less competitive keywords, especially when high-authority domains like Wiki or Amazon target the competitive ones, can lead to more effective SEO results. You don’t want to compete with them.

Step 5: Evaluating Competitors

For a focused strategy that helps you outrank your competition and increase your conversions, you have to study the competition. By analyzing the keywords your competitors are targeting, we gain insights into their audience and offerings. What are they doing better? Which keywords are they targeting, and how? We’re here to investigate and answer these questions. This complements our approach, enabling us to position your website strategically within your niche.

Step 6: Generating Content Ideas

Keywords and content go hand in hand. There’s no content strategy without keywords. And even if there is (or let’s say some marketing agency told you so), chances are that your potential customers won’t find you, as their search queries won’t match your website’s content. In simple words, keyword research is a wellspring of inspiration for content creation. You have to know what your users are searching for and what they expect to read when searching for something specific on Google. If your website has irrelevant information, then yeah, your users will simply bounce. By aligning your content with user search patterns, we enhance engagement and provide real value to your audience.

Step 7: Deciphering Trends

Knowing when users search for specific keywords is essential for optimizing content and releasing it at the right time. Leveraging Google Trends, we gain insights into the ebb and flow of search trends. This information enables us to time your content releases effectively, ensuring that your offerings align with peak search periods, such as Christmas.

Did you know?

Only 0.63% of people click on Google's 2nd page search results

This statistic stems from an analysis of 4 million Google search outcomes conducted in 2022. When users can’t locate their desired information, they prefer modifying their search terms rather than delving into the second page of results.

Conclusion

Keyword research isn’t just about discovering random words; it’s about uncovering strategic keywords that can profoundly impact your website’s performance. Our marketing experts are here to guide you through it all. If you have any questions or need assistance in developing a tailored keyword strategy for your business, feel free to reach out to us. We’ll schedule a free consultation, and we can dive into the nitty-gritty of your business and devise a winning SEO roadmap.