On-Page SEO: Tips for Keyword Research in 2019
Keyword Research is critical for effective On-page SEO, get the how’s, the why’s and the Keyword research tools to rank in SERPs in 2019.
What is an On-Page SEO Checklist?
Just like any “to-do list”, an On-Page SEO Checklist holds the necessary activities you need to take to perform On-Page search engine optimization. The “On-Page” part means you’re optimizing components which are visible on the page, as well as those components that define visible elements, including meta descriptions or parts of HTML code. The main purpose of such a website checklist is increasing the website traffic due to faster load time, better user interface, as well as ability to produce content susceptible to keyword research.
What is keyword research?
Keyword research is a method for the acquisition of the most useful keywords that can improve page ranking on Google or other search engines. Keyword research also allows you to come up with unique keyword ideas that are relative to target audience or current trending. It’s a process in which you learn what people type when they search for content like yours.
Why is Keyword Research Important for SEO?
Understanding how people search for online content is of paramount importance. Knowing what keywords users type into the search bar both illuminates the path to the top of the search page and generates traffic. Internet Live Stats website shows that there are around 40 thousand Google searches each second, therefore, optimizing your content according to how people conduct their search allows the search engine to see your page as the most relevant and deliver it to users as such.
According to one of the most influential digital marketing experts, Neil Patel, keyword research is of enormous value for the entire industry. Keywords play a major role in numerous digital marketing techniques, some of which include:
- Content marketing
- SEO
- Big Data
- Mobile marketing
- Social media marketing
How to do keyword research?
Like any other research, you need some parameters that will define your search. You need to keep in mind elements like your brand’s industry, target audience, type of content you’re researching for, and of course – the tools you’re going to use.
We’ve created a list of five tips that will allow you to conduct proper keyword research.
Find a Keyword Research Tool
There are numerous software solutions one can use in for keyword research like:
Some of the keyword research tools are free for use, like Soovle or Google Keyword Planner, while others like Jaaxy require payment. The difference is in the set of additional features and automation level provided with each tool.
Moreover, your budget plays a significant role in determining the software solution you’re going to use if you have enough money to dedicate to a paid keyword research tool then go for it. However, free tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you perform your research as efficiently as any paid piece of software.
First, Do Your SERP Research
Each of us has our way of searching for certain content, therefore, there are different phrasings for the same type of content. To find the optimal keywords for your content you should make sure you have the right combination of words especially for your target audience, niche, and product or service.
Search Engine Results Page (SERP) research means analyzing various sets of keywords and how they could perform in your case. Let’s go through the process using a practical example:
Imagine you’re a retailer specializing in men’s shoes. You could find out that “men’s shoes” is the most popular keyword, which means you won’t stand a chance against competitors which have already established their place on the market and have a high traffic volume.
However, if you add a specific feature that relates to your brand and has a high use volume like “leather” or “sports”, you could make things work better for you. The same goes for local search, where placing your city name helps you capture more local customers.
You can use SERP analysis tools to make your job easier; however, if you’re running on a lower budget you can just type in different sets of keywords within your search bar and see how the results change. Keep track of your direct competitors and their position and use that knowledge as a tool for improvement of your keyword placement.
Use Google Keyword Planner
We mentioned earlier there are free research tools available. Keyword Planner (KP) is a Google Ads component, therefore, to use it you should log in to Google Ads using a Google account. From there, you can go to the “Tools and Settings” icon and find the Keyword Planner under the Planning tab.
The use of KP is rather simple, just start typing different sets of keywords and the software will display the information needed to determine the optimal choice.
The key benefits of Keyword Planner include:
- Targeted results – you can target your keywords better by adjusting location, language, and network settings. This allows you to know how a certain keyword performs in a specified location, or different languages, or even beyond Google search engine.
- Customize the date range – If you want to know how the keyword is performing in a specific time frame and make your decision accordingly.
- Break down and filter your results – This feature allows you to see how your keywords perform on a mobile device, desktop devices, or even how well they work in separate locations.
How Your Competitors Rank
A significant segment of the research process is comparing how your competitors rank for phrases you are planning to use or already have as part of your online content. The easiest way to do that is to start typing in keywords and see if any of your direct competitors are on top of the results page. Truth be told, the fact that they’re making it to the top doesn’t mean you’ll be ass successful but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.
Furthermore, if your competitors are not ranking for specific keywords, but you concluded they have a respective volume and show potential for your brand, don’t hesitate to use them. The disparity between your choice and the keywords left unused by your peers could be the edge you need.
Check the Search Volume, Clicks & Traffic Potential
Metrics play a crucial role in every SEO technique. The numbers show us the value of each phrase, thus allowing us to make an informed decision instead of going with a hunch.
Search volume shows how many times people used a particular keyword. However, don’t go after the keyword with the highest volume and hope it’s going to do the trick. Let’s say you’re running a lifestyle blog, and you’re optimizing an article about Madonna, keywords like “Madonna age”, “Madonna real name” are probably among the top keywords by volume but they won’t get you a lot of clicks as those results will come up on Google anyways.
Clicks volume shows the number of times people click on a link after typing in the keywords you’re analyzing. It’s best to find the thin balance between the search volume and the click volume.
Since there are numerous semantic disparities for the same search object, traffic potential shows which phrases have the best potential to lead users to website if we rank first for the parent topic keyword.
Conclusion
Optimizing your content for readability and tailoring it to your target audience’s specific needs is an essential part of on-page SEO and in order to do it right your keyword research needs to be on point or your efforts will fall flat.
