Keyword research is the process of researching popular search phrases that people use in search engines like Google and properly adding them to your content so that it ranks better on search engine results pages. This is essential because it can provide important information that can help you improve your online business.
This can also inform you what keywords people are actively looking for, how competitive those keywords are, and how to improve organic search visibility, ranks, and traffic using your content marketing strategy.
It ultimately involves creating a list of the most popular and valuable search queries that potential customers use on search engines to find information, products or services.
Effective keyword research and implementation are critical for improving search engine rankings and driving targeted traffic to your website.
Keywords are vital in SEO for several reasons:
- Search Engine Understanding: Keywords help search engines understand the topic and relevance of your content.
- User Intent Matching: They align your content with what users are searching for, improving relevance.
- Content Optimization: Proper keyword usage can enhance your content’s visibility and ranking potential.
- Targeted Traffic: Keywords attract users who are specifically looking for the information or products you offer.
- Competitive Advantage: Strategic keyword use can help you outperform competitors in search results.
In the SERP (Search engine result page), you can see 2 types of results.
- Paid:
- Paid search aims to attract users who are already in the ready-to-buy phase.
- Paid ads run only when they are funded. As soon as budget depleted or CPCs get too high, it’s no longer as easy to justify ad spend.
- Organic
- Organic search aims to provide relevant results to its users.
- Organic marketing is an evergreen discipline. Once a web page is created, it exists forever, drawing traffic ads.
Source from : https://ahrefs.com/blog/serps/
2 Types of keyword:
The main 2 types used in SEO are
- Short tail
Phrases with just one or two words are known as short tail keywords. They usually relate to the category as a whole and have a generic quality. Short tail are also known as head term.
Short-tail are essential for keyword research because they’re used as “seed” keywords. The seed are the foundation of keyword research that help you generate thousands of keyword ideas.
Example: SEO, Shoes, hotel
- Long tail
Long-tail are key phrases that are lengthier and more focused than more popular keywords. Due to their increased specificity, long-tail typically have a greater conversion value despite receiving less search volume.
Long-tail are more specific and less common than other keywords. They focus more on a niche.
Example: SEO expert in Kerala, Shoes under 500 rupees, Best hotel in Calicut
Search intent keyword types:
- Informational
Information search intent means users are looking to get more information on a topic.
Example: Blogs/Articles
- Navigational
Navigational search intent is when someone uses a search engine to find a specific website or web page.
Example: Nike shoes
- Commercial keyword
Commercial search intent is the purpose of a user’s search query related to researching or finding a service or product.
Example: Best quality shoes
- Transactional keyword
Transactional search intent refers to when a user is searching to buy something, such as a product or service.
Example: Buy/Purchase
Conclusion:
Keywords are the main factor in ranking your website. Identifying the most popular keyword can bring significant benefits to your service or business. When you pinpoint the keywords that drive the most traffic, you can optimize your content to align with what potential customers are searching for, thereby increasing your visibility and attracting more visitors to your website.
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