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Complete Keyword Strategy Guide

Keyword Strategy Guide

From Research to Selection [Part 1]

Step 1: Prepare and Set Goals

  • Define clear, measurable content goals (e.g., increase organic traffic by 20%, improve conversion rate by 5%)
  • Identify target audience segments and create personas
  • Analyze audience needs, pain points, and search behavior

Example: If customer interviews reveal that 60% struggle with “quality content,” prioritize related keywords.

Step 2: Do Initial Keyword Research

2.1. Brainstorm Seed Keywords

  • List broad topics related to your niche or industry
  • Identify questions or problems your target audience might search for
  • Consider different content types (how-to guides, comparisons, reviews) that align with your goal

2.2. Use Keyword Research Tools

Get insights into search volumes, competition, and keyword difficulty. Explore related keywords or LSI terms for broader relevance and context.

#1 Google Keyword Planner

google keyword planner keyword research

#2 Ahrefs

keyword research ahrefs

#3 Semrush

semrush keyword research

#4 Answer the Public

answer the publick keyword research

#5 Google Trends

google trends keyword research

#6 Keywords Everywhere

keywords everywhere plugin

2.3. Use Search Engine Features

#1 Google Autosuggest

  • Use Google Autosuggest for long-tail keyword ideas
google autosuggest keyword research

#2 People Also Ask in Google

  • Explore “People Also Ask” boxes for related questions
people also ask keyword research

#3 AlsoAsked

also asked keyword research

#4 Search related to

  • Check “Searches related to” at the bottom of search results
searches related to keyword research

2.4. Analyze Competitors’ Keywords

  • Identify top-ranking competitors for your target topics.
  • Use tools to uncover the keywords they rank for and find keyword gaps you can capitalize on.
  • Check:
    • the top navigation, footer and product/feature pages
    • the blog
    • top pages
  • Run Competitor Gap Analysis
    • Find keywords your competitors are covering but you aren’t
    • Find keywords your competitors haven’t identified

2.5. Browse online communities

  • Review questions asked on Quora and Reddit and answers
  • Analyze social media conversations and hashtags
  • Check industry-specific online communities or group

2.6. Evaluate Keyword Trends

  • Understand the popularity and seasonality of your keywords and spot emerging trends.

Step 3: Analyze Keywords and Refine

3.1. Evaluate Search Volume

  • Review the monthly search volume for each keyword.
  • Consider seasonal fluctuations in search volume
  • Balance between high-volume keywords and more specific, lower-volume term

Example: A keyword with a monthly search volume 7,000 is more valuable than one with only 50 searches (Mind that SV is not the most important criteria).

3.2. Assess Keyword Difficulty

  • Check keyword difficulty scores in research tools
  • Evaluate the authority of top-ranking pages for each keyword
  • Consider your website’s authority when choosing difficulty level

Example: A keyword difficulty score of 20/100 is easier to rank for than one scoring 80/100.

3.3. Assess Keyword Intent

  • Categorize keywords by intent: informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial
  • Ensure alignment between keyword intent and your content goals
  • Review search results to understand what type of content ranks for each keyword
    • Do results match the query?
    • What type of content ranks?
    • Are these websites relevant?

Example: Look for keywords with transactional phrases like “buy”, “deal”, or “get”. They have a clear commercial intent which brings your SEO closer to generating revenue.

3.4. Identify Long-Tail Keywords

  • Focus on longer, more specific phrases
  • Look for long-tail variations of your primary keywords

Example: Instead of “vacuum cleaners,” target “vacuum cleaners for pet hair” which might have a lower search volume but higher relevance to your product.

3.5. Competition Analysis

  • Analyze the strength and number of competitors for a keyword to assess ranking difficulty

Example: If the top three competitprs have domain authority above 80, the keyword might be too competitive to rank for.

3.6. Compare Keywords Using Key Metrics

When comparing keywords, create a table or spreadsheet that includes the following data points:

  • Keyword: The actual search term
  • Search Volume: Monthly search volume
  • Keyword Difficulty: SEO difficulty score (e.g., 0-100)
  • CPC (Cost Per Click): Estimated cost for paid ads
  • Competition: Level of competition (Low, Medium, High)
  • SERP Features: Presence of featured snippets, local pack, etc.
  • Search Intent: Search intent category (Informational, Navigational, Commercial, Transactional)
  • Priority: Your rating regarding each keyword’s priority [Low, Medium, High]
    • High Priority: Relevant, high search volume, low difficulty, strong business value, and increasing trends.
    • Medium Priority: Moderate search volume, medium difficulty, moderate business value, or stable trends.
    • Low Priority: Low relevance, high difficulty, low search volume, or decreasing trends.

Sample simplified table format:

KeywordSearch VolumeKeyword DifficultyCPC [$]CompetitionSERP FeaturesSearch IntentPriority
how to do keyword research2,400758.09HighNoInformationalLow
best keyword research tool for SEO480678.86HighYesCommercialMedium
Additional data points to consider:

  • Relevance Score: Your rating of how relevant the keyword is to your business and its business value (e.g., 1-10)
  • Current Ranking: Your current position in SERPs (if ranking)
  • Potential Traffic: Estimated traffic if ranking in top 3 positions
  • Difficulty to Create Content: Your assessment of content creation effort (Easy, Medium, Hard)
  • Trend: Search trend over time (Increasing, Stable, Decreasing)

💡 Tips on how to deal with the table:

  • Create this table for your top keyword candidates
  • Use color coding or conditional formatting to highlight the best opportunities
  • Regularly update this data to keep your keyword strategy current

Step 4. Select Keywords and Prioritize

4.1. Align Keywords with Business Goals

  • Select keywords that support overall business objectives
  • Prioritize keywords based on potential ROI and relevance to your offerings
  • Consider keywords that target different stages of the customer journey

4.2 Group Keywords by Topics and Intent

  • Create topic clusters around main themes
  • Group similar keywords that can be targeted with a single piece of content (e.g., “best SEO tools” and “top SEO tools”).
  • Ensure comprehensive coverage across your niche

4.3. Consider Location and Language

  • Tailor research to target geographic regions and languages
  • Incorporate local keywords if targeting specific areas
  • Use location-based modifiers (e.g., “near me,” city names) where appropriate

4.4. Map Keywords to Marketing Funnel

  • Categorize keywords by funnel stage: awareness, consideration, decision
  • Ensure a balanced distribution of keywords across all stages
  • Align keyword groups with appropriate content types for each funnel stage

4.5. Create a Keyword Priority List

  • Rank keywords based on a combination of search volume, difficulty, and business value
  • Identify quick wins (low-hanging fruit) for immediate implementation
  • Plan for long-term, more competitive keywords

Final Keyword Selection Recap

Use this quick checklist to make final decisions on which keywords to target:

  • Relevance: Does the keyword directly relate to your content, products, or services?
  • Search Volume: Is there sufficient search volume to justify targeting this keyword?
  • Competition: Is the keyword difficulty manageable given your site’s current authority?
  • Intent Match: Does the search intent align with your content goals and user needs?
  • Business Value: Will ranking for this keyword contribute to your business objectives?
  • Content Opportunity: Can you create high-quality, unique content around this keyword?
  • Long-tail Potential: For competitive terms, are there valuable long-tail variations?
  • Trend Consideration: Is the keyword stable or growing in popularity over time?
  • SERP Features: Are there opportunities to capture featured snippets or other SERP features?
  • Resource Alignment: Do you have the resources to create and promote content for this keyword?
  • Quick Wins vs. Long-term Goals: Does your selection include a mix of both?
  • Keyword Diversity: Have you included a range of keyword types (informational, transactional, etc.)?