Is keyword research a daunting process?

Learning the ropes of keyword research is an art that comes with time and experience. As an essential SEO strategy, keyword research is actually determined by your target audience. What they search for become the keywords for the content of a website. Keyword research involves an extensive listing of words based on the client’s target audience and the search engines. Hence, to answer the above question, keyword research is a daunting process. But not to the expert who knows how to strategize their research.

Five important criteria that you should follow

#1. Aim for realistic words

It will do well to remember that most keywords are already taken. They are already out there and using the same ones for a new website will not give you the competitive edge. This is where long tail keywords play a major role because they are easier to rank and have a better chance of conversion. The trick is to find the niche aspects of the business - the USP that will set it apart from its competitors. This helps to narrow down your choice of long-tail keywords that will be most apt for your website.

#2. Use the language of your target audience

As a rule of thumb, keyword research should be based on what your audience will type when they look for the products you sell. Your client might be manufacturing “digital signage”. But his target audience will use “digital sign boards manufacturers” rather than “digital signage”. Hence, the former long-tail keyword is what exactly you should be using in your content. But beware of peppering the content with too many long-tail keywords. Use them sparsely and sensibly.

#3. Prioritize search intent

What do you want your keyword to do? The answer to this question gives you the intent behind using a particular keyword. Search intent can be classified into informational intent, navigational intent, commercial intent and transactional intent. If the keywords do match any of the above, your content is most unlikely to make it to the results page.

#4. Spend more time on keyword research

Usage of keywords is never static. It is constantly changing, which is why you should never stop refining your keyword research skills. It is not something that can be done in a fluke. There’s no way of winging it or relying on your instincts, because you will most probably miss out on crucial words and terms. Maintain a keyword search list and update it regularly.

#5. Check the usage of plurals and singulars

If you are a seasoned content curator, you will know the importance of using singulars and plurals. Google is brilliant enough to come up with the correct pages or websites, based on what the users are looking for. That is why “manufacturer” works better than “manufacturers” or “designer” gives better results than “designers”.

Location names are also crucial

The usage of location names makes it easy for search engines to identify and prioritize your page. After all, your target audience could be looking for a specific product or service in a specific location. For example, using the term “digital marketers in Tirunelveli” helps to draw more focus on your content rather than just “digital marketers”.

Keyword research boils down to one main factor: your target audience and how they use words to look for what they want on the internet.

Read More : Top eCommerce Website Designing Ideas From Web Design Experts