How to Conduct Keyword Research for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Google is getting smarter every year, and so are all search engines. Still, it won’t simply “get” what you’re trying to say, or which audience you’re trying to reach. You need to give it a few pointers.

That’s why you’ll need to conduct keyword research for SEO (the right way) if you want your eCommerce business to be found by your potential customers in an ocean of pages.

Keywords, as you probably already know, are what searchers type in as search queries, such as “how to make cookies from scratch?” or “what’s the population of China?” or “women’s shoes for work”. It’s whatever you type when looking for information, entertainment, a product to buy, or a specific company or site, for instance.

You can (and should) conduct keyword research for your whole website or for standalone blog posts. Even for eCommerce sites, it’s important to write informational posts to engage the audience and guide them towards the sale.

It’s a time-consuming process, no sugar-coating here. But after the research your writing will become more targeted, flow much more easily, and you’ll have a much higher chance of appearing on top of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).

Keyword research gives search engines and your readers the knowledge of what your page is about, making it easier to navigate.

That’s what makes it such a crucial process in digital marketing.

The term people search for must be on the page, so your searchers know they’re in the right place and know exactly what to do. And for organic search engine rankings, that’s a score.

So if your page is about women’s running shoes, search engines will expect to see the term “women’s running shoes” somewhere on the page (hopefully on top of it), as well as terms related to it throughout the body copy.

One misconception about “keywords”, especially for beginners, is about them being simply words, like “coffee” or “clothes”. That’s untrue.

Some people even call them “keyword phrases” or “keyphrases” because people know that ranking for lone words such as “shoes” is virtually impossible when there are over 6 billion active websites out there. (Scroll down to learn more about head keywords/head terms).

As a little disclaimer, conducting keyword research isn’t a guarantee that you’ll reach top positions, though it will give you an edge over the competition. Remember that Google prioritizes YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) sites like medical sites, as well as authoritative sources. It won’t be overnight success. Positioning for one page or one blog post in the top 10 results is already a great achievement.

This article will teach you how to brainstorm keyword ideas, how to pick the right keywords, where to place them, and how to organize them. But before we jump in, there are a few concepts you must understand.

If you already know the basics, feel free to skip to the how-to section below.

Read more: www.business2community.com