Keyword Research and Brainstorming

Keyword research is a critical component of search engine optimization.  It provides insight into the way people search for products and services just like the ones you offer.

The reason why you need keyword research is to provide direction of what words you need to place into your titles, meta descriptions and content of your pages.

You may be surprised to learn that people don’t always type in your business name exactly, but rather use a myriad of word combinations that describe the product or service they are looking for.

Let’s Get Started…

Even though you may have access to keyword generation tools, a little bit of training around how to undergo keyword research is important.  This process applies to all keyword research tools because the thinking skills are what make a good Keyword Strategist brilliant.

First of all you need to put yourself into the shoes of your customer.  Write down a list of the types of things your potential customer would be searching for.

Start with a root words or concepts and then expand using synonymns, colloquialisms and other modifiers.  The following diagram demonstrates different categorization of words to consider.  In a sense it is like Keyword Math, adding and subtracting words to make new phrases.

Other ways to generate and expand upon keyword concepts are:

• Problem Solvers – describe the problem to be fixed
• Product Specifics – brand, deal, price, specifications
• Internal site search of your site – check your analytics and site logs to see what words visitors use when they search on your current website.
• Use your analytics program to see what words you are currently ranking for.  It is far easier to rank for similar keywords then to whole new keyword themes.
• Participate in online conversations (Blogs, Tags, Comments, Forums, Reviews) to see what language is utilized.
• Visit social bookmarking sites to see what wordfs are used in tag clouds and social tagging.
• Examine what words are used on competing websites
• Don’t forget abbreviations, misspellings and acronyms
• Include both Singular and Plural forms of the word
• Use a combination of One Word Terms and Multiple Word Terms (up to 4)
• List common phrases and questions related to your keyword concept
• Experts and Beginners use different levels of language based on how experienced they are with your subject mater.
• Consider words used in each step of the Search Buying Cycle – are customers ready to buy or just researching?
• What words are used in current news stories and media mentions (TV, magazines, newspapers)
• Include words used in offline advertising.  Offline brand advertising influences what people search for online.

Keyword Research Tools

Now that you have an initial list, use keyword research tools to see how valuable the words really are and discover new words that can be added.

There are numerous free and paid keyword research tools available that enable you find keyword suggestions and synonyms to build an extensive keyword list to upload to KeywordIntent.  Many also provide data intelligence to inform you how popular or how competitive the terms are.

Some recommended keyword research tools to explore are:

Free:

• Google Keyword Tool – https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Paid:

• KeywordDiscovery.com – www.keyworddiscovery.com
• WordTracker.com – www.wordtracker.com
• Hitwise – www.hitwise.com

You may find some words in keyword research tools that do not make sense.  Who on earth would ever search for the term “air travel cheap tickets ticket discount discount”?  Don’t be fooled by these results as they are manipulated. Over time you will develop an eye for those words and learn to drop them.

An Ongoing Process…

Keyword Research isn’t a “do it once, set it and forget it” event.  It is an ongoing process that requires dedicated time and effort because online markets keep changing.  A good SEO consultant or Keyword Strategist continually observes keyword patterns and builds upon them over time.

A Keyword Strategist loves keyword data and has analyst skills and the mindset to find gold in those words.