By Brendan Monahan, CEO of Raleigh SEO Company
Let’s face it: keyword research for SEO might sound about as exciting as watching paint dry while simultaneously filing your taxes. But fear not, dear reader! As the founder of the Raleigh SEO Company and the #1 ranking SEO expert in North Carolina, I’m here to sprinkle some digital magic on this seemingly dull topic.
Since 1998, I’ve been optimizing websites and turning them into money-making machines, generating hundreds of millions in revenue for my clients. That’s right, I’ve been doing SEO since Google was just a glimmer in Larry and Sergey’s eyes.
So, buckle up, because we’re about to turn this potential snooze-fest into a thrill ride through the magical (and sometimes maddening) world of SEO keyword research. With over two decades of experience up my sleeve, I promise this will be more entertaining than your last attempt at explaining SEO to your grandma.
Step 1: Understand What Keyword Research Actually Is (Spoiler: It’s Not Mind Reading)
Contrary to popular belief, keyword research isn’t about guessing what words your customers might be thinking while they’re sleepwalking. It’s the process of finding and analyzing the terms people use when searching for products, services, or information online. Think of it as eavesdropping on your potential customers’ digital conversations, minus the awkward moments and restraining orders.
Step 2: Brainstorm Like Your Business Depends on It (Because It Kind of Does)
Start by jotting down every possible term related to your business. And I mean everything. Let’s say you’ve come up with the outlandish idea of teaching a generation of young adults how to weave baskets underwater and to pursue that passion you’ve created the Underwater Basket Weaving University. And in this business you figure you’ll make money teaching classes, offering degrees and perhaps even selling basket weaving kits. Great! With this in mind, your list might include “underwater accessories,” “submerged crafting,” “marine basket weaving salary,” and “why do my baskets float when I’m trying to weave?” Don’t judge your ideas; that’s what the internet is for.
Step 3: Use Keyword Research Tools (AKA Your New Best Friends)
Now that you have a list that would make Santa’s look like a Post-it note, it’s time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Or in SEO terms, the high-volume, low-competition keywords from the “why did I even write this down?” keywords. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs are your new best friends. They’re like that brutally honest pal who tells you that yes, those pants do make you look fat, but here’s a pair that doesn’t.
These tools will show you:
- Search volume (how many people are actually looking for “underwater basket weaving salary”)
- Keyword difficulty (how hard it’ll be to rank for “artisanal submerged crafts”)
- Related keywords (because someone searching for “underwater accessories” might also be interested in “how to explain my new online business to concerned family members”)
Step 4: Analyze Your Competitors (AKA Legal Stalking)
Time to channel your inner Sherlock Holmes and do some sleuthing. What keywords are your competitors ranking for? Are there any gaps in their strategy? Maybe they’re dominating “underwater basket weaving” but completely ignoring the lucrative “eco-friendly kelp weaving for deep-sea enthusiasts” market. Their oversight is your opportunity!
Step 5: Understand User Intent (Or, “What Do People Actually Want?”)
This is where many SEO newbies go wrong. It’s not just about finding popular keywords; it’s about understanding the intent behind them. Someone searching for “how to hold breath longer” is probably not ready to buy your degree in underwater basket weaving (yet). But someone searching for “best classes for underwater basket weaving”? Cha-ching! Understanding user intent is like being a mind reader, except it’s legal and doesn’t require a crystal ball.
Step 6: Long-Tail Keywords: The Unsung Heroes of SEO
Don’t ignore long-tail keywords. These longer, more specific phrases might have lower search volumes, but they often have higher conversion rates. “Buy hand-woven underwater baskets with reinforced seaweed handles for left-handed weavers” might only get 10 searches a month, but those 10 people are probably reaching for their waterproof wallets as they type.
Step 7: Organize Your Keywords (Because Chaos Is Only Fun at Parties)
Now that you have a list of keywords longer than the terms and conditions you never read, it’s time to organize them. Group them by topic, funnel stage, or user intent. This will help you plan your content strategy and ensure you’re not just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks. Although, if you are, make sure it’s al dente.
Step 8: Prioritize and Conquer (Or at Least Make a Valiant Effort)
You can’t target all keywords at once (unless you have a time machine or a clone army, in which case, we should talk). Prioritize based on a combination of search volume, competition, and relevance to your business goals. Start with the low-hanging fruit – those juicy keywords with decent search volume and low competition. It’s like dating: start with the ones who are interested in you before trying to woo the supermodels.
Step 9: Implement and Track (AKA The “Are We There Yet?” Phase)
Now comes the fun part: actually using these keywords in your content and tracking their performance. Sprinkle them naturally throughout your website, blog posts, and product descriptions. But remember, keyword stuffing is so 2005. Google is smart enough to know that “buy underwater baskets buy underwater baskets buy underwater baskets” is not a sentence, no matter how much you want it to be.
Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to track your rankings and traffic. Watch those numbers like a hawk. Or like a very interested person who really wants their business to succeed. Same thing.
Step 10: Rinse and Repeat (Because SEO Is Not a “Set It and Forget It” Infomercial Product)
The world of SEO is ever-changing, like the weather in New York or celebrity hairstyles. What works today might not work tomorrow. Keep an eye on your keyword performance, stay updated on SEO trends, and be ready to pivot faster than an underwater basket weaver avoiding a curious shark. Reading our SEO blog can definitely help keep up on the current SEO techniques that work.
Conclusion: You’re Now a Keyword Research Guru (Sort Of)
Congratulations! You’ve made it through this crash course in keyword research without falling asleep or throwing your device across the room. You’re now armed with the knowledge to tackle keyword research like a pro, or at least like someone who knows what they’re doing most of the time.
Remember, keyword research is part science, part art, and part comedy routine. Embrace the process, learn from your mistakes, and don’t be afraid to get creative. And if all else fails, you can always hire an expert. *cough* Raleigh SEO Company *cough*
Now go forth and conquer those SERPs! And if you need me, I’ll be over here, optimizing for “SEO expert with great hair and mediocre underwater juggling skills.” Hey, you never know what people might be searching for.
