Do you want to know the secrets from the top SEO companies? Find out how they do keyword research.
91.5% of the average traffic share goes to the organic first page results on Google. Ranking well has never been more important. The top SEO companies know this and they know that good SEO starts with savvy keyword research.
But how do SEO gurus approach keyword research? Here’s a rundown of where they start and what tools they use.
Identify Niche Topics
Targeting niche topics rather than competitive keywords allows top SEO companies to get smaller businesses ranking.
A niche topic is a topic specific to your target audience. By targeting keywords related to that niche topic, SEO companies get potential customers to your page, without wasting time chipping away at high-demand keywords.
Head, Body, and Tail
Keywords are divided up into three categories:
HEAD
These are generally one-word keywords. They have a lot of search volume but also a heap of competition.
They’re also the least likely to lead to conversions because the intent behind the search isn’t nailed down properly. For example, someone searching basketball might be looking for game tickets or to join a team. The single term “basketball” doesn’t clearly articulate their intent.
BODY
Body keywords are usually 2 to 3 words long. They still get a decent search volume and show the searcher’s intent better than Head keywords.
TAIL
Tail keywords, also called Long Tail keywords, are longer than Body keywords, usually 4 words or more. They’re also far more specific than either Head or Body keywords.
Individual Long Tail keywords get the least search volume of all three categories but as a whole, they make up the majority of searches.
Top SEO Companies Target Body and Long Tail Keywords
Head keywords are often too competitive and far less likely to convert than the other keyword categories. Most savvy SEO masters don’t waste time on them.
Body keywords are where most SEO gurus focus their efforts. They hit a nice middle ground of search volume, searcher intent, and competition. When optimizing on-page content using Body keywords, you also tend to hit a few Long Tail keywords just by virtue of sentence structure.
Tools of the Trade
The most popular keyword research tool online is Google Keyword Planner. It’s a way for SEO companies to objectively measure the viability of keywords.
The 3 areas of the Google Keyword Planner that SEO gurus make use of are:
Search for new keywords using a phrase, website, or category
This tool helps SEO companies increase your pool of keywords. They offer examples of similar keywords to those they’ve already narrowed down.
Volume data and trends
With this tool, SEO companies can determine which keywords will perform the best. The most targeted Long Tail keyword isn’t going to do much if only a handful of people search for it.
Multiply keyword lists to get new keywords
This tool helps SEO companies come up with new Body and Long Tail keywords by spitting out combinations of existing keywords.
Top SEO Companies Know Their Stuff
Keyword research is the backbone of SEO. Knowing the anatomy of keywords, identifying niche topics, and making use of the best tools are just some of the ways the top SEO companies make keywords work for your business.
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