Selecting keywords that will rank well is a rather sensitive process. Even the most qualified SEO specialists have to tread carefully at this stage. So it may take some time to come up with a good list.

While keyword analyzing is important, keyword stuffing has been a common occurrence over the years. And it does more harm than good to your content. In fact, it should be avoided like a plague.

You cannot blindly handpick keywords that will perform well. It will take some effort to get your list of quality keywords that will rank well. And with these high-performing keywords, you can expect a couple of advantages, from more visibility to high-quality visitors, higher conversions, and a boost in your business.

So how do you choose keywords wisely? How do you ensure that your choices will elevate your campaign and push your website higher in the SERPs?

Let’s look at the steps for selecting the right keywords for your SEO efforts:

Step 1: Define Your SEO Goals and Target Audience

It is pointless to create an SEO strategy without clear goals. The same goes for your target audience. A good understanding of both is the starting point for the success of your approach.

This will inform your keyword selection process because you already understand your customer’s search behavior. As such, you can create content and develop products and services that they will like.

Step 2: Brainstorm Seed Keywords

A good starting point is pinpointing phrases or questions related to your topic and/or product/service.

You are simply answering the question, ‘What terms or phrases would your target audience be searching for to find your business?’

Step 3: Expand Your Keyword List

The seed keywords will target only a section of your audience. To broaden the targeted audience and boost your reach, you need to expand that list.

And you could use different methods at this stage.

Below is a quick rundown of the effective methods you could use to conduct your keyword research;

a. Keyword Research Tools

This is one of the most popular and quick keyword research methods. Most popular tools make it easy to expound keywords while providing valuable insights for your search.

With popular keyword tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz Keyword Explorer, you can find essential information about your competition, keyword search volume, and other related keywords.

b. Competitor Analysis

You cannot ignore the strategies your competitors are using. If they are doing well, there are definitely a few things they are doing right. By learning what they are doing, you can emulate them and adjust your strategies to rise above them.

You can master their strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities that will help make an informed decision and guide your unique route to success.

Tools like SEMrush and SpyFu are useful in identifying your competitors’ top-ranking keywords. Using this, you can draw inspiration that would help compile your own list.

c. Long-Tail Keywords

Don’t just go for the single keyword phrases, long-tail keywords are equally important. They can’t be ignored because they are specific.

They contain three or more words that target distinct search queries and niches. So they are not general terms like ‘Copywriter’, they are more specific such as, ‘Experienced SaaS Freelance Copywriter’.

While they don’t have the high search volume you are looking for, their conversion rates are high, and you will likely experience lower competition using them. For instance, if you are a Freelance Copywriter, you could check search queries such as;

• “Best Freelance Copywriter in ‘your city/town'”
• “Freelance Copywriter for hire”
• “Best ‘your specialty’ Freelance Copywriter”
• “Multi-niche Freelance Copywriter”

d. Customer Surveys and Feedback

In today’s world of customer surveys and feedback, you should be able to leverage this for your SEO advantage. Don’t just guess the terms your customers are using to find you, ask them.

Through surveys, you can find out exactly what their search queries are -this is how they find products or services similar to yours. You discover a goldmine of information about the vocabulary and language used to find you.

Step 4: Evaluate Keyword Metrics

After compiling your list of keywords, you need to analyze them using different metrics. It unravels a deeper understanding of the value that each of your keywords provides.

This differentiates the ones to prioritize over the rest.

Some of the important metrics to consider include;

a. Search Volume

Some keywords are used a higher number of times than others. You need to establish the search volume of your keywords, which is the frequency of their usage within a certain duration.

To boost your traffic level potential, avoid keywords with very low search volume. If they are not being used for search queries, they will probably not drive any traffic to your website.

b. Competition Level

Some keywords are highly competitive while others are not. This shows the importance of considering the competition level of your chosen keywords.

If a keyword has high competition, it indicates an equally high number of websites targeting it. Using such a keyword might render your website difficult to rank because of the tough competition.

That said, it is important to mix your keywords -use both high-ranking ones and moderate ones for a favorable outcome.

c. Relevance

Just because a keyword has a high search volume doesn’t mean it is suitable for you. Relevance is indispensable for the keywords you choose.

All keywords should align with the type of content you post on your website as well as the products/services offered. This will attract the right audiences and improve user engagement on your platform.

d. Keyword Difficulty

Using tools like SEMrush or Moz will provide the difficulty scores for your select keywords.

Keyword difficulty refers to the difficulty of ranking on the first page after using a certain keyword. Choose the keywords to target based on scores that align with the authority of your website.

e. Search Intent

Search intent refers to the reason why an individual inputs their query on the search portal. It’s also known as the user intent.

You need to figure out what your target audience is likely to type when making a search, then use this to to create a strategy that targets those issues.

Step 5: Group and Organize Keywords

Keywords won’t be all the same. They will vary based on factors including search intent and their relevance.

Organizing allows you to create targeted content using each keyword group. This in turn helps to effectively optimize your website structure.

Step 6: Analyze and Refine Your Strategy

SEO is always a long-term process. While you might experience positive results after a certain time, the work never stops. You need to constantly analyze and refine your strategies to continue reaping great results.

To keep track of your website’s performance, use tools such as Google Analytics and Search Console. This way, you can stay on top of crucial factors such as keyword rankings, user engagement metrics, and your organic traffic.

Through this data, you can fine-tune your keyword strategy to suit your current needs.

Step 7: Create High-Quality and Relevant Content

Conducting proper keyword research and analysis is not enough to attract potential customers and keep them interested in your business.

It’s equally important to create high-quality and relevant content that is engaging and valuable to its readers.

However, while incorporating relevant keywords into your content, avoid over-utilizing them. Otherwise, your content would be a red flag for search engines.

Think about user experience and value for your readers when creating optimized content.

Step 8: Monitor, Adapt, and Stay Updated

Search engine algorithms are always updating. To align your strategy with the new search trends, you need to constantly monitor and adapt.

Keep an eye on your keyword rankings and website performance to know when you need to make changes. Note also as search engine algorithms change, user search behaviors also evolve.

Staying up-to-date ensures that you use the best strategies for effecting keyword targeting.

In Conclusion…

The above guide should assist your keyword selection process. While it might seem like a complex process, the more you practice, the better you will get at it!