SEO · 8 Oct 2021 · 3 min read

8 ways to do keyword research for SEO ranking

If you have a business website, you know how important keyword research is. After all, it is an important aspect of the SEO process. But what’s the proper way to do keyword research for SEO ranking? Not sure how to look for the best target keywords?

We understand it’s a challenging process. Here’s a guide for beginners to get started.

What is keyword research?

Keyword research is the process of searching and analysing different search terms — the words people type into search engines to find information. With the right keyword research, you can uncover queries, ranking difficulty, and how popular a given search term actually is.

Why keyword research matters for SEO

Keyword research offers insight into the queries your target audience searches for on Google. With that insight, content marketers can build a proper content and marketing strategy around actual search behaviour rather than guesswork.

How to do keyword research for SEO ranking

Here are eight ways to keep in mind:

1. Brainstorm first

Start with a list of every term your audience might use to find your product or service. Ask colleagues or friends what they’d search for. Keep refining the list over a few days into a final set of relevant keywords.

2. Use keyword research tools

Google’s Keyword Planner, Wordstream and Keywords Everywhere are all free starting points. For a shoe brand, common variants might be “women’s shoes,” “shoes for women,” and “trendy women’s shoes” — compare search volume across variants using the same tool.

3. Study your competitors

Look at which terms competitors are ranking for using a commercial or free keyword tool. That tells you where to compete directly and where an easier opening exists.

4. Target locality

Location-based keywords (“women’s shoes Chandigarh,” “shoes for women Delhi”) boost local brand exposure and convert well for businesses with a physical or regional footprint.

5. Study your buyers

Understanding your audience’s age, habits and needs helps you pick keywords that match how they actually search, not just what the product is called internally.

6. Prioritise

A long list of keywords is only useful once it’s ranked: high-margin terms, high-volume terms, and low-competition terms for quick wins each deserve a different priority.

7. Analyse on-site search

If your own site has a search bar, the queries typed into it are a direct signal of what visitors are looking for and struggling to find through navigation alone.

8. Go long-tail

Long-tail keywords (three-plus words, e.g. “red shoes for women”) have lower volume but higher intent — visitors using them tend to be closer to a purchase decision.

Conclusion

That’s eight ways to approach keyword research for SEO ranking. If you’re not sure where to start, our team handles this as part of ongoing SEO work for clients.