It’s no surprise that big data is foundational for SEO purposes, and one main SEO purpose is keyword research and analysis. Keyword research involves pulling and compiling data from an infinitely bigger pool of data, and big data is instrumental in doing it successfully. In this way, big data has transformed SEO for marketing purposes by driving traffic to your website, gaining exposure for your brand, and successfully converting customers. So, how does keyword research help your SEO, and therefore marketing efforts?
Keyword research uses big data analytics to help determine what signals your company should communicate to search engines — specifically Google — for it to rank you higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs). Ranking higher in the SERPs, of course, will propose your website before others when they search for queries pertaining to your industry. But implementing the right keywords to rank accurately in the SERPs can be tough work.
Take a look below at how to conduct the keyword research correctly to bring more traffic to your company website.
Compile A Seed List
All successful keyword research begins with a seed list, or a base compilation of broad keywords. Keyword research can be complicated and overwhelming when you’re just starting out, and you may not even know where even to start. According to many experts in SEO, a few primary sources to identify your seed keywords should include:
- Terms directly associated with your products or services.
- Terms used by your audience.
- Related search terms found in Google.
- Current ranking pages and content.
- Competitor keywords.
For example, if you were a clothing business, keywords associated with your products and services might include “shirts, pants, and dresses.” Many of these keywords will naturally be associated with your website if you have product pages explaining your goods. However, you may want to do some research on your audience to see what clothing they are into. A younger crowd might be into the latest trends, and your keywords will have to correlate to the terms they would use. Furthermore, if you are a male clothing line, you may want to throw out the keywords “blouse” or “skirts” as most males will be searching for t-shirts and pants.
If you type any search into Google, they will offer terms related to your query. These related searches are also great opportunities for keywords, as they are other ways that people might search for products and services in your industry. Take a look at competitors and the pages that are already ranking well for them to see what keywords they use and how they have used them. Implementing keywords that encompasses any relevant search query will bring your page up in the SERPs. A seed list is a great place for a well-rounded keyword base, however, it doesn’t stop there.
Competition Analysis
The competitive analysis of a keyword will be different from analyzing your competitor for keywords in which they rank. Many words on your seed list will be in high competition for ranking in the SERPs, so much so that it won’t be worth your effort to try to crack the SERPs in that category, much less be competitive. It’s important to analyze each keyword on your list to understand which one to target. If you can find low competition keywords, you should implement them for ranking in the SERPS. Competitive analysis can be conducted with a couple of tools, such as SEMrush and Moz.
Check for volume to see if it is in demand. In other words, to see if people are searching for the keyword or phrases involving the keyword. Difficulty tools can help determine the strength of website ranking for a specific keyword. If it is a high authority website, you may want to consider trying to rank for another keyword if your domain authority isn’t near the site you are trying to outrank.
If you are close in domain authority with a competitor, check the pages that are ranking for their content. In some cases, the information for these pages aren’t useful to readers and doesn’t answer their questions. They may not be helpful because they have weak or outdated content. If you can create more relevant and updated content for the reader in this particular area, you have a chance to get ahead of them in the SERPs. Competitive analysis is a great way to find the value of a keyword and if you should spend the time crafting content around it.
All of the above would not be possible without big data and data sciences. In fact, Google operates on a series of sophisticated algorithms. Keyword research is vital for SEO and your business website, and it is up to you to send Google the right data can create significant results, data sciences cannot do it alone. Take these tips to get started on your keyword research and start your efforts in ranking in the SERPs today.
About the Author
Avery Phillips is a freelance human based out of the beautiful Treasure Valley. She loves all things in nature, especially humans. Leave a comment down below or tweet her @a_taylorian with any questions or comments.
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