Before you start keyword research and before you implement a content optimisation plan, there are important things you should keep in mind. These factors will ensure you focus on the right keywords, i.e. the keywords that will deliver the best return on investment.
After all, doing keyword research and then adding those keywords to content on your website is not a guarantee of success. You have to take the right approach, developing a keywords strategy that will deliver for your business.
Below are the five things you should always keep in mind when you are developing a keywords’ strategy for your website make it perform better in local SEO as well as global SEO
1. Search Intent
Search intent can vary greatly, even when the keyword used relates to a product or service you offer. Some people are just looking for information, while others are thinking of making a purchase but are in the earliest stages of their research.
As buyers get closer to making a buying decision, the types of keyword they use will start to change.
Recognising this search intent is essential when developing a keywords’ strategy. In fact, search intent is probably the most important of all keywords ranking factors, even more important than search volume.
The most valuable keywords to your website are likely to be those that show buying intent. This doesn’t mean you should ignore all other keywords as they can still be valuable and worthwhile targeting.
However, you should be aware of search intent, you should categorise keywords according to search intent, and you should adapt your strategy accordingly too.
2. Search Volume – and Its Limitations
The most rudimentary form of keyword research is to find the keywords with the highest monthly search volume, prioritising these keywords over all others.
There are a few things you should know about search volume, however:
- The search volume numbers and graphs you see on the Google Keyword Planner tool are indicative. In other words, they are not completely accurate. Therefore, you should use them as a guide rather than a definitive recommendation.
- Search volume takes no account of search intent – see above
- Search volume takes no account of competition – see below
So, use search volume when deciding keywords to target, but don’t use it as the only measure.
3. Competition
A hard reality for many business owners when it comes to SEO and keyword strategies is that there are some keywords that are next to impossible to rank well for. As a small, medium, or even large business in New Zealand, you will probably find it incredibly difficult to compete with long-established and heavily SEO resourced competitors for many keywords.
Again, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t target them. Appearing on page one of a search results page, for example, albeit below the big competitors, can still bring additional traffic to your website.
It’s important, however, that you weigh up the cost of getting to a higher position for certain keywords compared to the benefit those keywords will deliver.
4. Long Tail Keywords
Following on from the last point, long tail keywords rarely have significant competition, plus the best ones indicate clear buying intent.
Even though long tail keywords often have low monthly search volumes, they should still be part of your keyword and SEO strategy.
5. Mobile Searchers
The final consideration on our list is to think of users who don’t use desktop devices. This is because searching on mobile phones is different from searching on a computer. The main differences include:
- Mobile searches often have fewer words
- There is often a geographic element to a mobile search such as “restaurants new me”
Make sure you include popular mobile search terms in your keywords’ strategy.
Don’t Chase the Big Numbers
The most important tactic when developing a keywords’ strategy is to focus on results (i.e. conversions). Keeping the above five considerations in mind will help you achieve this.
