Keyword Research: Why Is It Important?
Sarah Edwards
Seemingly every month, Google revamps its ranking algorithms and moves the proverbial SEO goalposts. After each update, you must reexamine your SEO strategy and ensure your content is optimized for the latest standards. Fortunately, the global search behemoth and its counterparts have remained fairly consistent about one thing: the need for keyword research.
Since the dawn of search engine optimization, keywords have served as a foundation for content strategists. This makes perfect sense, as Google compares a user’s inquiry with the information contained on your web pages to determine whether your content aligns with their intent. If it is a good fit, you can earn a top spot on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) and rake in high-quality traffic.
However, the success (or failure) of your traffic generation efforts hinges on the quality of your keyword research. With that in mind, here is everything you need to know.
First Things First: What Is Keyword Research, Exactly?
Keyword research involves analyzing the words and phrases users submit to search engines to better understand user intent and search habits. Researching common (and uncommon) keywords helps you find out what your target audience is typing when they look for the types of products or services that you offer.
For instance, if you are a personal injury attorney, your research will likely reveal that members of your target audience query phrases like “injury lawyer” when they need your services.
Once you know what phrases your audience is searching for, you can weave those terms into your blogs, landing pages, and other content to make your site more visible to prospective clients.
Why Keyword Research Is Critical
Keyword research helps you identify which words and phrases your target audience uses to find services or products in your niche. The insights from your keyword research will inform your SEO content generation strategy as well as your paid marketing campaigns.
When you structure content around user search behavior, you can increase your online visibility and rank higher in search. But keyword research isn’t just for content; it’s also useful for paid advertising. With a pay-per-click campaign, strategically targeting specific keywords can increase your return on ad spend and minimize marketing waste.
Elements of Keyword Research
When you perform keyword research, you should consider three factors:
Volume
Google measures the volume of keyword searches using a metric known as “monthly search volume” (MSV). This metric reveals how often a phrase is searched per month across all audiences.
MSV is incredibly helpful in determining which keywords to target.
If a word’s search volume is too high, it will be difficult to achieve a page-one ranking. On the other hand, ranking for a word that no one is searching for will be easy but fruitless. For instance, you could rank for the phrase “injury lawyer who has a pet rabbit in Nashville” with virtually no effort, but you won’t generate many leads.
Authority
Authority refers to the quality and reliability of a site and its content. If a few exceptionally authoritative domains currently dominate the SERPs for a particular keyword, you probably won’t be able to compete with them.
Forbes, IBM, and the Cleveland Clinic are a few examples of well-established authorities that are nearly impossible to beat.
Relevance
To be deemed relevant, the keyword you choose should both meet searchers’ needs and relate to the services or products you offer. Additionally, your content must provide value to readers, as Google’s algorithm prioritizes the user experience above all else.
That is why you cannot simply stuff your content with keywords and climb the rankings. Instead, you must combine quality content with strategic keyword usage.
Benefits of Effective Keyword Research
Effective keyword research will set the stage for:
Higher Visibility on Search
When you strategically incorporate keywords into your content, you will be able to climb the search engine results pages, and it will be easier for consumers to find your website and content.
Increased Site Traffic
Generally speaking, improved SERP rankings translate to increased site traffic. This is particularly true if you target local keywords to increase your visibility among audiences within your service area.
For instance, instead of targeting just the phrase “personal injury lawyer for dog bites,” you could insert the name of the city or state that you operate within. This will make your site more visible when people in your specific region search for legal help after a dog bite injury.
Reduced Customer Acquisition Costs
By becoming a skilled keyword researcher, you can gain traction among the right audiences and acquire more clients. You can also generate increased organic traffic, which means your customer acquisition costs will drop, as you will not need to run as many paid ads.
Better Advertising ROI
Remember, keyword research is foundational to paid advertising as well. By thoroughly researching terms relevant to your industry, you can identify less-competitive (and therefore more affordable) terms to target.
You can then run more paid ads, as you will be paying less per interaction and targeting traffic with higher purchasing intent. A lower cost per interaction translates to better advertising ROI and reduces marketing expenditure.
You’ve Found the Right Keywords — Now Let Write Collective Bring Them to Life
Identifying the keywords you want to target via stringent research is a great first step. However, to put those words and phrases to use, you need to weave them seamlessly into captivating, engaging copy. That’s where things can get a bit tricky, especially if you decide to target less competitive and more complex key phrases.
The good news is you don’t have to create your own content or even decide when and where to use each keyword. The copywriting pros at Write Collective will masterfully and organically incorporate each phrase into your copy. Explore our content packages and let Write Collective transform your raw ideas into expertly crafted, keyword-optimized copy.
About Sarah Edwards
Sarah Edwards, the founder of Write Collective, is an SEO and content marketing expert with a strong track record in helping businesses, agencies, and individuals in every sector establish credibility online with strong links, optimized webpages, and superior copy.