How to Choose Keywords for SEO

January 7, 2022January 7, 2022 by Nick Jones

Ready to launch your new business website?

Before you do, check to make sure you’ve optimized it right. There are over 1.9 billion websites on the Internet right now. Each one is fighting hard for traffic and attention.

The only way you can stand out is through a solid SEO campaign, complemented by PPC, social media marketing, and more. Almost all of these, especially SEO, rely on the best keywords.

Don’t fret if you don’t know how to choose keywords. We’ve got an in-depth SEO guide below to help you get started:

Prioritize Long-Tail Keywords

There are three main types of keywords for SEO. The first is the header keyword, which uses only one or two words. Unfortunately, the search volume for header keywords is pretty high.

Body keywords use a few more words and are more specific to a user’s needs. You can use these as great secondary keywords to boost your page’s content and metadata.

However, to truly beat out the competition, you should focus more on long-tail keywords. These use several words in a phrase. Most users type full phrases or questions when searching on Google, and you can target those queries.

Keywords Relative to Your Business

Start by making a long list of keywords relevant to your business. Don’t worry about things like search volumes, click-through rates, or any of that. Simply note down phrases you know people might use when searching for topics tied to your niche.

If you sell laptops in Chicago, for example, you can list down keyword phrases like “laptops in Chicago,” “cheap laptops for sale,” “best laptops in Chicago,” and “Chicago laptops.” Start narrowing it down to phrases like “Chicago laptops below $500.”

Do you offer installment plans or budget-friendly plans? Make sure to include these in your list of keywords too. There might be people who rely on those specific keywords to weed out expensive deals.

Refine Keywords With LSI

You can even let Google do some of the work for you. LSI refers to Latent Semantic Indexing. This is a form of word association, and it allows Google to auto-complete a search query.

Get on Google right now and start typing one of your keyword phrases. Before you finish typing, you’ll notice how the search bar reveals a few suggestions. These are some of the most associated phrases with the keywords you’ve typed in thus far.

Use those autofill suggestions to your advantage. Google recommended those for a reason. It means a lot of people typed those keywords along with the first half of the keywords you used.

Choosing Keywords With a Tool

Of course, the best way to choose keywords is with a Google AdWord keyword planner. There are a lot of them out there, from Ahrefs to SEMRush. However, you can’t go wrong with Google’s Keyword Planner.

Yes, most businesses rely on keyword tools for PPC purposes. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t use them for SEO too! If you also run a PPC campaign, you can use these tools to knock out two birds with one stone.

Whichever tool you use, start by inputting basic keywords. You’ll then get a list of associated keyword phrases. You’ll also see the search volume, competition rate, and how well these keywords fare in the search results pages.

Research the Competition

Did you know there are tools like SpyFu, which allow you to check which keywords your competitors focus on? Take some time to use these tools and identify how businesses similar to yours gain traffic and attention. This will give you a clearer idea of what to do for your SEO campaign.

However, what works for your competitors might not work for you. Take things into context too. Check how they use those keywords and determine if those methods work for you and your business.

The keywords they use might work better for metadata and on-page commercial SEO efforts. If you run a blog that prioritizes informative content, keywords intended for sales might not be in your favor. You also make different kinds of content, even though you cater to similar demographics.

Use Your Site’s Search Bar

Never forget that there’s a tool in your website right now that already lets you know what site visitors want! You can find the best keywords simply by going over the phrases people type in that bar.

Keep in mind that the data isn’t solely for keyword research.

You may discover more about visitor behavior too. People might rely on the search bar to find pages that they should be able to find with a click or two. Now you know those pages aren’t easy to find, so rework your website design a bit to improve site navigation (which also boosts SEO efforts).

Choose Keywords With an SEO Agency

Whenever you can, work with a professional SEO agency. These are experts who have the skills, knowledge, and training to get the job done. They have years of experience, guaranteeing that you can identify the best keywords for your website’s needs.

Yes, they might cost a bit. However, they already have the tools you need to discover the right keywords for your SEO campaign. Why risk it when there are professionals who can already show you the way?

You’ll also get guaranteed results. You could do all this keyword research and SEO on your own. However, this takes away from the time and money you could spend running your business.

Optimize Your SEO Campaign Today

Now you know how to choose keywords that will help your site appear first in the search results. These keywords will also help increase your pages’ relevance and traffic. Use these keywords to improve your content, guide your consumers, and boost your SEO efforts.

But why stop with this list when we’ve got even more SEO tips for you to learn and implement? Discover all the digital marketing advice you need by reading through our library of guides. We have the best articles for all your interests!