How to Research and Select SEO Keywords to Add to My Website

 

Selecting the right SEO keywords is critical for enhancing your website's visibility and attracting the right audience. Here's a comprehensive guide inspired by insights from HubSpot, Surfer SEO, and Web.com on how to effectively research and choose the best SEO keywords.

In this article, we'll discuss:

• What are SEO Keywords and Why Are They Important?
• Implementing Keywords Strategically
• Monitoring and Adjusting
• Review

What are SEO Keywords and Why Are They Important?

SEO keywords are specific words and phrases that people enter in search engines when looking for information, products, or services. These keywords are essential for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) because they help search engines understand the content of your website and match it with user queries. By optimizing your website for relevant keywords, you can improve your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), thereby attracting more organic traffic.

Importance of SEO Keywords:

• Improved visibility. High-ranking keywords help your website appear at the top of search engine results, making it more likely that users will visit your site. Increased visibility in SERPs leads to more traffic, which is essential for any online business.
• Targeted traffic.Using specific keywords that match user intent ensures that the visitors coming to your site are genuinely interested in what you offer. This leads to higher engagement and conversion rates because you are attracting users who are more likely to find your content relevant and useful.
• Competitive advantage. By researching and targeting the right keywords, you can outrank your competitors and capture a larger share of search traffic. Understanding competitor keywords can reveal gaps and opportunities in your own keyword strategy.
• Content relevance. Keywords help in creating content that is relevant to what users are searching for. This improves user satisfaction and engagement on your site, as visitors find the information, they are looking for more easily.

The selection and use of appropriate keywords is essential in attracting customers to your website. In this guide, we’ll use the example of a law firm website and walk you through the steps to select SEO keywords for content on the site.

Step 1: Understand Your Business

Start by clearly understanding your business, services, and target audience. Think about what they need. Create detailed buyer personas to visualize your ideal customers, including their demographics, interests, and online behavior.

For a law firm, you might want to focus on the specific types of legal services you offer (e.g., family law, personal injury, corporate law) and the demographic details of your ideal clients (e.g., age, location, income level).

This step helps you align your keyword strategy with the needs and search habits of your potential visitors.

Step 2: Find Basic Categories

Identify the main categories that your business covers and think of keywords related to them. These are broad terms that describe your products or services, serving as the foundation for your keyword research.

For a law firm, you might break them into categories such as:

• Family Law
• Personal Injury
• Corporate Law
• Criminal Defense
• Estate Planning

Step 3: Select Long-Tail Keyword Phrases

Long-tail keywords are specific phrases that potential clients are likely to use when searching for your services. These phrases are usually less competitive and more targeted, leading to higher conversion rates. Examples for a law firm might include:

• “Experienced family law attorney in [City]”
• “Best personal injury lawyer near me”
• “Affordable estate planning services”

Adding your locality can improve your SEO. Geo-targeting keywords help identify your business based on its location and the location of your desired customer base. So if anyone is looking for “lawyers in New York City”, your site is immediately going to show up. 

Step 4: Find Related Keyword Phrases Through SERPs 

Use search engine results pages (SERPs) to find related keyword phrases. Enter your basic categories and long-tail keywords into Google and observe the autocomplete suggestions and “People also ask” sections. These features provide insights into what users are searching for and can help you discover additional relevant keywords. For instance, searching “family law attorney in [City]” might reveal related searches such as “divorce lawyer” or “child custody lawyer.” 

You can also expand your keywords into a comprehensive list by using various keyword research tools. These tools will help you identify keywords with high search volumes and manageable competition, crucial for driving traffic to your site: 

• Google Keyword Planner: Provides insights into search volumes and keyword ideas.
• Ahrefs: Offers detailed keyword analysis and competitor research.
• SEMrush: Known for its comprehensive keyword and competitor analysis.
• Moz Keyword Explorer: Helps discover and prioritize the best keywords.

Then, be sure to evaluate these potential keywords, by considering these key metrics:

• Search Volume: Indicates how often a keyword is searched. Aim for keywords with significant search volume.
• Keyword Difficulty: Assesses the competition level for a keyword. Target lower difficulty keywords, especially if your site is new.
• Cost Per Click (CPC): Useful for understanding the commercial value of a keyword, particularly if you plan to run paid ads.

Step 5: Remove Competitor Phrases

Analyze your competitors to see which keywords they are targeting. Tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can also show you the keywords driving traffic to your competitors' websites. Identify high-competition keywords through a keyword gap analaysis. Find word that might be challenging to rank for initially and focus on less competitive, yet still relevant, alternatives.

For example, if a competitor is ranking high for “personal injury lawyer,” you might target “best personal injury attorney for car accidents” if it has less competition.

Step 6: Finalize Your SEO Keyword Phrase List

Compile all the keywords and phrases you’ve gathered into a comprehensive list. Prioritize them based on relevance, search volume, and competition. Ensure you have a mix of head terms (short, high-volume keywords) and long-tail keywords. For instance:

• Family Law Attorney
• Divorce Lawyer in [City]
• Child Custody Lawyer
• Personal Injury Attorney for Car Accidents
• Corporate Law Firm Services

Don’t forget to consider user intent. This refers to the reason behind a search query. Keywords can be categorized into:

• Informational: Users seek information (e.g., "What are the grounds for divorce in [State]?").
• Navigational: Users look for a specific website (e.g., "Smith & Johnson Law Firm website").
• Transactional: Users are ready to take action, such as booking a consultation (e.g., "hire a personal injury lawyer in [City]").

Align your keywords with the intent of your audience to ensure your content meets their needs and expectations.

Implementing Keywords Strategically

Once you have your finalized keyword list, it’s time to implement these keywords strategically across your website:

• Titles and Headings: Include primary keywords in your H1, H2, and H3 tags.
• Meta Descriptions: Write compelling meta descriptions incorporating your keywords.
• Content: Naturally integrate keywords into your content. Avoid keyword stuffing; focus on readability and relevance.
• URLs: Use keywords in your URLs.
• Anchor text: Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink to navigate to another web page.
• Image Alt Text: Add keywords to image descriptions to improve SEO.

Monitoring and Adjusting

SEO is an ongoing process. Regularly monitor your keyword performance using tools like Google Analytics and Search Console. Adjust your strategy based on the performance data, staying updated with SEO trends and algorithm changes to maintain and improve your rankings.

Review

Regardless of your industry, SEO can significantly boost your online presence. By strategically targeting relevant keywords, you can attract potential customers actively searching for the products or services you offer. This translates to increased website traffic, improved brand awareness, and ultimately, more leads and sales.

But if you find that SEO is a little too complicated for you, you can always leave it to the experts. Let BRAND’s SEO professionals do the heavy lifiting for your website.