The Keyword Research Master Guide

The word “Keyword” (KW) is nothing new to those who want to optimize their online presence, especially in search engines like Google. However, as standard,  as it is, technical search engine optimization (SEO) like pagination and site speed have overshadowed it.

SEO, at its core, begins and ends with keywords. It is the engine that drives optimization, and not having one is more like punching the wind, and your content will likely not succeed. To prevent the latter, we decided to create a keyword research master guide to help you return to the basics and learn how to rise above the competition.

The Ultimate Keyword Research Master Guide

What differentiates an excellent SEO and a mediocre one is the keyword research strategy used. The wrong keywords that don’t apply to your content are time-wasters and shroud you in darkness rather than bringing you to the light. 

Conversely, the right ones will put you at the forefront of search engines and give you a healthy traffic flow. Knowing how to achieve this is crucial, and that’s what this guide is about. Let’s begin!

Understand Seed Keywords

Seed keywords are short, usually consisting of one or two words without modifiers. It might be as simple as “Hair” or “Hair loss,” but serves as the base, the origin point of keywords. Every other KW you are likely to use grows out of them. 

If you desire the best benefits of search engine optimization, you have to find the right seed word; it could make or mar your research strategy. To achieve this, ask yourself these three questions:

  • What do you want to rank for?
  • What do you already rank?
  • What do your competitors rank?

Once you answer these questions, the next thing is to validate them with data to find the best seed words. Find out what those in your industry who are top rankers have been using and start with it. 

One tool you can use to extract the seed words is the Google Search Console. It is quite useful. The fantastic thing about seed words is that it can help you grow a complete keyword once you input them. 

For example: if your goal is to visit an esport betting site like csgo-bets.org, all you have to do is input csgo bets as your seed word into the search console. It will give you other seed words to complete the keyword like “Csgo betting sites 2020” or “Csgo betting websites,” which would lead you to your primary goal.

Build the Perfect Keyword List

After finding your seed word, the next thing you have to do is build a list. The latter often supports several topics and pages and can generate more seed words. When creating a keyword list, you have to do the following:

  • Think like your audience.
  • Select specific keywords meant for your target audience.
  • Select general keywords to reach more people.
  • Group similar keywords into ad groups.
  • Consider close variants using exact match, phrase match, and broad match modifiers.

In summary, go all out, and be comprehensive when making a list. Ensure it matches the terms current and potential consumers of your product or services can use in finding you. Additionally, edit, remove and include keywords as much as you like until you have what works.

Prioritize Keywords

When it comes to optimizing keywords, you have to avoid redundancy. Since keywords became a thing, hundreds to thousands of them have been created, recycled over time, and will continue that way for a while. 

The secret to upping your competitors is finding the ones that are still relevant and prioritizing them. Some keywords will generate more leads than others, and that’s what you have to find and focus on.

Ask yourself the keyword that will be profitable to you, and then use the keywords metrics to find out. When doing this, consider:

  • Relevance
  • Monthly volume
  • Keyword difficulty
  • Organic click-through rate (CTR)
  • Priority

Knowing how to use these metrics is what differentiates you from the person still struggling with their SEO. So, start prioritizing.

Also read Important Factors That Affect Search Engine Optimization

Group Keywords

Keywords do not exist alone; they appear with their kind. If you want to increase topical relevance on your page, add related keywords, but ensure you do not include so many at once.

Clustering keywords reduces their relevance and makes them more challenging to rank. To avoid this problem, try creating different pages for keywords, and learn how to group them.

Capitalize on On-Page Optimization

On-page optimization (on-page SEO) refers to all the measures used directly within a website to improve its position in search engine rankings. This often involves optimizing page content or improving the meta description and title tags.

If you want to be successful with this, you have to find and understand your audience’s search and what they expect to see. Empowering yourself with this knowledge gives you insight into the keywords to use and helps you create only relevant content.

Track Keyword Rankings

One thing you should aim to know always is how your keywords perform in search engines. It would let you know the number of traffic to expect on your website and if your efforts are paying off. 

Note that tracking and ranking of keywords are not synonymous because of personalization, localization, and shifting competitive environments. Tools like Google Rank Checker helps you track keywords positioning in search engine results, and it is quite accurate. 

In Summary

Keyword research is beneficial, with no downside. With it, you get direction on where and how to apply keywords to your advantage. It is suitable for finding new topics, making efficient use of your time, and getting the best listings in search engines.

It helps you keep track of what your competitors are doing and what you need to improve on. It ensures you target the right audience and provides insights into their wants and needs. 

Your search engine optimization efforts will not give you maximum results without proper keyword research. So, start researching, begin your journey to dominating Google rankings, and increase your online presence.        

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Written By Sandra Manson

Sandra Manson is a professional journalist who reviews esports, events, and trends in the industry as well as writes about lifestyle. Recently, she's decided to create the blog csgo-bets.org where she could share her passion with the readers interested in the topic.