Keyword Research

Let’s get right down to it — the key to successful SEO is concentrating on long-tail keywords, which are associated with more qualified traffic that’s more likely to convert. As for the key to finding — and choosing — the right long-tail keywords? I’ve found that it involves knowing how to use keyword research software effectively. In doing so, you can find specific, relevant search terms that can attract users who are further down their search intent than those using generic terms. In this post, I’m highlighting the thirteen best tools out there for performing keyword research for your website content. Before we go any further, though, I want to touch on two important things to consider as you do your research: relevance and (if applicable) location. Table of Contents Keyword Relevance Location-Based Keywords Choosing the Right Keywords for Your Business Free Keyword Research Tools Paid Best Keyword Research Tools Keyword Relevance Relevance is the most important factor to consider when choosing the right keywords for SEO. Why? Because the more specific you are, the better. For instance, if you own a company that installs swimming pools, it‘s likely that you’d attract more qualified prospects by targeting a keyword such as “fiberglass in-ground pool installation,” rather than “swimming pools.” That‘s because there’s a good chance that someone searching for “fiberglass in-ground pool installation” is looking for information on installation or someone to perform the installation … and that could be you. Sure, optimizing for “swimming pools” has its place. But there’s no doubt that this keyword will attract a much more generic audience that may not be looking for what you have to offer. Go for the relevant, long-tail keywords instead. Location-Based Keywords Another major factor to consider when optimizing for the right keywords is location-based searches. When looking for contractors and services in their specific area, search engine users will usually include their location in the search. So, “fiberglass in-ground pool installation” becomes “fiberglass in-ground pool installation in Boston, MA.” If you operate in one geo-location, you may want to consider adding location-based keywords to all of your pages, since traffic from other locations isn’t going to be very much help to you. If your business operates in several geo-locations, it is also a wise choice to create a separate web page dedicated to each location so you can make sure your brand is present when people are searching for individual locations. Choosing the Right Keywords for Your Business Now that you understand these two considerations, how do you choose the keywords most likely to drive the best leads to your business? Guessing, for obvious reasons, is not a good strategy. While you might be spot on, the search terms people use to find you might surprise you. With that in mind, it’s best to use a keyword research tool that will either confirm your guess (or blow it out of the water) and help you identify long-tail keywords that are right for your business. There are tons of tools out there, and finding the best keyword research software can be overwhelming. To make your job easier, I’ve demoed these top thirteen tools — free and paid — so you can make a quick choice and start identifying strong long-tail keywords for your SEO campaign. Free is always my favorite place to start, especially when you’re just dipping your toes into SEO. 1. Google Keyword Planner Best for: Simple keyword research that taps right into Google Search algorithms. Google has a few tools that make it easy to conduct keyword research, and their free AdWords tool called Keyword Planner is a great place to start — especially if you use AdWords for some of your campaigns. Important note: You need to set up an AdWords account to use Keyword Planner, but that doesn’t mean you have to create or spend money on an ad. Google will try to funnel you into creating your first ad, providing step-by-step directions. You can bypass this by selecting “back” and “skip” until you are prompted to set up your account. After playing with it, I discovered that while you do need to put in a payment method, you do not need to spend money. To get started, choose the “Discover new keywords option.” Then, type in some basic information about your business and enter your URL. When you input keywords and your website address into Keyword Planner, Google spits out a list of related keywords along with simple metrics to gauge how fierce the competition is around each one and how many searches it gets on both a global and local search level. It‘ll also show you historical statistics and information on how a list of keywords might perform — and it’ll create a new keyword list by multiplying several lists of keywords together. You can choose the ideas you like most, or that best fit your business, and then select “Add keywords” to save them so you can streamline what you’re looking for. 2. Google Trends Best for: Comparing search terms against one another and doing quick searches. Google Trends is another free tool from Google. It lets you enter multiple keywords and filter by location, search history, and category. Once you enter that information in, it’ll give you results that show how much web interest there is around a particular keyword, what caused the interest (e.g., press coverage), and where the traffic is coming from — along with similar keywords. The best part about Google Trends is its colorful, interactive graphs that you can play with, download, and even embed on your website. One way to use Google Trends? If you’re trying to decide between two keyword variations for your latest blog post title. Simply perform a quick comparison search in Google Trends to see which one is getting searched more often. For example, when you compare marketing metrics vs. marketing KPIs, you can see how they’ve trended over the past several years. You’ll also be able to find related

I’ve been in content marketing for over a decade, and let me say that it’s never been this hard to rank highly in search. The reason is that there’s a lot of content out there — Google says that it indexes “hundreds of billions of webpages,” which take up over “100,000,000 gigabytes in size.” With these numbers, does it even make sense to publish new articles? Absolutely — you just have to change your approach to creating content to improve your keyword rankings. Here’s how to find out what your current rankings are, along with 11 tips to help you boost your positions. Table of Contents What is a keyword ranking? How to Check Your Keyword Ranking How to Improve Keyword Rankings What is a keyword ranking? A keyword is a phrase you enter into a search engine to get an answer to your query. In an ideal scenario, you’ll get a list of results matching your intent. Keyword ranking refers to a web page’s position in those search results. For example, if we Google “best content marketing tactics,” HubSpot ranks first for this phrase and Outbrain second. Why are keyword rankings important? Since I started my marketing career, brands have fought to secure a spot in the top three search results — and for good reason. The number one result has an average click-through rate of 27.6%, which is 10 times higher than a source ranked in the tenth position. As the saying goes, the best place to hide a dead body is on page two of Google. Most people don’t want to go through hundreds of websites to find an answer. They focus on the first page, trusting that a high-ranking site means high-quality content. How to Check Your Keyword Ranking There are two types of tools for checking keyword rankings: Admin panels like Google Search Console (GSC), which provide data directly from search engines. External software designed for keyword and rank tracking. Let’s say you’re starting from scratch and haven’t set up Google Search Console or Google Analytics yet. In this scenario, it’s easier (and faster) to run a quick ranking audit through an external tool. There are plenty to choose from on the market. Personally, I use Keysearch. That said, you can’t rely solely on commercial solutions like these. Your owned rank tracking tools show you first-party information. You’ll see not only your keyword positions and traffic but also your website performance. Rank tracking tools let you manage your site technicalities and alert you about any site performance issues — both of which could impact your SEO ranks. You also need them to set redirects between pages and to index your web pages faster. To set these accounts up, you need to follow the instructions from search engines — here’s a step-by-step from Google. In this section, I’m going to show you how to get an overview of your keyword rankings using external tools. Most ranking tracking tools work similarly. In this step-by-step, I’ll refer to Keysearch since that’s my go-to choice: Step 1: Create an account. You sign up by filling out your details. Some companies offer free basic keyword rank tracking tools (like Ahrefs does with their webmaster tools). Others give you a free trial or require upfront payment. In any case, setting up an account shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Step 2: Go to competitive analysis and select organic keywords. Once you’re in, you can start checking your keyword ranks in search. Different tools can call this functionality differently. In Keysearch, you click on “Competitive Analysis” in the search bar, and then select “Organic keywords” from the drop-down list. Source Step 3: Enter your URL. Enter your URL. If you’re using Keysearch like I am, you’ll have two drop-down lists to choose from before you run your keyword rankings analysis. To see the highest-ranking keywords for your website at the top, select the “by rank” option in the first drop-down list: Next, you get to decide if you want to see results for the entire domain or maybe just for a specific page. Assuming you’ve never checked your rankings before, you’ll want a site-wide analysis, so you select “entire domain.” Next, click on “Search” and wait for the numbers to roll in. Step 3: Analyze your results and use sorting for more context. For this example, I decided to check HubSpot’s existing rankings. Here’s what I got. Notice that there are a lot of keywords that rank first in Google: They’re listed in alphabetical order, so you can’t say how many high-volume keywords you have at top ranking yet. You also don’t know how much traffic your domain gets for these particular phrases. To find the answers, click on the Volume and Traffic tabs. Here’s a sorted list of keywords by their search volumes: And here’s a view of keywords sorted by the actual traffic your site gets: You can do the exact opposite and use sorting to see which keywords get little or zero traffic. You can correlate it to the keyword’s search volume and so-called difficulty score (i.e., a score that tells you how hard the competition is for each exact phrase from other publishers). This is just the start of your SEO keyword rankings journey. Now that you have your current numbers, you can seek out opportunities for ranking for more phrases and, ultimately, getting more clicks. Important note: If your website is new and doesn’t have many subpages or content, you’ll likely see few keywords in your results. In some cases, you might not be able to see any at all. Don’t worry. You’re just at the start of your SEO journey. The more content and the bigger your site becomes, the more phrases you’ll likely see in rank-tracking tools. How to Improve Keyword Rankings To help you put your best foot forward, I spoke to several content and SEO specialists, asking them for advice. I’ve also shared my own experiences from working on keyword rankings

A lot of marketers are guilty of paying too much attention to keyword volumes and not enough to what the content should cover. As a result, they produce large volumes of content that lack engagement and don’t convert. That’s even true for pieces that are well-written. That’s what happens when marketers ignore keyword intent, which is the missing element of the puzzle. Knowing not just what your audience is searching for but also why they want the information can transform your content strategy. Below, I’ll share my deep dive into keyword intent. Here’s all you need to know about getting it right. Table of Contents What is keyword intent? The Importance of Keyword Intent Types of Keyword Intent How to Identify Keyword Intent Tips for Optimizing for Keyword Intent What is keyword intent? Keyword intent — or, as others call it, search intent — reflects what a user wants to find in search results. Their goal might be learning about a specific topic, making a purchase, or comparing options. By understanding keyword intent, marketers can create content that matches searchers’ expectations. This should lead to higher rankings and more user engagement. The Importance of Keyword Intent In my opinion, keyword intent doesn’t get the credit it deserves when it comes to its impact on SEO. Getting it right is one of the must-haves in order to secure high search ranking results. How so? Think of the very way search engines work. Google and its counterparts aim to show users relevant content and pages that help answer their questions. If you address a specific problem or topic with a keyword that’s relevant to the person’s intent, then Google can tell and consider it in the engine’s rankings. Also, on top of “just” pleasing search engines, remember that understanding keyword intent helps you position yourself for phrases that relate to your offer. For example, we want HubSpot to appear in searches for “CRM.” Beyond that, we want to optimize for more specific intents, like “how to keep my small business organized” or “how to organize my contacts.” Types of Keyword Intent There are four main categories for intent: Informational As the name suggests, this intent type applies to queries people tap into the search bar to get information on a subject. They either have a very simple question, like, “How long is a direct flight from NY to LA?” The searcher either wants a straightforward answer or to go deeper into a topic. Think of queries like “benefits of vitamin D.” That’s a jumping-off point for more research. Navigational These keywords are often “branded,” or related to a company’s website or a dedicated webpage. In fact, just recently, I saw a post from Ahrefs CMO Tim Soulo, who shared that 36.9% of all U.S. searches include a company name. That’s quite a lot!) Source For example, a person who wants to log into their Slack account via a web browser could tap “Slack login page” into the search bar. Their intent is to get directed straight to the login subpage instead of going to the commercial site and finding the login feature themselves. Similarly, someone who purchased a dress in Zara but it doesn’t fit well could search for “Zara return policy.” A person who wants to try on Nike shoes could Google “Nike store near me.” The goal here is to appear for those branded terms (especially since competitors might try to rank for your branded phrases). Transactional Recently, I spent hours looking for a dash cam. I knew exactly what model I wanted to buy, but I wanted to find the best deal. After visiting a few sites, I went with a distributor who offered the lowest price and bought the camera immediately. My search intent was transactional — I knew what I wanted, and I wanted to buy it ASAP. Commercial Commercial intent is similar to transactional intent, except that people might not be quite ready to buy yet, so they evaluate their options. Going back to the camera example. I am not a “car camera” specialist, so before finding the model that I liked I had to run “a little” research. In truth, I spent hours going through camera rankings and reviews, until I found the right one. I didn’t buy it then. I waited a few days until I was absolutely sure it was the “one.” How to Identify Keyword Intent Analyze SERP results and dive into the query’s language. I always start with search results. If I were to write a piece on “best real estate agencies in Spain,” I would Google this phrase before deciding on the content format. Here is what I would get: We can clearly see that search results include a list of real estate agencies worth working with. Users running this type of query are evaluating their options — this means their intent is commercial. The best type of content to target this phrase would be reviews, case studies, testimonials, or comparison pages. Anything that could help users make an informed decision on which agency to work with. If we dive deeper into each result, we can also notice that they include words like “pros,” “cons,” “best,” and “comparison,” which further confirms that the intent is, in fact, commercial. Use a tool. If you feel like you need some extra help identifying intent, tools like Semrush or Ahrefs work wonders. Both have features that assign intent to keywords automatically. If you already use either of these tools, then this will definitely be the easiest (and fastest) option. Alternatively, you could also ask ChatGPT for help. It does a good job of analyzing language and meaning thanks to natural language processing (NLP). The chatbot can sort phrases according to keyword intent types. That’s what I did when I ran an SEO audit for a client earlier this year. I provided ChatGPT with an export of keywords that the brand was already ranking for, along with terms that they wanted to create

Who’s up for a treasure hunt? No, we’re not after gold doubloons, but something equally valuable: top rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). Keyword mapping will show us where X marks the spot. Your site’s content is the key to climbing SERPs and reaching your users where they are. An important element for effective content is assigning the right keywords. A keyword map helps you do just that. And what fun would a treasure hunt be without friends? To help chart our course through keyword mapping, I sought insights from Nicole MacLean, head of marketing and sales at Compose.ly. Table of Contents What is keyword mapping anyway? The Importance of Keyword Mapping: SEO and Beyond How to Map Keywords: A Guide to Start Your Keyword Mapping Journey What is keyword mapping anyway? “At its core, keyword mapping is the process of assigning specific target keywords to the most relevant pages on your site so that your content meets searchers’ needs throughout the funnel,” said MacLean. “Whether the intent behind a search is informational (to learn something) or transactional (to take action), keyword mapping makes sure your pages are positioned to rank, convert, and answer the users’ needs. Think of it as the roadmap connecting user intent to your site’s content.” Keywords help optimize your site for search engines. The right keywords help your users find you, understand your offers, and then buy when they’re ready. That connection between user and outcome is where keyword mapping works its magic. The Importance of Keyword Mapping: SEO and Beyond Of course, keyword mapping will help you maximize opportunities with search engines like Google. However, the process of defining and assigning the best keywords can extend benefits beyond climbing SERPs. Creating a Better User Experience People crave a logical structure to your site and content. Clear information hierarchies help users quickly find and process information — and they’ll reward you by coming back for more. A keyword map sets up a logical hierarchy, much like how a story unfolds. It guides users from pillar pages with general information to more specific subpages and subtopics, sharing increasingly relevant information along the way. Reducing Keyword Cannibalization Over time, your site accumulates content: landing pages, blog pages, case studies, feature wrap-ups, and so on. Naturally, you want each page to rank for the best keywords for your audience, so you plug in those keywords throughout your content. That’s how keyword cannibalization sneaks its way onto your site: You have multiple pages chasing the same keywords, making it harder for any single page to rank successfully. A keyword map requires reviewing every page, discovering your keywords, and mapping them to the most appropriate pages. This process helps you reduce keyword cannibalization and more efficiently rank on SERPs. Gaining a Competitive Advantage Depending on your industry, there could be niche audiences seeking what you offer, but they’re simply underserved. Your competitors either haven’t discovered these opportunities or decided not to pursue them. Keyword mapping can locate these buried treasure chests and draw a path to uncovering them. Making Content Work Better for Your Business You know content should support your business outcomes and KPIs. Brand awareness, lead gen, and conversions are certainly important parts of great content marketing. The keyword mapping process can help you pinpoint where your content supports larger company goals and where you could do with adjustments. How to Map Keywords: A Guide to Start Your Keyword Mapping Journey I asked MacLean how to begin your keyword mapping process. What steps are most important? What shouldn’t you forget? Here’s what we discussed. 1. Define your business goals. Why do you want to rank for your keywords? What purpose do they fulfill? MacLean reminds us about the importance of using business goals as guides for keyword selection: “Developing a thorough keyword map means understanding what the business goals are (what do you want to rank for), and who your audience is (what are they searching for,)” she says. “You’ll need a good understanding of both your business’ KPIs and your audience’s search behavior.” Gather appropriate audience and user data and align with your leadership on what outcomes matter. That’ll pave a solid foundation before you jump into the finer details. 2. Research your keyword targets. Once you know your desired broad outcomes, find the right keywords to fit your needs. Typically, every page will have one primary keyword (the one you want to rank for the most). You’ll also want to include 1-3 secondary keywords to highlight subtopics and give search engines more to work with. Conduct thorough keyword research to find choice keyword options. MacLean recommends a top-down approach to research: “Start with your largest, most important targets, and work your way down,” she said. “Focus on meeting search intent so you can deliver a cohesive, easy-to-navigate client experience.” Since Google owns almost all of the world’s search traffic, why not use the company’s knowledge directly? If you’re already running Google Ads, hop into the Keyword Planner and use Google’s analytics to identify keywords. It’s also very user-friendly compared to other SEO tools. Note: Using this tool requires an active Google Ads account running paid ads. For those interested in lower-cost options, Google Search Console (part of Google Workspace) offers analytics pulled from the company’s indexing algorithms. And, if you’re really in a pinch, Google Trends is open to the public and free to use. It can identify broad trends and basic keywords, but you won’t get usage and cost-to-compete data. What if you’re looking for options off the Google bandwagon? Personally, I like SEMrush. The company packs tons of information into their keyword research tools. It might overwhelm a true SEO beginner, but if you’ve had some practice, SEMrush offers a lot of keyword help. Plans start at $139.95 per month. Also, MacLean points out how some marketers ignore long-tail keywords. These are terms with lower search return volumes, often because they’re highly specific and targeted. “Long-tail keywords are low-hanging fruit,” she said.