Vocabulary classes may have been a chore, but one valuable skill learned then has become a game-changer in today’s digital landscape. Just as we used specific letters to find word meanings in dictionaries, keywords help us discover relevant content people search for online. Little did we know, this keyword search skill would become crucial in boosting our online presence. By utilising these keywords, you can create content with high visibility and engagement. Sounds surprising? Let’s dive in and explore. 

But what do you understand by Keywords? 

Keywords are words or phrases matching people’s search intent. They are what users type into search engines to find information. They are the foundation of content creation and come in different forms. Release your facial muscles, we will be focusing on just three:

• Short-tail Keywords: Also known as head terms or broad-intent terms, these keywords are brief (1-3 words) and represent a broad topic, meaning, or field. Examples include owanbe styles, zodiac signs, hairstyles,  vegetables, and so on. These keywords have a high search volume but are highly competitive and often too general for optimising a specific area of expertise. Short-tail keywords are better suited for industry-level optimization.
• Long-tail Keywords:  are best suited for targeted optimisation as they are more specific. For example, “white lace owambe styles for weddings,” “best vegetable for detoxification and weight loss,” “zodiac signs love compatibility with capricons” or “trendy braid hairstyles in 2024.”They are usually longer and have fewer searches, but offer benefits such as lesser competition, a high conversion rate, and relevance to the user’s search intent.
• Niche Keywords: Niche keywords cater to specialised industries, topics, or narrow audiences, offering targeted relevance and expertise. These highly specific keywords, such as “sustainable fashion fabrics for eco-conscious consumers,” or “plant-based nutrition plans for athletes,” have lower search volumes but provide significant benefits. These benefits include higher conversion rates due to targeted relevance, lower competition from broader keywords, and increased authority and credibility in niche markets. To effectively utilise niche keywords, focus on understanding your target audience’s unique needs, industry-specific terminology, and relevant trends, then incorporate these keywords into your content strategy to maximise visibility.

Why Does Keyword Research Matter? 

It is a common saying in the tech landscape, almost an adage that “Keyword Research is the foundation upon which online strategies are built. It is the key to unlocking SEO success, understanding your audience, and optimising your content. 

Benefits of Keyword Research

1. Including keywords in your content improves its relevance, leading to higher rankings and better search engine visibility.
2. It drives organic traffic, attracting targeted audiences and potential customers.
3. It enhances engagement, visibility, and conversion rates.
4. It reveals users’ search intent, allowing you to align your content with their needs.
5. It helps you understand your users’ preferences and pain points, enabling you to tailor your content accordingly.
6. It establishes brand authority and expertise, improving brand credibility.
7. It provides insights for making informed business decisions.
8. It optimises content for search engines and improves overall performance.
9. It helps you understand your competitors’ strategies and identify ways to differentiate yourself or create a unique selling point.
10. It enables you to identify keyword gaps that your competitors have missed and use them to attract targeted users or audiences.

The above benefits of building content around keywords are appealing, but there are specific guidelines to be followed when incorporating them. 

Things To Avoid

• Finding the right keyword is more crucial than using an abundance of keywords in your content. Essentially, avoid keyword stuffing.
• Don’t you dare ignore the use of the Long-tail keyword! Make your hard work worthwhile and make use of more specific keywords. 
• So after all the sleepless nights, you forgot to track your keyword performance? How?
• If you do anything wrong, do not overlook the keyword intent, as it reveals the purpose responsible for users’ search queries. 

Guidelines To Do A Keyword Research 

The steps that guide the process of keyword research might differ across digital platforms or websites. It is important to note these differences when creating strategies using these keywords in your content. However, I am willing to offer a generic guideline to get any beginner started on their research. 

• Define the purpose and goals of your content.
• Identify your target audience, users or customers, including their demographics, needs, concerns, pain points, and interests.
• Research related topics, terms, businesses, or competitors.
• Utilise keyword research tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz Keyword Explorer.
• Identify relevant keywords and phrases.
• Analyse keyword data using metrics like competition level, search volume, cost-per-click, conversion rate, keyword difficulty, and relevance.
• Create keywords based on the analysis results, focusing on specific optimised keywords.
• Incorporate these keywords into your content titles, headings, and body, but avoid overusing them, as it could harm SEO.

We can all agree that keywords are the backbone of online success. Identifying suitable keywords and using them effectively requires great initiative and research skills. This process helps you understand your audience, improve search engine ranking, drive traffic, and create valuable content. It is also important to remember that effective keyword research involves avoiding keyword stuffing, utilising long-tail keywords, tracking performance, and prioritising keyword intent.