If you are new to the world of SEO then you have likely been bombarded with all manner of different terminology. As such, figuring out where to begin and how to proceed can feel overwhelming. In this article, to help simplify such an incredibly complicated industry, we’re going to focus specifically on keyword research. What is it, why is it so important to your SEO, and is it something that you can do by yourself?
What is keyword research?
In a nutshell, ‘keyword research’ is an aspect of SEO that involves using various online tools to identify a multitude of ‘search queries’ that users type into Google when they are looking for the products or services that you offer.
So, for example, anyone looking for a marketing agency might type into Google: “Best marketing agency near me” – in the hopes of finding a reputable marketing agency in their city.
Proper keyword research is quite time-intensive and will require that you explore the many variations of your ‘relevant’ search terms. Variations of the above example could include:
- Cheap digital marketing agency in Singapore
- Affordable marketing agencies in my area
- Best digital marketing agency in Singapore
- Who is the best SEO marketing agency near me?
- Find marketing agency for small businesses
When you use a quality keyword research tool, you’ll be presented with hundreds and hundreds of different search term variations – detailed with how many people search the term per month, how competitive the keyword is, and so on.
Why is keyword research so important?
Keyword research is so important because it helps you determine what your prospective customers are looking for, thus allowing you to position yourself online to accommodate those queries. Not only that, but you can identify which keywords your competitors are targeting and where they currently rank for those. That, and you can also see which keywords can bring you the most value – as quickly as possible.
For example, working on a competitive, ‘short-tail’ keyword like “marketing agency” can be quite difficult. However, for smaller businesses with limited resources, focusing on a less competitive ‘long-tail’ variation could yield better results (e.g., “full service digital marketing agency near me”.
In the above example, only a very small number of people may search for the long-tail variation, however, if you can rank at #1 for it, and if you optimise your website well, you can significantly increase your chances at converting those few clicks into customers.
In essence, SEO without proper keyword research is like charging into battle with a blindfold on (ill advised).
Can I do my own keyword research?
Absolutely! If you are a small business or freelancer and you have a very limited marketing budget available for your website, there’s always the option to try your hand at your own digital marketing. Just bear in mind that it is incredibly time-intensive and the amount of research that needs to go into keyword research in order for it to yield impactful data is significant.
There are plenty of different keyword research tools at your disposal (some free, others paid), so it’s almost certainly worth exploring – even if only to familiarise yourself with the practice. However, for the best results, it is recommended that you outsource your requirements to a highly reputable marketing agency. That way, you can focus on doing what you do best, and leave the complicated, time-intensive digital marketing tasks to the professionals.