SEO Keyword Research Tips for Beginners (2024)

Appearing in the top search result is not possible without a properly developed keyword research strategy as it is the groundwork of a great search engine optimization campaign.

SEO Keyword research is the process of finding out the search terms and phrases people enter into search engines. We can define it as a practice with a list of keywords you want to rank for your business or company.

Results obtained from keyword research not only help you build a content marketing strategy but also evolve your overall digital marketing strategy.

Keywords are the words or phrases users enter into search engines for information or solutions to their queries. They are the bridge that connects users to relevant content. Properly targeting keywords allows websites to appear in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) when users search for related terms.

Importance of Keyword Research

Conducting keyword research is vital as it provides you insights about which search terms your target audience uses to find out the stuff they need.

• This process allows you to grasp the language used by your target audience and gain insights into their search intent.
• You can strategically include relevant keywords to improve your online presence and attract potential customers or leads.
• This can boost visibility and draw in qualified visitors who may convert into valuable customers.
• It helps you to optimize your online presence according to the keywords or key phrases that internet users use.

For instance, if you are using a single keyword to describe your product or service but potential customers are using a couple of words to find your products, they will not be able to find your product or service.

That is the reason, you must have a list of keywords that you want to rank (and people are also using them for finding the products or information they need) for your business or company.

Here are some steps for SEO keyword research that can work well for beginners and individuals already struggling to secure visible positions in search engines.

1. Choosing the Right Keyword Research Tools:

An array of keyword research tools is readily available, ranging from free options to paid ones, all of which offer valuable data and insights. To conduct successful keyword research, it is important to utilize appropriate tools.

Among the popular choices are SEMrush, Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and Moz. It is essential to select a tool that aligns with your specific requirements and budget to maximize the effectiveness of your keyword research endeavors.

2. Brainstorming Relevant Topics

To start the process, think about the topic ideas you want your business to rank for in search engines. Once you have 5 to 10 ideas that are vital for your business’s successful online reputation. It will be easier for you to come up with specific and widely used keywords.

For this purpose, you must have your business’ mission in mind to get into the heads of the target audience. Ask yourself questions like what kind of keywords or search terms they can use. Having a clear business mission in your mind creates a clear image of the industry.

If you have searched for a topic about Digital Marketing, What is Digitial Marketing and its Types? The next brainstorming topic would be Digital Marketing campaigns, trends, or their types in a particular way.

3. Look at the Search Intent of Potential Users

Search engines like Google usually rank web pages higher that perfectly answer users’ questions. Everyone searches on the web with a specific quest in mind, which refers to search intent.

Every search query needs a specific answer and search engines rank keywords higher that are optimized for different search intents. In order to find out the best keywords, one should understand things clearly such as why users are searching, what they need, are they looking for information or goods, etc.

This is where using the best keyword research tools comes into play and provides you with the tone of keyword ideas in your niche or industry. Here, I will use Semrush as an example.

There are four common types of search intents people have in their minds when entering a search query in search engines:

• Commercial intent: A search query entered by a user for a purchase is considered commercial intent.
• Informational intent: When people search the web for information regarding a specific subject, product, or thing. It is known as informational intent.
• Navigational intent: People who use the web to find a website, location, or other information are known as users with navigational intent.
• Transactional intent: When people are about to purchase desired products or services right after conducting commercial intent are the users with transactional intent.

In order to get more from the keyword research for SEO strategy, one should find out which intent applies to the content or a specific landing page one is about to publish.

4. Local SEO Keywords

Local SEO keywords include location-specific terms and phrases that permit users to find businesses or services in their area. For companies targeting local customers, optimizing for local SEO keywords is crucial. You can increase your visibility in local search results by incorporating local keywords into your content, meta tags, and website structure.

The local keyword adjustment should be relevant to your business, and your business and location keywords should be in the content. If you offer Digital Marketing services, it’s advisable to use keywords like “Best Digital Marketing Agency in New York” or “Marketing Agency in New York.”

5. Make Use of Research Related Search Terms

Finding out the research-related search terms (LSI keywords) is a superb idea to boost your keyword research strategy for SEO. When you enter a specific keyword in the search bar, these terms appear at the bottom of Google’s search result page. These are the search suggestions most relevant to an original query entered.

It offers more fertile keywords that you can use in your content strategy to appear in more search results. The use of research-related search terms could be a plus point for digital marketers to rank higher for many keywords than the keywords in consideration.

6. Using Keyword Research Tools Effectively

When using keyword research tools, it’s essential to understand the various metrics they provide. These metrics include search volume, competition level, keyword difficulty, and suggested bids (if you plan to run paid ads). After a complete analysis and comparison, you can identify the most profitable keywords for your SEO efforts.

7. On-Page Optimization with Keywords

After determining your target keywords, optimizing your website’s on-page elements is crucial. It would be best to incorporate your keywords into page titles, meta descriptions, headers (H1, H2, etc.), and throughout your content.

However, avoid keyword stuffing, as it can negatively impact user experience and search engine rankings. Strategically using keywords will allow you to get ranked your content on an instant basis.

8. Competitors Analysis

A keyword important for your competitor doesn’t mean that it is important for you too, but spying your competitors to find out what keywords they are trying to rank in search engines will provide you an opportunity to take your strategy of keyword research for SEO to the next level.

If there is a keyword that your competitors are trying to rank, it makes sense that you too should struggle to improve the ranking for such keywords.

Keyword research empowers you to decipher the language of your target audience and gain insights into their search intent. You can strategically position yourself in search engine results by the implementation of appropriate keywords into your content. Such a strategy can of potential customers who are looking for information relevant to your business or industry.

Moreover, be sure to re-evaluate the list of keywords obtained from the keyword research process every few months to get the desired outcomes.