How to Do SEO Keyword Research? The Latest Guide to Researching Keywords in 2023

Keywords are the foundation of SEO because in search engine optimization, keywords are a way for search engines to understand what your website is about. If your website content does not contain any relevant keywords that people are searching for, it will be difficult for your website to be found by search engines. Therefore, if we want to do a good job in SEO, the first thing we need to do is keyword research .

Keyword Research Basics

What is a keyword and why is it important?

Keywords are words or phrases that people enter into search engines to describe the information they are looking for. In search engine optimization, keywords are words or phrases that you want your website to appear in search engine results.

Keywords are very important because they are a way for search engines to understand what your website is about. If your website content does not contain any relevant keywords that people are searching for, it will be difficult for your website to be found by search engines.

Also, choosing the right keywords and using them is an art that requires deep knowledge and strategy. Choosing popular keywords can help you drive more traffic, but it also means that these keywords will usually have a higher competition metric. Choosing long tail keywords can help you attract more targeted traffic, but these keywords usually have lower search volume.

What is Keyword Research?

Keyword research refers to identifying keywords that are relevant to your website by analyzing the words or phrases that people use in search engines. Keyword research can help you understand what your target audience is searching for and how to optimize your website content to drive more traffic.

Keyword research usually involves using various tools and techniques to identify relevant keywords. These tools can help you choose the best keywords by helping you identify metrics like search volume, competition metrics, relevancy, and long-tail keywords. When doing keyword research, you also need to consider your target audience, your business goals, and your competitors.

Why is keyword research important?

Keyword research is very important in SEO because it helps you identify keywords that are relevant to your website content, thereby attracting more traffic from your target audience. Here is the importance of keyword research in SEO:

Attract more traffic : By choosing keywords related to your website content, you can help search engines understand your website better and make your website appear more times in search engine results pages. This will help drive more traffic and thus increase your online exposure.
Improve your rankings : By optimizing your website content to include content relevant to the keywords your target audience is searching for, you can help improve your rankings. This can make your website appear higher in search engine results pages, making it easier for your target audience to find your website.
Understand your target audience : By analyzing keywords related to your website, you can better understand what your target audience is searching for. This can help you optimize your website content to meet the needs of your target audience, thereby increasing your conversion rate.
Optimizing Content : Understanding keywords can help you optimize your website content to be more search engine-friendly. This can help you improve your search engine rankings and attract more traffic.

Keyword Research Mainly Researches Which Indicators

Search volume : Search volume is the number of people who type a keyword or phrase into a search engine. Understanding search volume can help you determine which keywords are popular and thus drive more traffic to your website.
Competition Metric : The competition metric is the number of other websites related to a keyword. Determining competition metrics can help you understand which keywords your competitors are using, and which ones are less competitive.
Relevance : Relevance refers to how closely a keyword relates to your website content. By choosing keywords that are relevant to your website content, you help search engines better understand your website, which can improve your rankings and traffic.
Long Tail Keywords : Long tail keywords are keyword phrases that consist of three or more words. Choosing long tail keywords can help you drive more targeted traffic because these keywords are usually more specific than short keywords.

How to do keyword research

Create a keyword list

Seed keywords are keywords that you use as a starting point, or foundation, when doing keyword research. These keywords are usually a set of words directly related to your business or website content. Seed keywords can help you identify other relevant keywords to optimize your website content to drive more traffic from your target audience.

For example, if you run a restaurant, your seed keywords might include words like "restaurant," "food," "menu," etc. that directly relate to your business. By entering these seed keywords into a keyword research tool, you can get other related keyword suggestions, such as "Chinese food", "Western food", "grilled chicken", etc.

Seed keywords can be organized together with business personnel . Business personnel are usually more familiar with terms and keywords related to business fields and products, so they can provide useful suggestions on seed keywords.

Working with a business person can help you better understand your target audience, and the terms and phrases they use in search engines. This can help you identify more accurate seed keywords and optimize your website content to drive more traffic from your target audience.

Seed keywords are not necessarily worth targeting on pages on your site by themselves. As the name suggests, you'll use these as "seeds" for the next steps in this process. With this, we can proceed to the next step.

Get keywords from competitors

By analyzing your competitors' website content, you can determine which keywords they are optimizing for.

This is easy to do with SEMRush Natural Search Research, just enter your competitor's domain name into the search:

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This is a competitor data report I made, all organized using SEMRush: https://zmrw.net/analysis-of-sensor-competitors/

Google Keyword Planner

Google Keyword Planner is a free Google tool that helps you research and analyze keywords and determine which ones are the best to use in your advertising campaign or website content. It provides metrics on search volume, competition, and suggested bids for each keyword.

Step One: Create a Google Ads account. Then click the Keyword Planner button at the top of the page:

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Step Two: Select Discover New Keywords

Since we are expanding keywords, choose the first

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Step 3: Enter the seed keywords we sorted out

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Step 4: Organize relevant keywords suggested by Google

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Google related searches

Google Suggest (Google Suggestion) means that the Google search engine automatically provides some relevant search suggestions when users enter search keywords. These search suggestions are usually based on the user's search history and popular search trends, which can help users find the information they are looking for more quickly.

Google Suggest is great for keyword research and search engine optimization. By entering a seed keyword, you can see related search suggestions and identify other related keywords. This can help you understand what people are searching for and provide valuable keyword suggestions for your website content.

Additionally, Google Suggest can help you identify long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are keyword phrases that contain multiple words and typically have lower search volume and higher conversion rates. By observing the search suggestions provided by Google Suggest, you can find some possible long-tail keywords and use them in your website content.

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Update the keywords to the curated list

Semrush Keyword Magic Tool

SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool is a powerful keyword research tool on the SEMrush platform. It helps you find keywords related to your business or website content, and provides data on metrics such as search volume, competition metrics, relevancy, and more.

With SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool, you can:

Find related keywords: You can enter your seed keywords and SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool will generate a set of related keyword suggestions.
Filter keywords: You can filter keyword suggestions using a variety of filters, such as search volume, competition metrics, relevancy, and more, to determine the best keywords for your business or website content.
View keyword search volume and trends: You can view the average search volume, search trends, and associated variations for each keyword.
Analyzing competition metrics for keywords: You can view the competition metrics index for each keyword to see how competitive other competitors are for that keyword.
Find Long Tail Keywords: You can use the SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool to find long tail keywords and use them in your website content.

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These are my 4 most commonly used methods to get keywords, and more ways to expand keywords: https://zmrw.net/long-tail-keywords/#toc__1

How to analyze keywords

We just started doing SEO, and it is recommended to start with keywords that are not very competitive, that is, long-tail keywords .

popularity

Search volume refers to the number of times each keyword is searched in a search engine per month. It is an important metric in keyword research and can help you determine which keywords are popular and have potential traffic opportunities.

There are many tools that can help you see the search volume for your keywords, the most commonly used of which is the Google AdWords Keyword Planner. You can use the Google AdWords Keyword Planner to find keywords related to your business or website content and see the average monthly searches for each keyword. Additionally, tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and others provide similar search volume data.

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Search volume figures are not entirely accurate, they are only estimates. Search volume data can be affected by factors such as seasonality, geography, and device type. Therefore, you should consider search volume data as a guide, not an absolute value.

Filter out super high search volume keywords

If your website is new, then you probably don't want to waste time looking at keywords with over 10K searches per month as they might be too competitive for you.

Filter specifically for keywords with low traffic, that is, long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords refer to keyword phrases that are composed of multiple words and are relatively infrequent. Compared with short-tail keywords (such as "restaurant"), long-tail keywords are more specific and detailed (such as "Italian restaurant in Huangpu District, Shanghai"), and are usually used for more precise searches. The characteristics of long tail keywords are:

Be more specific : Long-tail keywords are usually two or more word phrases that describe a more specific topic or need.
More Precise : Because long-tail keywords are more specific, users who search for them usually have more specific intent.
Less Competition : Compared to short-tail keywords, long-tail keywords have relatively low search volume and therefore correspondingly less competition, making it easier to rank.

Long tail keywords are very important in search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM). By using long-tail keywords, you can more accurately attract potential customers who need the products or services you provide, increasing your website traffic and conversion rate. Additionally, long tail keywords can also help differentiate you from your competitors and establish your expertise and leadership in more specific areas.

It should be noted that although long-tail keywords are relatively easy to rank, for some very specific keywords, the search volume may be very low or even non-existent. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively consider factors such as search volume, competition metrics, relevance, and search intent to determine the best long-tail keywords.

More on search volume: https://zmrw.net/choosing-keywords/#toc_3

Competitive Metrics

Competition metrics are metrics used to measure how competitive a certain keyword is on search engine results pages (SERPs). Competition metrics are often provided by keyword research tools, which will tell you how hard it takes to rank for a certain keyword.

Here are some common competition metrics:

Competition Metric Score : This is a 0-100 metric that measures how competitive a keyword is. The higher the score, the more competition for that keyword and the more effort you need to put in to rank for that keyword.
Number of Competitors : This is an indicator of how many websites are competing for that keyword. A high competitor count means you need to work harder to compete with other sites.
Competitor Quality : This refers to the quality of other sites that compete with you on a certain keyword. If your competitors are large, well-known sites, it will take more effort to outdo them.
Average Position : This refers to the average position of other websites ranking for that keyword. If other sites have a higher average position, you need to work harder to rank high.

It’s important to note that competition metrics are a relative metric, and they relate to your website and target audience. The same keyword may have different competition metrics in different geographic locations, different industries, and different target audiences. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively consider factors such as competition metrics, search volume, relevance, and search intent to determine the best keywords and optimization strategies.

Plugin Recommendation: MozBar for Chrome

This free tool will show you the competition for your keywords in search results.

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keyword difficulty

Keyword difficulty refers to how difficult it is for a keyword to rank on a search engine results page (SERP). It is a comprehensive metric based on several factors, including competition metrics, site quality, content optimization, link count, and more.

Typically, keyword difficulty is provided by keyword research tools, which will tell you how difficult it needs to be to rank for a certain keyword. The Keyword Difficulty Indicator is usually a score from 0-100, with higher scores indicating more difficulty required to rank.

Here are some factors that affect keyword difficulty:

Competition metrics : The number, quality, and ranking of competitors for this keyword.
Website Quality : Factors such as the quality of your website, the uniqueness of your content, user experience, etc.
Content Optimization : Whether your website content is optimized, including titles, descriptions, tags, images, videos, etc.
Link Quantity : The number, quality, and source of links to your site, etc.

It’s important to note that keyword difficulty is a relative metric, and it’s related to your website and target audience. The same keyword may have different keyword difficulties in different geographic locations, different industries, and different target audiences. Therefore, it is necessary to comprehensively consider factors such as keyword difficulty, search volume, relevance, and search intent to determine the best keywords and optimization strategies.

cost per click (CPC)

Cost-per-click (CPC) refers to the cost that advertisers pay each time an ad link is clicked on in search engine advertising. CPC is an important metric in search engine marketing (SEM), and it is usually determined by ad bidding and ad quality score.

In the advertising bidding system, advertisers can set the maximum bid per click, that is, the maximum CPC. When a user enters keywords related to the ad in the search engine, the advertising system will determine the ranking position of the ad based on the ad bidding and ad quality score. Ad Quality Score is usually determined by factors such as the relevance of the ad, the subtitle of the ad, the quality of the landing page, and the experience of the page.

CPC prices will vary based on a number of factors, including the ad industry, the level of competition for the keyword, the ad quality score, and more. Generally speaking, the higher the CPC price, the higher the ad ranking, but advertisers need to consider the balance between the CPC price and the conversion rate of the ad.

The higher the CPC, the more valuable the keyword.

Select popular keywords

See if the keywords in your list are trending up or down, what we need are keywords that are trending up so that over time you can get more traffic from those terms.

Google Trends can help us query keyword trends:

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How to locate keywords

Keyword positioning is a dynamic process. You need to regularly evaluate and optimize your keyword strategy to meet ever-changing search engine algorithms and user needs.

Define your target audience : You first need to determine who your target audience is, what they are like, what their needs and interests are. A better understanding of your target audience can help you determine which keywords are the most relevant and useful.
Research related topics : Understanding themes and topics that are relevant to your business and your target audience can help you identify relevant keywords. You can use keyword research tools or search engine autocomplete to learn related keywords and phrases.
Analyze Your Competitors : Analyzing your competitors' keyword strategies and rankings can help you determine which keywords are most competitive and how much effort you need to put in to rank on them.
Consider Metrics Together : In addition to search volume and competition metrics, you also need to consider other metrics such as keyword relevance, search intent, conversion rate, cost-effectiveness, etc. to determine the best keywords.
Optimize keywords : After identifying keywords, you need to optimize your website content, title, description, tags, etc. to improve the relevance and quality score of keywords.

define target audience

Defining your target audience means identifying the group of people you wish to attract and serve, who share needs, interests and characteristics. Knowing your target audience is important for developing marketing strategies, developing product plans, and optimizing website content.

Here are some ways to identify your target audience:

Understand the product or service : First of all, you need to understand the characteristics and advantages of your product or service to determine which groups are most in need and interested.
Research the market : Understanding the market and competitors can help you identify your target audience. Analyzing factors such as market trends, needs and interests of your target audience can help you develop a more targeted marketing strategy.
Analyze existing customers : By analyzing the characteristics and behavior of existing customers, you can understand which groups of people are most suitable for your products or services, and which keywords and marketing channels are most effective.
Creating Buyer Personas : Creating buyer personas is a way to abstract your target audience. By creating a typical buyer persona, you can better understand the characteristics and needs of your target audience to better meet their needs.
Use analytics tools : Using analytics tools can help you understand the demographics of the people who visit your site, as well as their behavior and interests on your site.

research related topics

Researching relevant topics is an important step in determining your keyword and content strategy. Here are some ways to research related topics:

Use Keyword Research Tools : Keyword research tools can tell you keywords and phrases that are relevant to your business and your target audience. These tools can also provide metrics like search volume, competition metrics, and related keywords.
Help with search engine autocomplete : Search engine autocomplete can help you understand search phrases and questions related to the keywords you enter. These search phrases and questions can give you insights about your target audience.
Analyze Your Competitors : Analyzing your competitors' websites and content can help you understand their keyword strategy and content strategy. These insights can help you determine which topics and keywords are most important.
Take advantage of social media : Social media is an important tool for understanding the needs and interests of your target audience. By understanding topics and trends on social media, you can determine which topics and keywords are most important.
Participate in online communities and discussion groups : Participating in online communities and discussion groups can help you learn about topics and issues related to your business. These insights can help you determine which topics and keywords are most important.

analyze competitors

Analyzing your competitors is an important step in identifying keywords and developing a marketing strategy. Here are some ways to analyze your competitors:

Identify Your Competitors : First you need to identify who your competitors are. You can use a search engine to search for relevant keywords and phrases to learn about your competitors' sites and content.
Analyze Competitors' Keyword Strategies : Learn about your competitors' keyword strategies by analyzing how they rank on search engines. You can use a keyword research tool or manually search for related keywords to see for which keywords your competitors are ranking higher.
Analyze Your Competitors' Content Strategies : Learn about your competitors' content strategies by analyzing their websites and content. You can learn about factors like their content type, quality, update frequency, and more.
Analyzing your competitors' advertising strategies : Learn about your competitors' advertising strategies by analyzing their placement on search engine ads. You can learn about the keywords they advertised on, their ad copy, their target audience, and more.
Compare your own advantages : Understand your competitors' strengths and weaknesses by analyzing their keyword strategies, content strategies, and advertising strategies. You can compare your strengths and weaknesses and develop more targeted marketing strategies.

Comprehensive consideration of indicators

When locating keywords, multiple indicators need to be considered comprehensively to determine the best keywords. Here are some metrics to consider:

Search volume : Search volume refers to the number of monthly searches for a keyword on a search engine. Keywords with high search volume usually mean more traffic and opportunities, but also higher competition metrics.
Competition Metric : The competition metric refers to the degree of competition for a keyword on search engines. Keywords with high competition metrics usually mean that they are more difficult to rank for and require more effort and resources.
Relevance : The relevance of a keyword refers to how relevant a keyword is to your business and target audience. Highly relevant keywords can lead to more targeted traffic and higher conversion rates.
Search intent : Search intent refers to the intent and purpose of a user when searching. Understanding users' search intent can help you determine which keywords and content are most engaging and converting.
Conversion rate : Conversion rate is the rate at which visitors convert into customers or complete other goals. By optimizing keywords and content, conversion rates and cost-effectiveness can be increased.
Cost-effectiveness : Cost-effectiveness refers to the ratio between inputs and outputs. Optimizing keywords and content can increase cost-effectiveness, reduce marketing costs, and increase revenue.

optimize keywords

Keyword optimization refers to using various methods to make keywords rank higher on search engines, thereby increasing traffic and conversion rates. Here are some ways to optimize for keywords:

Keyword Research : Keyword research starts with identifying keywords and phrases that are relevant to your business and your target audience. You can use keyword research tools or manually search for related keywords to learn about metrics like competition metrics and search volume.
Content Optimization : Use keywords in your website and blog to rank them higher on search engines. But you need to be careful not to use keywords too much, so as not to be considered spam by search engines.
Building Internal Links : Building internal links helps search engines understand the relationships between pages on your site. With internal linking, you can direct traffic to pages that are relevant to your business and your target audience.
Building External Links : Building external links can help your website rank higher in search engines. You can establish external links through cooperation with other websites or social media.
Optimizing Meta Tags : Meta tags refer to the HTML code in the header of a website page. By optimizing your meta tags, you can give search engines a better understanding of your website content and keywords.
Use images and videos : By using images and videos, you can make your website more attractive and interactive. At the same time, you can add keywords to the file names and descriptions of pictures and videos to improve your ranking on search engines.

How to Prioritize Keywords

Determining the priority of keywords refers to sorting keywords according to their importance and feasibility to determine the keywords to be prioritized. Here are some ways to prioritize keywords:

Assess the potential value of keywords : Assessing the potential value of keywords can help you determine which keywords are most attractive and convertible. You can use keyword research tools or manually search for related keywords to learn about metrics like competition metrics, search volume, and relevance.
Determine the actual value of your keywords : In addition to potential value, you also need to consider the actual value of your keywords. You can assess the actual value of keywords by tracking metrics such as conversion rate and revenue.
Evaluate your competitors : Analyzing your competitors' keyword strategies and rankings can help you determine which keywords have the most strengths and weaknesses. You can use keyword research tools or manually search for relevant keywords to learn about metrics like competition metrics and ranking performance.
Determine Keyword Viability : In addition to potential value and competition metrics, you also need to consider keyword viability. You need to assess your resources and capabilities to determine which keywords are most viable and beneficial to your business.
Make a priority list of keywords : sort the keywords according to their potential value, actual value, competition measurement and feasibility and other indicators, and make a priority list of keywords. You can formulate corresponding keyword strategies and marketing plans according to the priority of keywords.

Main points of this article

Keywords are very important because they are a way for search engines to understand what your website is about. If your website content does not contain any relevant keywords that people are searching for, it will be difficult for your website to be found by search engines.
Keyword research is very important in SEO because it helps you identify keywords that are relevant to your website content, thereby attracting more traffic from your target audience, improving your rankings, understanding your target audience, and optimizing your content.
Which metrics should keyword research focus on: search volume, competition metrics, relevance, long-tail keywords
Commonly used methods of obtaining keywords: provided by business personnel, obtained from competitors, Google Keyword Planner, Google related searches, SEMrush
How to Analyze Keywords: Search Volume, Competition Metrics, Keyword Difficulty, CPC, Popular Keywords