Keyword Research Basics For SEO

Keyword Research Basics For SEOexist in all data – the thing I like about using
 Google is that at least we know more about what's
I've said it before and I'll say it again … there is noadjusting the data.
more important step in the SEO process thanOK – so from there we need to organize the
keyword research.  One could make a compellingdata into a more useful set of information.  To do
argument for link building or for architecture or forthis one needs to understand the columns of data.
copywriting but at the end of the day – ranking The first column is the keyword, the second you'll
highly for keywords that either don't convert orsee is a link to the term on Google Insights. We'll get
which you close up shop waiting to rank for isn'tinto this later. The next is Global Monthly Searches
going to help too terribly much so in my opinion –– this is the average number of searches/mth
I'd put keyword research higher in importance.  Inworldwide.  This can be helpful in some industries but
fact, when I'm building affiliate sites my first step isin ours – I'm only concerned with the US market
to look up keywords and competition levels –which is where my imaginary store ships to so I'm
then I look into products and websites and thismore interested in the next column Local Monthly
method has worked very well indeed.  It insuresSearches which is the number of searches in the US
that I choose keywords that with both convert and(or whatever region I've specified when entering my
that I can rank for in a period of time and with ankeyword phrases).  This is the data I'm interested in.
effort level that matches the return. The last column is the search trend.  This is
So – if you're doing keyword research, whereextremely important but often overlooked.  It is a
should you begin?  Unless you're an affiliatecolumn that wasn't visible by default in the old
marketer you already have a product and sincecurrent version.
you're the target audience of this article – I'mOK – let's organize our data by search volume.
going to assume that's the case.  For the purpose Click on the "Local Monthly Searches" and you'll see
of this article I'm going to pick a hobby of mine andthe keywords order by descending search volume.
also an area where I don't have a client and imagine With this data in front of me I then typically look
I'm doing keyword research for the imaginary onlineover to the Trend data to see what I can find there.
downhill mountain biking store DH Mountain Bikes. In our case we're going to see an increase in search
So Where To Begin ...volume in the spring and summer.  This make sense
The first thing one needs to do is try to think up allof course.  Think of your industry and see if the
the possible phrases that might apply.  I call this mytrends reflect what makes sense.
seed list … it's the list of phrases that my researchI'm also looking for anomalies.  Often I'll see phrases
starts with and is generally based on brainstorming.that jump for a single month.  One has to know that
 In this case the list would be:downhill mountainunless there was a news story or other event that
bikedh mountain bikemountain bikewould spark interest in a single term or brand – a
The keyword tool I generally use first is Google'stool or some other such incident is likely falsifying the
keyword suggestion tool.  There are other greatdata.  You need to look at these trends and see if
tools but I've found Google's tool to be as accuratethey make sense.  If not – you need to either
as any other, the price is definitely right (free), andtest the phrases with PPC or just skip over them
they're very good about providing the informationand select different phrases.  There's little worse as
required to know just how wrong the data is if youan SEO than focusing energies on a phrase only to
know where to look.  So let's do just that.find that the search volume is not what was
Before we begin you'll need to head over to Google'sexpected based on the estimates delivered.
keyword tool at  In the top left (for now) you'll seeSo now what?
a link to a beta version of the tool. Click on the linkSo what do you do once you've filtered your data
and you'll be at the new version of the tool which willdown to just what you're interested in looking into
provide you easy access to much more informationcompetition levels on.  Well – the first thing I do
– as long as you know what to look for.  Sois to look to the trends to see if there are any
let's begin with our three seed phrases.phrases that obviously need to be filtered out.  In
When you see the list you'll first have to know whatthis case there really aren't any high in the search
the numbers are.  This tool is a tool designed forvolume column.  So the only thing left is to look at
AdWords and the default number is the Broad matchthe competition levels to see what makes sense.
which means it includes every phrase with the term. For our purposes we'll be dividing the list and
 For example, the term "mountain bike" has a broadresearch into two categories:
match total of 2,740,000 which will include "downhillMajor phrases – We need to decide what the
mountain bike", "mountain bike parts", "kona mountainlong-term goals are going to be and the targets for
bike", etc. etc. What we want to know is how manythe main pages.  These will be the totally generic
searches are for "mountain bike".  Down thephrases such as "mountain bike" and "downhill
left-hand side you'll see a set of check boxes.mountain bike" as well as brand or type specific
 Deselect "Broad" and select "Exact" and you'll getphrases such as "specialized mountain bike" and "full
the Exact match numbers – the number ofsuspension mountain bike".
searches for the exact phrase.  You'll quickly seeLongtail phrases – We also need to look into the
that 2,740,000 drop to 450,000.  This is how manytypes of longtail phrases we're going to want to
people searched the GOOGLE SEARCH NETWORKtarget.  In this case I know I'll want to target
for "mountain bike".  Why is this in caps –specific parts which will require new research.  I will
because it's so commonly misunderstood that Ispare you the details there but I'll end up with
definitely want your attention brought to it.specific models of components such as "hayes mx2".
This isn't the number of searches on – it's the You don't need to know what that is  – you
number of searches on all sites who's search isneed to know the makes and models in your industry
powered by Google.  From YouTube to Beanstalk's(or other longatil opportunities such as "new york
blog search – it's all in there so the data starts tohotel with jacuzzi", etc.)
get skewed from the start.  Then let's add in all theI generally would gather together a list of 15 or 20
automated queries from rank-checking tools and justmajor phrases and 50 or 60 longtail phrases and
manual searches from you and your competitors andwould then head into the competition analysis to
the data gets further skewed.  This skewing willdetermine which phrases to move forward with.