Are you optimising your website for search engines? Here’s how to make the most of your time and resources by focusing on the most important keywords.
Investing in effective search engine optimisation can be a highly impactful digital marketing strategy with low cost. However, the process of SEO is complex and it is easy to get sidetracked. Keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO effort and choosing the right keywords is critical. Focusing on irrelevant or highly competitive keywords will result in a waste of resources.
In this article, I will address the significance of targeting the appropriate search queries and the methods for selecting valuable keywords for optimisation.
The Importance of Focusing on Appropriate Search Queries
Prior to embarking on the detailed tasks of SEO such as content optimisation and backlink building, it’s crucial to determine your priorities. The aim of search engine optimisation is to increase your website’s visibility to potential customers searching for products or services related to your business. To achieve this, begin by creating a list of keywords and variations through the use of tools, competitor analysis, and intuition. This process will likely yield a large number of keywords, including some that may not be relevant, so it’s important to carefully select the most valuable ones.
Keyword research sets the foundation for your entire SEO strategy. It is important to identify keywords relevant to your business and avoid keywords that are not related to what you offer. While leveraging trending topics can sometimes be useful, it is important to offer a solution to the user’s needs in order to generate profit. Traffic to your website may be a gratifying metric, but it is not valuable if it does not result in conversions and actual revenue for your business.
The next factor to consider is the search volume of keywords. While a keyword may be highly specific to your business, it’s not worth focusing on if no one searches for it. Analyzing your keyword list based on estimated search volume is an essential step in the process. With this information, you can identify where the potential for traffic growth is and prioritize your focus keywords.
Just because a keyword has a high monthly search volume doesn’t mean it’s the best option for you. For example, the keyword “hotels in Sydney” has a search volume of 110,000 searches per month. While this may seem like a promising target for a hotel in Sydney, it’s actually too competitive and unlikely to yield much traffic growth. Major brands and booking platforms dominate search results for such keywords. A better strategy would be to target more specific keywords like “boutique hotels in Sydney” or “Sydney serviced apartments.” These keywords are less competitive and offer a more achievable opportunity for traffic growth.
Tips to Choose the Right Keywords
Become the Customer
Google advises businesses to prioritize the needs of the user, not just search engines, a common mistake made by many SEO specialists. To be effective, you need to think like a potential customer and consider what they might search for. Consider what questions you would ask if you were looking for the product or service you offer. Customers use search engines to find solutions to their problems, so it’s important to understand what questions they are asking. To get a different perspective, you can also ask colleagues or friends for their input.
What is the Search Intent?
To understand what the user is looking for, it’s important to know their search intent. Google displays results based on this intent, so it’s essential to have different pages rank for different keywords. This way, you can create content that matches the target keyword, such as a guide or product page, and visually answer the user’s query. Make sure to adjust the format of your landing page, such as adding images, graphs, and call-to-action buttons, or focusing on text content, to best fit the target keyword.
Don’t Overlook Long-Tail Keywords
It is important to consider the use of long-tail keywords in your SEO strategy. Long-tail keywords are lengthy, more specific phrases that users search for, and although they may have lower search volumes, they tend to result in more targeted traffic that is more likely to convert. With less competition for long-tail keywords, it is possible to attain a higher search ranking position.
Examine the Search Volume
As mentioned above, understanding the search volume for keywords is crucial in determining which ones to prioritize for your SEO efforts. You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner to see the estimated monthly searches for specific keywords and Google Search Console to monitor the impressions and clicks for keywords your website already ranks for.
What’s Your Competition Doing?
To stay ahead of the competition, research their website to find out which keywords they’re ranking for. Check their titles and H1s to get a sense of their priority keywords and their monthly search volume and search results. Aim to rank in the top five results, as most people click on links in this position. Evaluate their optimisation and authority to determine if they’re beatable.
Improve Your SEO Game Today!
Take your business to the next level with a top-notch SEO strategy. As a freelance SEO specialist, I offer tailored solutions to help you reach your goals. If you’re ready to boost your online visibility and drive more traffic to your website, contact me for a free quotation. Let’s work together to achieve your desired results and drive real, measurable success for your business. Don’t wait, take action now and get in touch for a brighter future!
