Content marketing keyword research is critical.

Why?

• Well, keywords can maintain your ranking in Google's massive index and put you in front of your ideal audience.
• The right keywords will help search engines determine what topic your content covers and whether it's related to what viewers seek. 
• When you understand how to use keywords, you'll be able to drive new people to your site via search engines with promotions, quality content, and strategic phrase selection.

So how do you do keyword research the right way? This article will cover everything you need to know about content marketing keyword research and how to improve your content marketing keyword strategy. You'll also learn critical step-by-step approaches to help you turn your traffic into revenue. Let's get started.

What Is Content Marketing Keyword Research, And Why Does It Matter?

Keyword research entails discovering which keywords people frequently enter into search engines. This information helps determine how many people might have an interest in your business.

It's a vital part of marketing that can help you reach new audiences, determine what questions people are asking, and rank higher on Google. A popular keyword can give you insight into customer needs, preferences, and what they're posting in the space.

The first goal of SEO-focused content marketing is to provide helpful information to searchers. Search engines will reward your efforts with high rankings if you identify people's questions and respond to them with accurate, informative, and engaging content. 

For instance, if an agency is looking for better ways to report marketing analytics to clients—and you can provide that information—finding out what keywords they're using can help generate new leads and drive more conversions.

Here's the thing, though: content marketers, writers, and editors often have more ideas than they have time to write. Other times, they struggle to come up with topics. If you don't write about something people commonly search for, optimizing your content for search engines won't help you much.

That's what content marketing keyword research determines. It helps you decide which topics your audience might be interested in and whether people will find your idea valuable.

In this article, you will learn how to write B2B content that people can't resist reading.

How To Create Your Keyword Strategy

While you can use many platforms for keyword research, it's essential to experiment and develop a reliable method for your keyword research. No matter what industry you serve, keywords stem from search terms.

You can always ask yourself: "What's my target demographic searching?" Then, this specific wording or phrase can guide your keyword construction.

You can work collaboratively with your team to determine the ratio of high-volume to low-volume keywords you wish to use in your posts. That's right—you can get more traffic by using a mix of competitive vs. noncompetitive keywords, but more on that soon. 

Find The Right Keywords To Use

Identifying which phrases are relevant to your industry is the first step in utilizing the power of keywords. 

Start by typing a few common search words related to your industry into Google Trends and seeing what comes up. The results will show you which keywords are currently trending. 

Additionally, you can research the content and keywords of your competition and look at trending themes on social media. Then, add content that targets those additional key phrases as your website ranks for the chosen key phrases.

Google ranks content based on relevance, so your content will only rank for a keyword if it meets searchers' needs. After all, why would Google rank your content higher if it offers less value than other websites?

After you've identified your ideal keywords, you'll need to place them in the right locations on your site. This can have a long-term impact on your organic search ranking. 

Ensure that your keywords don't just appear in your content but also in your page title, alt text, URL, and anchor text. That'll help the search engine match the keywords to your content.

You can also try to employ long-tail keywords, which are elaborate search terms that correspond to how most people use search engines. They're helpful because users prefer to ask full-length questions or statements rather than type three or fewer keywords. 

An example of long-tail keywords would be "best egg fried rice recipes" instead of "rice recipes." Think of a long-tail keyword as a more specific hunt for topics.

Long-tail keywords are also useful because they account for most web searches. For example, consider how people use browsers: they tend to type specific questions, such as "Where can I find gelato ice cream in New York City?" 

These keywords are effective since they also narrow down the pool for searchers. As a result, visitors to your site have progressed further down the sales funnel and may make a purchase.

Avoid Keyword Stuffing

The next important step is to curate and optimize your content for relevance. Keywords are great to use, but overuse can lead to your content de-ranking. Known as keyword stuffing, this practice was relevant in the early days of Google. Now it's just a trap that writers often find themselves in.

Examples of visible keyword stuffing include unnecessary repetition of words or phrases and adding keywords that are out of context and irrelevant to the page. 

Even camouflaging keywords by placing them within the page's code counts as keyword stuffing. The issue is that search engines can still detect them while they're invisible to users. 

Some keywords are difficult to avoid because you naturally use the same terminology in your detailed descriptions. So, while using keywords, you should avoid packing them in without discretion.

To avoid keyword stuffing, you can assign a primary keyword to your website. After determining what your website is all about, establish the core goal and designate a single target keyword. Make sure that this keyword and related search terms describe the central theme of the webpage. 

Secondary keywords can be effective as well. Don't be afraid to use synonyms and long-tail variations of keywords in your content, either. When you use these phrases, you give search engines extra context, which helps more people find your website.

Synonym keywords also help search engines ensure that the material is relevant, helping you rank higher in search results. Remember that there's no limit to the number of times you can use a keyword or phrase in your content. 

Instead, you have to decide whether the length of the content justifies when and where you use keywords. After all, the value provided by your content is more important than search engine results.

Avoid Keyword Cannibalization

Keyword cannibalization refers to blog posts or articles on a website that target the same keywords and compete for the same search query on Google SERP. 

See, you might already write about the same topics regularly and even use the same keywords without realizing it. As a result, you compete against yourself, lowering the ranking of all relevant pages. So, consider using alternative terms that customers might type into the search engine bar.

Avoid keyword redundancy by using a thesaurus and researching related but unique phrasing through tools such as Word Hippo. You can also change your language by writing from the opposite side of a topic. 

Investigate the meanings of several phrases to discover whether a new topic will better suit your goals. Google's "People Also Ask" feature is also helpful for uncovering relevant ideas that target different keywords.

Determine Which Keywords Are Worth Your Time

Some keywords can be more profitable per click than others. To find out more, start by searching for the keyword you want to use. Then, examine how much compensation per click the phrase provides on average (CPC). Next, look at your competition. Will you have to compete with many other companies to rank on search engines with that phrase?

Your goal is to find a keyword with a high CPC and as little competition as possible, so watch the search volume. For example, if the keyword receives tens of thousands of searches per month, you'll receive more traffic than if there are only a handful per month.

When deciding whether your site will rank for a keyword, look at the top two or three sites already ranking. From there, examine position zero and see if you can create something better. 

Is there more information available now? Is there anything they left out that you can add to the discussion? Are you competing against mega-sites with plenty of money to spend on the keyword?

The first page of Google results can provide valuable information for your analysis. For example, people pay more money to rank for a phrase if advertisements are at the top of the results. 

If you see big businesses under the advertisements, you're up against entire marketing departments and massive promotional budgets. However, if you choose your keywords wisely, you'll have a better chance of ranking well in search engines.

SEO Benefits From Keyword Research

One of keyword research's most critical steps is creating search engine optimization copy. SEO copywriting is the practice of creating keyword-optimized content designed to appeal to both users and search engine algorithms. 

The goal is to create content that Google and other search engines can understand and that people want to consume.

Develop An Engaged Audience

SEO keyword research has many benefits. For one, it can help you develop an engaged audience. Focus on what prospects want to create content that piques your audience's interest. 

Think about blogs, videos, and infographics. The most important aspect of these things is that prospects want to learn more about them.

Search engines like Google aim to help users access the correct, original, high-value content they want. The algorithm does this by analyzing your keywords' use and other factors. 

You can expect higher rankings on search engines by optimizing which words and phrases you employ and their frequency. This draws higher customer engagement rates and can increase your ranking thanks to readability and engagement factors. 

Learn how to persuade a hyper-skeptical audience with the help of this article.

Gain Insight Into Popular Trends

The most apparent benefits of keyword research involve your ability to draw in qualified leads. However, one of its more subtle advantages is the insight into current marketing trends and your prospects' behavior.

It's important to be aware of old and new trends, as that knowledge can give you an edge over your competition. So keep up to date on what's relevant to your target audience. Then, use that information to keep your content fresh and relevant. 

When you know what keywords to use, you can also create content relevant to your goals. This will help you stay focused and on task with your work. 

Finally, be sure to add content over time. It'll have a significant long-term impact on your website's traffic.

Investigating what information users are searching for can also help you create new topic ideas. With some extra effort, you might discover topics you hadn't even considered before. Again, understanding your target audience and what they want is critical. 

Try to put yourself in their position and find out what phrases they use when looking for answers online. Some content matches can exemplify user intent and stand out from the crowd.

Increase Conversion Rates

The next benefit is increased conversion rates. This is because keyword research does more than drive traffic to your website. It also guarantees the right people are visiting it. 

After all, attracting people interested in your product or service leads to more conversions. In addition, the more interesting your content is, the more likely your prospects will want to learn more about it.

How will you know if your content is reaching the right audience? After ranking for the keywords you researched, check your Google Analytics. The statistics will allow you to determine whether website visitors engage with your content. 

These visitors should stay on the page and visit other parts of your website. If not, you may need to change the keywords you're using.

Enter New Markets And Increase Exposure

The most significant benefit of keyword research is that it can help you break into new markets and increase your public visibility. Keyword research also helps define content centered on a specific theme or audience. 

Popular keywords, a high search volume, and awareness of your competition's search terms are all essential factors in your ranking. More people will see your content when your ranking is high, and general awareness of your brand or company will increase.

After you've chosen and implemented your keywords, double-check them on Google. If the keyword search returns content from related companies or organizations, that's when you'll know that you've found the perfect recipe for increasing traffic to your company.

Here's how to make your B2B content marketing rank higher on Google.

Best Practices For Keyword Research And Usage

After you've created your keyword strategy using the elements above, you can begin to refine and implement effective practices. Just remember, these may change over time. 

You may consider working with a developer or copywriter who's aware and adaptable to any changes in Google's algorithm. Listed below are three crucial points to consider as you refine your strategy.

Keyword Density

Keyword density refers to the number of times your keyword appears within your site as a percentage of the overall word count. This is also known as keyword frequency, or the frequency with which a specific keyword appears on a webpage. 

For instance, if you have a body of text that's 100 words, and 7 of those are your focus keyword, your keyword density is 7%.

Your keyword density is essential for SEO because Google tries to match a user's search query to the best-fitting web pages. Google needs to understand your web page to accomplish this for your site. That's why you should incorporate the keyword you want to rank for throughout your website. 

According to RankByFocus, the ideal keyword density per piece is a mere 1-2%. Any more than that, and search engines may flag it as spam. You can use tools like Yoast or Semrush to evaluate your content. 

Use A Mix Of Keywords

A mix of competitive and smaller keywords can help to keep your content in front of relevant audiences. With smaller keywords, you can rank quickly. 

You can rank higher with more competitive options, but it takes time. Select the keywords that best reflect the main content categories and then use them to organize your site.

In your keyword list, you should include short and long phrases, known as head terms and long-tail keywords. Head terms are shorter, general terms with a high but less focused search volume. 

Still, search engines may not understand the intent, resulting in a wide range of results. These broad keywords are difficult to rank and generate traffic that rarely leads to conversions.

Long-tail keywords are more specific inquiries that typically contain three or more words. They're frequently written as questions or statements, especially when using voice search. Long-tail keywords have a lower search volume than head terms but offer more focused results.

Start sliding rows up and down in your keyword spreadsheet to organize keywords into subject groups and break down categories into multiple tabs. Then, arrange the keywords in descending order of perceived importance, depending on relevancy to your site and how often people search for them.

Create Quality Content

Keyword usage is meaningless if the phrases in your content are redundant. Always ensure that you use high-quality content that is accurate and unique. You can even hire a professional writer to keep the good content flowing.

Otherwise, keyword tools and analysis will save you time and effort by making your content visible to your target audience, resulting in more potential customers. As a result, you'll have more time to prioritize core activities.

Keywords can also give you additional insight into audience preferences and where your focus should be. With this understanding, you can find a niche and push your content to key demographics likely to engage and become consistent followers.

Higher Conversions Through An Optimized Keyword Strategy

Now you know why keyword research is so vital and what actions to take to improve organic traffic and conversions to your site. After you create your content, you can continue refining your process and determine what regularity strategy best suits your needs.

Your keyword strategy amplifies your messaging—putting your content in front of your ideal demographics. Creating a strategy that works for your business and maintains client-centricity can ultimately lead to higher conversions. 

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