Every business with an online presence needs to engage in keyword research. By understanding what people are searching for, businesses can better tailor their content to rank high on search engine results pages and attract relevant traffic. However, the process of finding the right keywords can be complex and time-consuming.

Despite the challenges, keyword research is an essential part of any digital marketing strategy. By understanding how to find and select the right keywords, businesses can ensure that their content is seen by the right people at the right time.

To help you with your keyword research, we’ve compiled a list of 20 keyword research hacks that every marketer should know.

Keyword Research Hacks

The whole process of looking for the right keywords can be challenging as it requires in-depth research and data analysis. The complexity that comes with building a list of the best keywords may also be time-consuming, but it’s important to get it right.

What Makes a Good Keyword?

There are a few factors to consider when trying to determine what makes a good keyword. Primarily, you’ll want to focus on keywords with high search volume and low competition.

You’ll also want to make sure that the keyword is relevant to your business, products, or services. Trying to rank for a keyword that’s not relevant to what you do will be difficult and is not likely to result in much success.

There are five (5) essential criteria that your target keywords must meet in order to succeed with SEO: high search volume, direct relevance, conversion value, and low competition. If any one of these is absent, then you can’t expect much from your SEO efforts.

In other words, it’s crucial to make sure that the terms people are searching for will actually bring them to your site so that you’re not wasting time or money:

1. Keyword difficulty: How hard is it to rank for a given keyword? If the answer is “very hard,” you might want to reconsider your keyword strategy.
2. Search volume: How many people are searching for this keyword every month? The higher the number, the better.
3. Relevance: Is this keyword relevant to your business, products, or services? If not, you won’t be able to rank for it no matter how much search volume it has.
4. Conversion value: Do people who search for this keyword tend to convert into customers? If not, then there’s no point in ranking for it.
5. Competition: How much competition is there for this keyword? The higher the competition, the harder it will be to rank for the keyword.

Top 20 Keyword Research Hacks Marketers Should Already Know

Marketer plays a vital role in the success of a company, and he/she should know a few tricks to optimize the website for better ranking. Here are 20 hacks that every marketer should know about keyword research:

1. Use keyword research tools

There are a number of different keyword research tools available, and using them can save you a lot of time and effort. Some of the most popular options include Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Moz Keyword Explorer.

2. Think like your target audience

When you’re doing keyword research, it’s important to think like your target audience. What terms would they use to find what you’re offering? What are their pain points and needs?

3. Use Google Suggest

Google Suggest is a great way to come up with relevant keywords that people are actually searching for. To use it, simply start typing a word or phrase into the Google search bar and see what suggestions pop up.

4. Check out competitor keywords

One of the best ways to come up with relevant keywords is to see what your competitors are targeting. Use a tool like SEMrush or Moz Keyword Explorer to research their keyword strategies and see what’s working for them.

5. Look for long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that people use when they’re close to making a purchase. They tend to convert better than shorter, more general keywords, so they’re worth targeting.

6. Use keyword research to come up with blog post ideas

If you’re struggling to come up with ideas for your blog, keyword research can be a great way to find topics that are relevant to your business and that people are actually searching for.

7. Make sure your keywords are relevant

Relevance is key when it comes to keyword research. Make sure the keywords you’re targeting are relevant to your business, your products or services, and your target audience.

8. Use keyword research to create better titles and meta descriptions

Your title and meta description are what show up in the search results, so it’s important to make sure they’re optimized for your target keywords. Use keyword research to come up with ideas for titles and descriptions that will attract clicks.

9. Target local keywords

If you’re a local business, targeting local keywords is a must. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner and Moz Local to find relevant local keywords to target.

10. Check search volume before you choose your keywords

It’s important to check the search volume for the keywords you’re considering targeting. You want to make sure there is enough search volume to justify the effort of optimizing for that keyword.

11. Consider keyword difficulty

In addition to search volume, you also want to consider keyword difficulty when choosing your target keywords. A keyword that is highly competitive and difficult to rank for is not going to be worth your time.

12. Don’t forget about mobile keywords

With more and more people using mobile devices to search the web, it’s important to optimize for mobile keywords. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner and Moz Keyword Explorer to find relevant mobile keywords to target.

13. Use negative keywords

Negative keywords are words or phrases that you don’t want your ad to show up for. Adding negative keywords to your campaign can help you save money and get better results.

14. Try to use natural language

When you’re creating titles and descriptions, try to use natural language that people will actually use when searching. Don’t stuff your titles and descriptions with keywords, as this will just turn people off.

15. Keep your keywords relevant to your ad

When you’re creating an ad, make sure the keywords you’re targeting are relevant to the ad itself. If they’re not, you’re just wasting money.

16. Don’t overuse keywords

Using too many keywords in your ad will not only turn people off, but it can also get you penalized by Google. Stick to using one or two keywords per ad and make sure they’re relevant to the ad.

17. Keep your keyword list updated

Your keyword list should be ever-evolving, as your business and the market changes. As you come up with new ideas and discover new keywords, add them to your list and test them out.

18. Use keyword research for PPC campaigns

Keyword research is essential for running successful PPC campaigns. Use tools like Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Bing Ads Intelligence to find relevant keywords to target.

19. Use keyword research for SEO

Just as keyword research is essential for running successful PPC campaigns, it’s also essential for SEO. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner and Moz Keyword Explorer to find relevant keywords to target.

20. Use keyword research for social media

Keyword research can also be used for social media marketing. Use tools like Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics to find relevant keywords to target.

How Many Keywords Should You Target?

The number of keywords you should target depends on a number of factors, including your business size, the products or services you offer, and your target audience. If you’re just starting out, it’s best to start small and gradually expand your keyword list as you see results.

The Bottom Line

Keyword research is an essential part of any marketing strategy. By understanding how people search for your products or services, you can create relevant content and ads that will attract clicks and convert them into customers.

A great marketer always looks for new opportunities to reach their target market. By using keyword research, you can create better content, ads, and social media posts that will reach your target audience and help you achieve your marketing goals.

What are your favorite keyword research hacks? Share them with us!