Choosing the right keywords for your website is only part of the equation for ranking in search. The other part is creating awesome content!
For those who don’t know, a keyword is a short phrase or main term that best describes content you’re presenting. And using the right keywords for your content unlocks potential of the online market for small business owners. Thus, leveling the playing field between giant corporation and small business.
Continue reading for our tips to choosing the right keywords so you can optimize your website. Not to mention, giving your small business the ability to do better than expected.
01. Different Types Of Keywords
There are several types of keywords you can use to optimize your website. However, all of them fall into one of the two categories below. These categories are a good starting point to help you choose the right keywords for your website.
SHORT-TAIL KEYWORD
When we talk about keywords, short-tail is normally the type being referred to. Short-tail keywords are search queries that have high volumes and in very broad topics. In general, they contain three or less words. This all means that they are used often which makes it more difficult to rank with them online.
Example: green baseball hats
LONG-TAIL KEYWORD
A long-tail keyword is a question or phrase that contains at least 4 words. Generally, it is more descriptive than short-tail keywords and also less competitive because its audience is more targeted. Consequently, they have a lower keyword difficulty which makes them easier to rank for.
Example: Padres green baseball hats
02. Know Your Business’ Current Keyword Rankings
The first step in choosing the right keyword for your website is easy – know your business! You can start by making a list of important phrases and words that relate to your business. This includes your business locations, and names of products/services. What are some technical and simple terms that could be used to describe what you do?
Next, use tools like Ahrefs to see which keywords your business already rank for. You don’t want to reuse keywords you’re already ranking for within the top three spots of search results. So, this step is important. Besides, a keyword can’t boost your visibility if it’s already at the top. Instead, choose any of the non-ranking keywords from your list to focus on future movement. And don’t forget that you can also choose new keywords from your list.
03. Research Your Competitor
Another big piece to this puzzle is knowing which keywords your competitors are using. Visit their website and peruse the pages to see which keywords are being used. How keywords ft into their content, which keyword strategies seem to be effective in gain online attention.
You can learn a lot by doing this, thus saving yourself costly mistakes in the process. Not to mention, broadening your list of potential keywords to use.
04. Think Like Your Customer
Now that you know the keywords that are relevant to your business, it’s time to start thinking like your ideal customer. The focus here is on the word ‘ideal’. You don’t just want a small portion of your customer base. But rather the majority of your customers to find you.
Let’s say you own a bike repair shop and 80% of your customers are unfamiliar with bike-related jargon. This means 20% are familiar. Because the majority of your customers are unfamiliar with bike terminology, they’ll search for straightforward keywords. For instance, they’ll use terms like ‘kids bike repair’ and not a technical term like ‘Fuji Absolute 1.9 bike repair’.
Obviously, you should steer clear of the technical terms that 80% of your customers won’t think to use. The point of optimizing your website with new keywords is to make it easier for your ideal customers to find you. So, look at your list of keywords and remove any that you think your ideal customers won’t use.
Wrapping It Up
Choosing the right keywords for your website is helpful in generate the relevant traffic your business needs. Use simple online tools to check keyword ranks and other data. And use keywords naturally on your web pages. The customers who will value your business will be able to find you online.
You may also enjoy reading: What Are The Digital Marketing Funnel Stages?
About the Author
Hazel is the Founder & SEO Director at Envisager Studio, a premier website design agency specializing in WordPress website design, development and internet marketing. In her spare time, she writes about search engine optimization, website design, and internet marketing.
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