Effective SEO starts with keyword research

Effective SEO starts with keyword research.

Keyword research is arguably the most critical component of your Montgomery business's SEO strategy. You may have the most stunning website and the most compelling content, but if you are not ranking for the keywords your target audience is searching for and what search engines use as the basis for their rankings, you won't be found. And if you can't be found online, all the efforts you put into building a strong online presence will be worthless.

What does keyword mean?

A keyword is a specific term or phrase that users type in a search engine like Google to find what they are looking for. For example, when a user searches for the keyword "restaurant" in Google, the search giant will fetch results that are most relevant to the query.

Why is keyword research important?

Good keyword research increases the likelihood that Google will rank your website higher up in organic search results for your chosen keyword. On the other hand, lousy keyword research—which almost always means no keyword research—will doom your website to the SERP cellars. Since search engine visibility is a critical factor in attracting targeted search referral traffic, the higher your organic ranking, the more traffic your website receives. Clearly, keyword research pays off.

How to find the best keywords?

To ensure that you get the most out of your keyword research—and thus increase the volume of targeted traffic to your website—make sure that the keywords identified by your research meet the following three key criteria:

1. Relevance

Ensure that the keywords you target are relevant to your niche since they are crucial to both search rankings and the users' satisfaction (which is good for your website's conversion rates).

2. Probability to Convert

Focus on identifying keywords used by people who are highly motivated to take action—whether clicking the "Buy Now" button or subscribing to a mailing list.

It is a good idea to use "long-tail" keywords—keywords that are longer and more specific— as they tend to lead to higher conversions. Why? Because they demonstrate a "probability to convert." For example, a long-tail keyword phrase like "Japanese restaurant in Montgomery, Alabama" is more likely to result in a conversion than the keyword "restaurant." So although the search volume for long-tail keywords is lower than for more general keywords, users who use them in their search queries are closer to a point-of-purchase.

3. "Rankability"

Determine whether there is a good chance that you will attain a high ranking for the keywords that you are planning to use in your SEO campaign. After all, the only way to attract search referral traffic is to rank at or near the top of SERPs. Period. How do you determine the "rankability" of the keywords you are researching? Looking at the number of other web pages that are "competing" for the same keywords might help.

If you are looking for a professional SEO agency in Montgomery, AL, trust Tommy House Studios. Our team of creative SEO experts has the experience and know-how to help you drive targeted search referral traffic to your website and boost your revenue. Contact us today!