Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for driving relevant organic traffic to your website. However, ranking well for competitive keywords requires in-depth keyword research and analysis.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk through actionable tips for identifying high-value keywords your website can realistically rank for. We'll also explore tools for tracking your current keyword rankings and measuring keyword difficulty.
Before optimizing for new terms, it's important to understand where your website currently ranks for relevant keywords. Some key questions to ask:
There are a few ways to conduct a keyword ranking analysis to answer these questions:
Google Search Console provides data on how your pages rank for searched terms. Navigate to the Performance section, then click on Search Analytics. Here you can see query stats like:
This gives you insight into how you rank for keywords (rank on Google) and the search terms that are already driving traffic.
Doing manual spot checks helps you double-check accuracy and see the full SERP (search engine results page). Simply search for a keyword and look for your site. Or use advanced search operators:
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site:yourdomain.com “search phrase”
This shows you where your pages rank for that particular term. Repeat this for key phrases, including variations that use different word orders or include modifiers.
Services like SEOToolsPark, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Serpstat provide automated keyword ranking data. Features include:
These tools take out the manual work of checking rankings. They give you an at-a-glance view into how you rank for keywords (your keyword ranking in SEO) and how that changes over time.
By looking at existing keyword rankings, you can identify strengths to build upon and weak areas to improve. This informs your keyword targeting and SEO optimization going forward.
The keywords you ultimately target should be informed by:
Here is a step-by-step process for choosing which keywords to focus on:
Google's free Keyword Planner gives keyword volume data - a key factor for search traffic potential. It shows monthly searches for a term as well as historical trends.
Look up your seed keywords to get ideas for long-tail variations with decent search volume. You can also enter your target website to get keyword recommendations.
It's not enough to look at keyword volumes alone. You need to make sure a term is relevant with a good conversion potential.
Search intent analysis looks at questions like:
Topic clustering groups keywords into categories around a theme. This reveals related keywords and helps inform your content strategy and site structure.
Free tools like Google Trends and Ubersuggest's Keyword Grouper provide intent and topic analysis around keywords.
You want to target keywords your pages have a reasonable chance of ranking for. Keyword competition analysis looks at factors like:
Ideally, you want keywords with low barriers to entry but still get traffic. Avoid highly competitive terms initially.
Tools like Moz's Keyword Difficulty, Ahrefs Keyword Gap, and SEMrush's Keyword Magic Tool measure keyword difficulty. Or check manually using the site: searches.
Once you've identified promising keyword opportunities, evaluate whether your existing pages could rank for those terms.
If not, you may need to create or optimize pages targeting those phrases. Focus on terms that serve user intent which you can rank for with the right page SEO.
After putting effort into keyword targeting and on-page optimization, you'll want to monitor your progress.
Consistent tracking enables you to double down on what works and identify low-performing areas for improvement.
We've already covered robust rank-tracking tools like Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMrush. These platforms provide:
Automated reports save time while giving the full picture of your keyword rankings. Most tools also offer alerts when rankings change significantly.
Even with rank trackers, doing occasional manual spot checks is wise. This verifies accuracy and that you understand the full SERP context.
Manual checks supplement automated reporting for the most complete view.
Beyond rankings, it's just as important to monitor keyword traffic and engagement.
Questions to examine:
Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and SEO platforms provide this data. If higher rankings aren't increasing your organic search traffic as expected, there may be underlying issues impacting performance.
SEO is an ongoing process. As you track keyword rankings, keep unearthing new opportunities.
If a competitor ranks for a relevant, high-traffic term but you don't, this presents an opportunity. See if it's feasible to create content and optimize specifically around that keyword to capture traffic.
Targeting long-tail versions of popular keywords can be an effective strategy. The traffic is lower but competition is reduced.
For example "content marketing tips" has a high volume but lots of domains optimizing for it. Whereas a longer version like "Advanced Content Marketing Tips for 2022" is more niche.
Look for rising keyword opportunities around new topics and trends in your industry. Position yourself to rank for these fast-growing search terms early on.
Tools like Google Trends, Soovle, and UberSuggest identify trending keywords. Insert fresh keywords into new content to stay ahead of the curve.
If you've optimized for a keyword but haven't seen results, consider reallocating effort elsewhere with higher potential.
Analyze why the term didn't convert as expected and whether it's worth continuing to target. Trim underperformers from your list.
By continuously researching keywords and expanding your reach, you open up new avenues of organic traffic. Use data-driven insights to guide your SEO keyword strategy.
A: Aim to optimize each page for 1-2 primary keywords, plus 3-5 secondary long-tail variations. Avoid overloading pages with too many keywords.
A: Check automated ranking reports daily or weekly to monitor movement. Do manual spot checks at least once a month to verify accuracy.
A: Ideally around 1-3% of a page's content should cover your target keywords. Higher than 5% risks Google penalties for over-optimization.
A: Keyword positions are constantly in flux as pages are crawled, indexed, and ranked. You can see shifts in rankings within days or weeks of effort.
A: Don't panic. Temporary fluctuations are normal. First, troubleshoot technical issues. Then re-evaluate your on-page SEO and marketing strategy around those terms.
A: Use keyword rank tracking tools that compare your site against other domains. You can also do manual spot checks by searching your keyword plus "site:competitorurl.com".
Keyword targeting and ranking remain essential pillars of an effective SEO strategy. By researching high-value keywords aligned to your business, analyzing your current standings, tracking competitively over time, and continuously expanding your reach, you can drive more qualified organic traffic to your site.
Remember to focus on terms that serve strong user intent which your content can rank for with on-page optimization. Pair keyword efforts with great content that answers searchers' questions to boost conversions. With the right keywords driving traffic to the right pages, your website will attract and engage your ideal audience.
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