Essential Guide: Keyword Research Tools 2018

Rachael Bews

Read Time: 3 minutes

We’ve already highlighted the importance of keyword research for getting your content noticed and offered a beginner’s guide to getting started. Now we’re here to talk you through our favourite keyword research tools, what they’re good for and how to use them.

 

What Is SEO Copywriting?

SEO copywriting is the process of both producing content and maximising its chances of being consumed. Through the creative process, we typically write for people. However with the SEO process, we write for Google. Bringing the two together is a recipe for content marketing success.

Read More: How to Get Your Content Noticed Online

 

How to Increase SEO

Google bots crawl the web in search of specific keywords that indicate what a web page is about and if its content is relevant to certain search queries. By tailoring our content to target specific Google search terms (or keywords), we are improving the relevancy of our content, maximising the chances of it being seen, boosting our organic Google rankings and using that traffic to increase conversion.

 

How To Do Keyword Research For Content Marketing

That sounds great right, but where do you begin? There are a few ways to carry out keyword research for content marketing. The trick is to start with your general content themes and find niches within which you can excel. Your keyword research should flow from broad (short-tail queries) to specific (long-tail queries).

Read More: The Beginner’s Guide To Keyword Research For Content

 

1. Keyword Theme Tools

Fortunately there are a number of excellent free and paid tools you can use to help. Start by pulling together a list of content themes based on your industry, products/services, trends and personas. Use these top level themes to discover what people are specifically searching for in these areas.

Google Trends
EpicBeat
BuzzSumo

Top Tip: Answering the questions of your target audience is key for content success

 

2. Related Keyword Suggestion Tools

Once you know what information people are looking for in relation to your content themes, you should search for related queries and keywords. Broadening your reach in this way helps to expand the relevancy of your content.

Keyword Tool.io
Cognitive SEO

 

3. Long-Tail Keyword Tools

Targeting a combination of short-tail (general), related (alternative) and long-tail (niche) keywords maximises your chances of SEO success. This is because they are likely to have varying levels of search volume, competition and keyword difficulty. Targeting a number of long-tail keywords will give you a better chance at ranking well for lower volume, niche content themes.

Answer The Public
KW Finder

 

4. Keyword Tools For Search Volume

Once you have a list of keyword ideas and suggestions, you need to prioritise them. The most important consideration is search volume. Aim to target keywords found in the ‘sweet spot’ between those with the highest volume (and the highest competition) and those with lower search volume (and lower competition).

Google Keyword Planner
Keywords Everywhere

 

5. Keyword Grouping Tools

To plan out your content strategy and discover which of your content themes have the highest search volume, it is well worth grouping your keyword list and aggregating the total search volume. This will help you to understand which content themes have the greatest opportunity for content marketing success.

WordStream

 

Paid Keyword Tools

If you’ve got a generous digital marketing budget and need greater keyword insights, then opting for a sophisticated, paid platform, may be the best option. They will give you in-depth analysis of keyword difficulty and competition, and will more than likely offer all of the functions mentioned above in one place.

Ahrefs
SEMrush
Moz

 

By following these tips on keyword research for content marketing, you are putting yourself in the best position to attract new customers and help your business grow. If you need support to conduct SEO or keyword research, then please get in touch.

Written By: Rachael Bews

Written By: Rachael Bews

Rachael is a social media specialist and freelance contributor to The William Agency.

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