Yesterday, we talked about the creative phase of keyword research where the goal is to come up with as many viable options as possible.
The next step is to take this list of educated guesses (and that is all they are at this point) and figure out which ones are actually being used in searches. There are a number of tools available to help you do this, with Wordtracker being one of the most popular. They offer a free keyword suggestion tool. Its not as powerful as their full version, but is a good way to get your feet wet.
I personally use and prefer a program called Micro Niche Finder. I wrote in an earlier post about its Strength of Competition feature which quickly and clearly compares the number of searches for a particular keyword or phrase with the amount of competition for it. The results of this comparison are then graphically displayed in either red (no go), orange (maybe), or green (yep). It is easy to use and does not require an ongoing monthly or annual subscription fee. (It does have a few quirks, however – so I plan to do a comprehensive comparison/review of this product and the paid version of Wordtracker and will report back on my findings in a later post).
At any rate, the point is to find a keyword analysis tool that works for you and your budget. Doesn’t matter which one it is as long as it gives an accurate picture of how many searches are being conducted for your desired keywords or phrases, as well as an idea of how much competition you are up against for each word. Again, the trick is to find a good balance between the number of searches (demand) and how much competition there is for those searches (supply).
Run your entire brainstorm list through the keyword analysis tool and discard the obvious choices (words or phases with no search activity or way too much competition). I like to start a project with a list of about 100 words that I can then work into the overall blueprint of the site – using 1 – 3 words or phrases to build a solid page of content with one primary objective or goal and is in line with the central purpose of the site.
Of course, this is just the tip of the proverbial ice berg – once you get your basic pages written (or tweaked), your journey has just begun. That is, if you are serious about getting the most out of your site in terms of organic search results.
Til Next Time,
P.S. Keyword Research is critically important to your long-term success in Content Marketing. Remember, you can start for free with Wordtracker – or upgrade to Micro Niche Finder for a one-time fee (no subscription or annual fees).
