Mastering Keyword Research: An Advanced Guide for Business Owners

So, you’ve conquered the basics of running a business in the digital age. You have the website, the social media accounts, and maybe even a blog or two. But there’s one thing that’s still eluding you: how to get your business found in search engine results without selling your soul (or your budget) to the advertising overlords. Welcome to the world of keyword research—a place where the right words can unlock a treasure trove of customers.

Why should you care about keyword research?

First off, what is keyword research? Simply put, it’s the process of finding and analyzing the specific keywords and phrases that people use in search engines like Google when looking for a product or service like yours. Keyword research is the groundwork for successful search engine optimization (SEO). It helps you learn and understand the search queries your target audience uses to reach your offerings.

Effective keyword research is the compass that points customers straight to your virtual doorstep. It’s like matchmaking but for businesses and customers. Get it right, and you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with those expensive ad campaigns that yielded zilch.

Bottom line: The right keywords help the right people find you at the right time. And who doesn’t want that?

To illustrate, a bookstore may learn through keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner that “affordable bestsellers” is a frequently searched term. With this valuable information, they could adjust their website content to highlight that specific keyword, subsequently drawing in relevant web traffic.

Keyword research also feeds your overall SEO strategy and informs your content strategy by providing a sort of “topics list” of information that your target audience is interested in. By aligning your content with the search intent of potential customers, you increase your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Understanding how search engine algorithms work is crucial in this process. Search engines aim to deliver the most relevant results to users, so incorporating targeted keywords into your content helps search engines like Google understand that your web pages are relevant to specific search queries.

Getting inside your customers’ heads

So you’ve realized that keyword research is the secret sauce to getting found online. Great! But how do you figure out which specific keywords will actually bring potential customers to your virtual doorstep? Simple: get inside your customers’ heads (figuratively, of course—we’re not advocating mind control here).

Understanding your target audience takes knowing their demographics, sure. But it also takes knowing their thoughts, needs, and the language they use when they’re searching for solutions that you can provide. Let’s dive deeper into how you can tap into this valuable insight.

Think like a customer.

First things first, put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Imagine you’re the one with the problem that your product or service solves. Ask yourself:

• What problems are they trying to solve?
• What questions are they asking?
• What words or phrases would they use to find a solution?

Remember, the way you describe your business might not be the same way your potential customers describe it. They might not know the technical terms or industry jargon—they just want a solution to their problem.

Here’s how to incorporate this insight.

Suppose you run a home cleaning service. You might think in terms like “residential sanitation services” or “domestic upkeep solutions.” But let’s be real—no one wakes up on a Saturday morning and says, “I need some domestic upkeep solutions today.” They’re more likely to type into Google, “house cleaners near me” or “how to find a reliable maid service.”

By thinking like your customer, you align your keywords with the actual search terms (search queries) they’re using, increasing the chances they’ll find you.

Use their language, not industry jargon.

Ready for a shock? Nobody outside your industry understands (or cares about) your fancy terminology. Using industry jargon is a surefire way to confuse potential customers.

• Skip the tech talk: Unless you’re targeting fellow experts, keep the language simple.
• Mirror their words: Pay attention to the phrases your customers use and incorporate them into your website content.

Consider this scenario:

You’re a software developer specializing in creating “cloud-based, SaaS solutions for enterprise resource planning.” Impressive, right? But your potential customers might be searching for “online tools to manage my business” or “software to track inventory and sales.”

By mirroring the language your customers use, you make your content more relatable and discoverable.

Action steps:

• Review your website and marketing materials: Are you using terms your customers might not understand?
• Simplify your language: Replace technical terms with plain English wherever possible.
• Test it out: Show your content to someone outside your industry. If they don’t understand it, it’s time to simplify.

Tap into customer feedback.

Your customers are already telling you what they want—you just need to listen.

• Read reviews and testimonials: Customer reviews are a goldmine of information. Pay attention to the words and phrases they use.
• Analyze customer emails and messages: Look at the questions and concerns that come up frequently.
• Conduct surveys and polls: Ask open-ended questions to gather insights into their needs and how they describe them.

What does this look like in practice?

A restaurant might notice customers frequently mention “family-friendly” and “gluten-free options” in reviews. These phrases can become relevant keywords to highlight in your content, attracting others who value the same things.

Leverage online communities and forums.

People love to discuss their problems and seek advice online. Forums, social media groups, and Q&A sites are where your customers are openly sharing their thoughts.

• Browse forums: Sites like Reddit, Quora, and industry-specific forums are gold mines for understanding customer concerns.
• Social media groups: Facebook and LinkedIn groups can reveal common questions and topics.
• Note the language used: Pay attention to how people phrase their questions and problems.

Real-world example

If you sell DIY home repair kits, browsing a forum like Reddit’s r/HomeImprovement can reveal that many users are asking, “How can I fix a leaky faucet myself?” Incorporating this exact phrase into your content can attract these DIY enthusiasts.

Use search engine autocomplete and related searches.

Search engines can be your personal assistant in discovering what people are searching for. How to use these features:

• Autocomplete suggestions: Start typing a query into Google and see what suggestions pop up. These are popular searches related to your initial input.
• Related searches: At the bottom of the search engine results page, Google provides related search terms.

Practical application:

Typing “best laptop for” into Google might autocomplete to “best laptop for graphic design,” “best laptop for gaming,” or “best laptop for students.” If you sell laptops, these phrases indicate specific customer needs you can target.

Consider different stages of the buying journey.

Not all customers are ready to buy right now. Understanding where they are in their buying journey helps you tailor your keywords and content to meet them where they are.

Stages and strategies of the buyer journey:

1. Awareness stage:
   • Customer’s mindset: They have a problem or need but aren’t sure what the solution is.
   • Keywords to target: “How to reduce energy bills,” “Why is my electric bill so high?”
   • Content to provide: Educational articles, blog posts explaining the problem.
2. Consideration stage:
   • Customer’s mindset: They are researching options and solutions.
   • Keywords to target: “Best energy-efficient appliances,” “LED vs. CFL bulbs.”
   • Content to provide: Comparison guides, product reviews, case studies.
3. Decision stage:
   • Customer’s mindset: They are ready to make a purchase.
   • Keywords to target: “Buy energy-efficient refrigerator,” “discount on LED bulbs.”
   • Content to provide: Product pages, special offers, customer testimonials.

Why this matters:

By aligning your keywords and content with the customer’s stage in the buying journey, you increase the likelihood of moving them closer to making a purchase.

Embrace voice search.

With the rise of voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, more people are using natural, conversational language to search.

Adapting to voice search:

• Use conversational phrases: Incorporate phrases that sound like how people speak.
• Include questions: Many voice searches are in the form of questions.
• Optimize for local searches: Voice searches often include “near me” or location-based queries.

Example:

Instead of optimizing for “Italian restaurant NYC,” consider “What’s the best Italian restaurant near me?” or “Where can I find homemade pasta in [Your City]?”

Analyze competitors (legally and ethically).

Your competitors can provide valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t in your industry.

How to leverage competitor analysis:

• Identify top competitors: Who is ranking well for the keywords you want?
• Examine their content: What topics are they covering? How are they engaging customers?
• Spot keyword opportunities: Use keyword research tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to see which keywords they’re ranking for and which ones they might be missing.

Caution: While it’s beneficial to learn from competitors, make sure you’re creating original content and not copying their work.

Monitor trends and seasonality.

Staying ahead of trends can give you a competitive edge.

Ways to stay informed:

• Google Trends: See how search interest changes over time for specific keywords.
• Industry news and reports: Keep up with the latest developments in your field.
• Seasonal events: Align your content and keywords with holidays, seasons, or annual events relevant to your business.

Example:

A retailer might focus on keywords like “back-to-school supplies” leading up to the start of the school year or “best holiday gifts for dads” before Father’s Day.

Compile and prioritize your keyword list.

Now that you’ve gathered a wealth of potential keywords, it’s time to organize and prioritize them.

3 Steps to organize your keywords:

• Group similar keywords:
  • By topic: Organize keywords into categories like “product features,” “customer benefits,” “common problems.”
  • By intent: Group them based on where they fit in the buying journey.
• Assess relevance and search volume:
  • Relevance: Ensure the keyword is closely related to your business and the content you can provide.
  • Search volume: Use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner to see how often the keyword is searched.
• Consider competition:
  • Keyword difficulty: High-competition keywords may be harder to rank for.
  • Balance your strategy: Target a mix of high-volume, competitive keywords and lower-volume, niche long-tail keywords.

Creating a keyword spreadsheet:

Set up a spreadsheet with columns for:

• Keyword phrase
• Search volume
• Competition level
• Customer intent
• Relevance score

This visual organization helps you prioritize which keywords to focus on first.

Action steps to get inside their heads.

1. Walk a mile in their shoes:
   • Spend time thinking and searching like your customer would.
   • Use incognito mode to see unbiased search results.
2. Gather insights everywhere:
   • Keep a notebook or digital document to jot down phrases and questions you encounter.
   • Regularly review customer interactions for new insights.
3. Speak their language:
   • Update your website content and marketing materials to reflect the language your customers use.
   • Test different phrases in your content to see what resonates.
4. Organize your findings:
   • Regularly update your keyword spreadsheet.
   • Reassess priorities as trends and customer behaviors change.
5. Integrate into your strategy:
   • Use your list of keywords to inform blog topics, FAQs, product pages, and ad campaigns.
   • Monitor performance using tools like Google Search Console to see which keywords are driving traffic and conversions.

Final thoughts.

Understanding your customers is about listening and observing, not guessing. When you truly grasp what they’re looking for and how they talk about it, you can create content that resonates with them, improving your chances of attracting and retaining their business.

By investing time in getting inside your customers’ heads, you set a strong foundation for all your marketing efforts. It’s not just about bringing more traffic to your website; it’s about bringing the right traffic—people who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.

Now that you’ve got a handle on how to align your keywords with your customers’ needs and language, you’re well on your way to creating an effective keyword research strategy that works. Stay tuned for next week, where we’ll explore how to apply these insights using practical tools and techniques to make your keyword research process even more effective.