08 October Keyword research mistakes to avoid
Effective keyword research is often the cornerstone of best practices in SEO. Beyond understanding audience queries, it helps create content that resonates with the target audience and optimizes for search engines. With the right selection of keywords, one can anticipate significant organic traffic, driven by both the competitiveness and high search volume of those keywords. However, there are common mistakes you might be making in your keyword research, and we will guide you through these mistakes and how to fix them.
Top 7 mistakes in keyword research to avoid
The subject can be extensive. However, there are a few that are done and repeated frequently. Here are the top 7 keyword research mistakes that marketers make and ways to fix them.
Ignoring search intent and its importance
Search intent often takes a backseat when it comes to crafting a keyword during keyword research. Not understanding the target audience’s query can leave them in haywire. This can impact the marketer and the content in more ways than one. For example, if you compare the keywords and their intent, a word can make all the difference.
An user typing out “best scented candles” is still on the lookout for his ideal product while the one that’s typing out “buy scented candles” is done with the research and can be a potential customer to any of the brands out there. To avoid unintended traffic and bounce rates, it’s always ideal to stick to finding the right keywords that will match the user intent.
Overlooking long tail keywords
Keyword stuffing isn’t unknown. Marketers often find themselves stuck with keywords that stand among the high-volume ones. However, the significance of long-tail keywords stays the same. It makes the user queries more specific, helping them find the products that could solve their problems on a better level.
Furthermore, they are less competitive when compared to high-volume keywords. The buying cycle is extensive and you need to target users that can potentially turn into customers who will bring in business. If you are wondering, “Scented candles” is a high volume keyword. But “scented candles for morning meditation” is a long-tail keyword. Make best use of them.
Neglecting the significance of relevance
Keywords are meant to connect you with your target audience and potential customers. If you don’t understand why you should be relevant to your audience, you need to reconsider your research practices.
If you want to target people that can make a purchase, you need to start sounding more relevant. Sometimes, people can indulge in using keywords that are irrelevant to their products and website. Such cases can make your website lose its credibility. Choosing keywords that accurately reflect the actual idea of your content is important. For instance, “Chicken curry” can be a high-volume keyword. However, it can be totally misleading if you own a website that educates people about veganism and its benefits.
Giving too much space to competitor keywords
Analyzing competitor keywords is not something that you should overlook. However, focusing solely on keywords that your competitors use is another keyword red flag you should avoid. Instead of blindly copying your competitors’ keywords, try researching about how you can analyse their content to bridge the gap in yours. Instead of making your
Local keywords can make all the difference
If a physical store is your business’s heart, you need to start relying more on local keywords. Ignoring the importance of incorporating local keywords can affect the traffic and customer base you can attract. For example, if you are based in a particular city, you need to start getting local with your keywords. Using “best scented candles in Chennai” can get you better traction than “best candles” if your business solely relies on your physical store.
Sticking with one-word keywords
One-worded keywords are impressive due to the high search volume and ease in use. However, sticking to them isn’t going to get you anywhere with your traction. They are highly competitive and you need to have a customer that’s patient enough to sit on their search queries to find you out. While using them can benefit you in some ways, sticking to only one-worded keywords can affect your conversion rates. For example, instead of going “candles,” you can be more specific with your keywords and go with “scented candles to help relieve stress.”
Relying entirely on high-volume keywords
As a marketer, striking that balance between relevance, search volume, and competition is the best skill you can equip yourself with. On that line, most marketers make the mistake of relying on high-volume keywords to get traction and traffic. If you want the benefits of using high-volume keywords, try using them in combination with competitive SEO keywords and relevant ones.
Conclusion
Optimizing your SEO strategies can not happen without the right keyword strategy. By shifting your focus towards managing the search intent, using relevant keywords, balancing the length of keywords, and keeping it on the line with your competitors can bring in more results that can potentially uplift your business.
Driving traffic to your website is one thing. However, making sure that you can convert most of them is where your expertise truly lies.