In this blog, I will break down the easy and simple methods to crack the keyword research techniques like swallowing a jelly! Let’s dive directly into the content.

What is Keyword Research

Keyword research is all about discovering what people are searching for online and understanding which terms can help your content rank higher. It’s the key to attracting the right audience and boosting website traffic.

Think Like You’re Audience

If you want to know about sports shoe blogs, how would you search? The first brainstorming keyword that comes to your mind is

• the best sports shoe blogs
• top sports shoe blogs

Yes! It will differ based on the individual. But mostly the above-mentioned keywords will pop into your mind at least once. So cracking this audience’s thoughts about how they search is the first step towards your keywords success journey.

Use Free Keyword Research Tools

Did you know our Godfather Google’s search engine comes into play in this game? What you have to do is simply search for a query in the Google search box, while typing the query it will show suggestions of the same query with tweaks which are jackpot keywords. Don’t worry I will give examples to perform.

Ex: Let’s say your search query is “best sports shoes” and you are typing in the search box
It will show the suggestions along with “People also ask” which is a long-tail keyword.

Oh! I am sorry, first I will explain the types of keywords in short and easy-to-grasp manner.

Short-Tail Keywords (Broad & Competitive)

What are they?

• 1-2 word searches
• HIGH competition (like a crowded shopping mall)
• Vague and general

Ex: Shoes

Long-Tail Keywords (Easier to Rank)

What are they?

• 3-5+ words
• Less competition (like a hidden gem restaurant)
• More targeted

Ex: Best running shoes for flat feet

Informational Keywords (People Want Answers)

What are they?

• “How to” or “What is” type of searches
• People are looking for knowledge, not to buy anything

Ex: How to lose weight fast naturally

Commercial Keywords (People Are Thinking of Buying)

What are they?

People are considering a product but need comparisons or reviews.

Ex: iPhone 15 vs Samsung S23 comparison

Transactional Keywords (Ready to Buy)

What are they?

• Users are ready to make a purchase
• Often include words like buy, deal, discount, near me

Ex: Buy Nike running shoes online

Navigational Keywords (Brand-Specific Searches)

What are they?

• Often include brand names
• Users are looking for a specific brand or website

Ex: Nike official website

LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) Keywords (Related Terms)

What are they?

Synonyms or related words that help search engines understand content better.

Ex: Content marketing tips

Local Keywords (Location-Based Searches)

What are they?

Include a specific city, area, or “near me”

Ex: Coffee shops near me

Competitor Keywords (Targeting Competitor’s Audience)

What are they?

Contain competitor brand names.

Ex: Nike vs Adidas running shoes

Question-Based Keywords (FAQ Style Searches)

What are they?

Commonly start with who, what, where, when, why, how

Ex: Why is SEO important for websites?

Step By Step Guide to Doing Keyword Research

Step 1: Identify Your Niche and Target Audience

This step is like a backbone of your content to rank. Before writing content, try to find the main purpose of the blog. Then, choose your target audience.

Ex: If you are selling milk products, who will be your target audience?

Well, you will target

• Health Conscious People
• Parents and Families 

Here, you also have to think about “whom you should not target”

In this case,

• Lactose-Intolerant Individuals
• Vegans
• People with Dairy Allergies

Step 2: Use Google Auto Suggest and People Also Ask section

When you type a search query in Google, you will find the related searches along with the People also Ask section. So here you will get 2 in 1, because you will get the keywords using auto suggest and at the same time you will get long tail keywords which can be also used for Frequently Asked Questions for your website.

Step 3: Use Keyword Research Tools

There are so many free keyword research tools available in Google, like Uber Suggest, Keywords Everywhere, Ahrefs, and Google Keyword Planner. By utilizing these tools you can easily wing the keywords that have high search volume.

Step 4: Analyze Search Volume and Competition

When you want to stand out from others, What do you do? Yes! You are correct, you will try to do something best and unique from others. You want to imply the same technique here,

• Look for keywords with Moderate or Low Competition
• Use Google Trends to see the popularity and trend of the keyword

Step 5: Create High-Quality SEO-Friendly Content

By incorporating all the steps and methods mentioned above, you can confidently create good SEO content. But, try to avoid keyword stuffing and incorporate the keywords naturally in your content. 

Place Keywords in Key Areas

Title: Include primary keywords naturally (e.g., How to Do Keyword Research for SEO).

Headings (H1, H2, H3): Use variations of the main keyword (e.g., Best Free Keyword Research Tools).

Meta Description: Ensure the keyword appears in a compelling way to boost click-through rates

Optimize Anchor Text: Use keyword-rich anchor text for links (e.g., Learn more about keyword research techniques here instead of Click here).

Optimize Image Alt Text & File Names: Instead of naming an image IMG1234.jpg, use best-keyword-research-tools.jpg.

Answer User Intent with Keywords in FAQs: Include commonly searched questions in FAQ sections using long-tail keywords.

Add Keywords in the First 100 Words because search engine gives more importance for early content. Instead of repeating the same keyword, use synonyms and related words to make content engaging.

Step 6: Track Your Keyword Performance

Once you craft SEO-Friendly content, use Google Search Console to monitor rankings. Also, try to optimize your content with the keywords every day. This gives credibility to your content in Search Engine. Optimize underperforming content with better keywords.

Pro Tips for Better Keyword Research

• Focus on long-tail keywords to rank faster
• Use LSI keywords to make content more relevant
• Spy on competitors using tools like SEMrush & Ahrefs
• Optimize for voice search with natural language queries
• Update old blog posts with new keyword insights

Conclusion

Keyword research is the backbone for driving organic traffic. By understanding the above-mentioned methods and techniques, you can boost your blog’s visibility and drive organic traffic.

Keep experimenting to find what works best!