What’s up SEO family!

I hope you all enjoyed your holiday weekend! We spent our time traveling to visit family and eating 4 dinners. #crazy #sickofturkey

I’ve added a section toward the bottom with some recent blog posts, definitely check them out! Also check out my new tool: Free Image Compressor

This week’s tip is a big one. We’re talking about keyword research, the cornerstone of every successful SEO strategy. If you’ve been throwing spaghetti at the wall with your content topics, it’s time to stop and build a strategy based on actual data. Keyword research is how you make sure your content aligns with what people are searching for (and how you bring that sweet organic traffic to your site).

Let’s dig into the details and set your content strategy up for success.

Dad Joke:

Why did the computer go to art school?

Because it wanted to learn how to draw traffic!

this one is sort of an SEO joke and it’s pretty dumb… 🤣

Steps to Conduct Keyword Research for Content Strategy

Keyword research doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It’s all about using the right tools, understanding search intent, and organizing your findings into a plan of action. Let’s break it down step by step.

Step 1: Define Your Content Goals

Before diving into tools and data, ask yourself:

• What is the purpose of your content? (e.g., drive sales, educate, entertain)

• Who is your target audience?

• What stage of the buyer’s journey are you targeting?

Example:
If you’re a local bakery, your goal might be to attract more customers to your shop. In this case, your audience is locals looking for fresh bread, and the content might focus on informational keywords like “best bakeries near me” or transactional ones like “order sourdough bread online.”

Step 2: Brainstorm Seed Keywords

Seed keywords are broad terms that describe your business, products, or services. These act as a starting point for deeper keyword research.

How to brainstorm seed keywords:

1. Think about your core offerings.

2. Ask your customers what they’d search for to find your business.

3. Review competitor websites for common terms.

Example:
A fitness coach might start with seed keywords like:

• “personal training”

• “home workouts”

• “nutrition plans”

Step 3: Use Keyword Research Tools

Now it’s time to expand your seed keywords into a full list of opportunities. Use tools to find related keywords, search volume, and competition levels.

Best keyword research tools:

1. Google Keyword Planner: Free and reliable for identifying keywords and their search volumes.

2. Ahrefs or SEMrush: Paid tools that offer deep insights into keyword difficulty, competition, and related terms.

3. AnswerThePublic: Great for finding questions people ask related to your keywords.

Example:
Using “home workouts” as a seed keyword in Google Keyword Planner might reveal related terms like:

• “30-minute home workout”

• “home workouts for beginners”

• “no-equipment workouts”

Pro Tip: Focus on a mix of high-volume keywords and long-tail keywords with lower competition.

Step 4: Analyze Search Intent

Not all keywords are created equal. Understanding the intent behind a keyword helps you create content that matches what the searcher is looking for.

Types of search intent:

1. Informational: The user wants to learn something. (e.g., “how to bake sourdough bread”)

2. Navigational: The user is looking for a specific site or brand. (e.g., “Nike running shoes”)

3. Transactional: The user wants to make a purchase or take action. (e.g., “buy gym equipment online”)

Example:
For the keyword “home workouts for beginners,” the intent is likely informational. You could create a blog post or video tutorial to satisfy this intent.

Pro Tip: Match your content type (blog, video, product page) to the intent of the keyword.

Step 5: Group Keywords into Content Clusters

Once you have a list of keywords, organize them into clusters based on topics. This helps you plan content that’s comprehensive and interconnected.

How to create content clusters:

1. Choose a “pillar” keyword (a broad topic).

2. Group related keywords under it.

3. Plan individual pieces of content around each cluster.

Example:
For a digital marketing agency:

• Pillar Topic: “SEO Basics”

  • Cluster Keywords:

    • “What is SEO?”

    • “SEO tips for beginners”

    • “On-page vs. off-page SEO”

Pro Tip: Use internal linking to connect content in the same cluster, boosting SEO and keeping users on your site longer.

Step 6: Prioritize Keywords Based on Value

Not all keywords are worth targeting right away. Prioritize based on factors like:

• Search volume: Are enough people searching for this term?

• Keyword difficulty: Can you realistically rank for this keyword?

• Relevance: Does this keyword align with your goals and audience?

Example:
A small coffee shop might prioritize “coffee shop near me” (high intent, local relevance) over “history of coffee” (low intent, less direct value).

Pro Tip: Don’t ignore long-tail keywords. They might have lower search volume, but they often convert better because they’re more specific.

Step 7: Plan Content Around Keywords

Now that you’ve got your keywords, it’s time to create content that satisfies search intent and provides value.

Content types to consider:

1. Blog posts

2. Videos

3. Infographics

4. Product pages

5. Tutorials

Example:
For the keyword “30-minute home workout,” you could create:

• A blog post with step-by-step instructions.

• A YouTube video demonstrating the workout.

• A downloadable PDF workout plan.

Pro Tip: Include your primary keyword in the title, meta description, and first 100 words of your content.

Step 8: Monitor and Refine Your Strategy

Keyword research isn’t a one-and-done process. Regularly review your keywords and their performance to refine your content strategy.

Tools to monitor performance:

• Google Search Console: Check how your keywords are performing in search results.

• Google Analytics: Measure traffic and engagement metrics for your content.

Pro Tip: If a piece of content isn’t ranking as expected, revisit it. Update the content, add internal links, or target a different keyword.

Research Leads to Results

Keyword research might take some time upfront, but it pays off in the long run! By understanding your audience and targeting the right keywords, you’ll create content that ranks, drives traffic, and converts.

As always, I’m here to answer your questions and help you grow your SEO knowledge. Hit reply if you want to chat, share a dad joke, or just say hi. And if you need hands-on help with your keyword strategy, check out my services at theseomarketingdad.com.

PS If you are having trouble with your SEO please reach out! I offer consultations and retainer contracts for SEO services!

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