According to leading digital marketing experts, there are many aspects to the successful implementation of keyword strategy. In essence it involves determining the defined target audience and their needs, researching and pinpointing most relevant keywords for a businesses specific niche, choosing the appropriate keyword localisation and finally optimising content for search engines.
A successful keyword strategy is not just a list of keywords to stick on a page and hope for the best, but more an investment of time and resources into understanding the target audience and their online behaviour.
Determine the Target Audience
Before keyword research even starts, it’s important to understand the target audience. The more specific the audience can be defined, the better keywords can be researched and chosen. Take the time to understand the audience’s purchasing behaviour and typical online activity to really get to know them. This can be done by considering the location of the audience, their age, gender and how they are likely to interact with the business; will they be more likely to use search engines, social networks or another platform all together? Understanding these kinds of demographics solidly will play a key role in the creation of a well-developed keyword strategy.
Research and Pinpoint Most Relevant Keywords
Once the target audience has been defined, the next step in the keyword strategy is to research and pinpoint the most relevant keywords for the business’ specific niche. Start with brainstorming a list of keywords or key phrases that are likely to be relevant and then use research tools to dig deeper. The best keyword tools offer the ability to check the competitiveness and search volumes of proposed keywords and find out what keywords visitors are using when searching for a website. When researching keywords, take note of commonly used synonyms of phrases and be open to finding keywords that are more specific and longer in length. This can give the website an advantage by targeting the more niche keywords that higher volume competitors may not be targeting.
Choose the Right Localisation
When shortlisting the keywords that will be targeted, also consider the localisation settings of those keywords. This is important to ensure the relevant audience are reached. For businesses that have a specific geographic target, look for keywords that are localised accordingly and consider adding the localisation into the content.
Optimising Content for Search Engines
Finally, in order for the chosen keywords to be effective, they need to be woven into the content in a way that is natural and not forced. Pack the keyword into content too much and the search engines will most likely penalise the website for spamming. Content should flow and hold value for the end user. Use the chosen keywords in a way that fits naturally and makes sense and back this up with high quality content.
Conclusion
Implementing a successful keyword strategy is an ongoing process and requires the investment of time and resources to fully understand the target audience and their online behaviour. By getting specific about who the target audience are, researching and pinpointing the most relevant keywords, choosing the appropriate localisation and finally optimising content for search engines, a strong keyword strategy can be achieved.
The success of a business’ online presence is increasingly dependent on a well thought out keyword strategy, making it a must for any business looking to improve their search engine rankings.