Keyword research is an essential part of an effective SEO strategy. Knowing what words and phrases people use to find products and services like yours is the first step in driving organic traffic to your website.
There are plenty of options to choose from to help you uncover the right keywords to target. Here are some of the best keyword research tools to use aside from Google Keyword Planner.
What is keyword research?
Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing words and phrases that people are using to search for products and services related to your business. This can help you identify which keywords to target in your SEO strategy and create content that speaks to the needs of your target audience. By focusing on the right keywords, you can increase your rankings in the search engine results pages (SERPs) and drive more organic traffic to your website.
When it comes to keyword research, you should consider a few different types of keywords. Short-tail keywords are single words or short phrases that are used to describe a broad topic. Long-tail keywords are more specific phrases used to target a more specific audience.
Knowing which keywords to target can help you create more relevant content for your target audience and drive organic traffic to your website.
Benefits of keyword research
Keyword research can help you improve your SEO efforts in several ways.
First, it can help you identify which keywords to target in your content. Focusing on the right keywords can increase your rankings in the SERPs and drive more organic traffic to your website.
Second, keyword research can help you understand the language and terminology your target audience uses to search for products and services like yours. By focusing on the right keywords, you can create content that speaks to the needs of your target audience and increase the number of people who visit your website.
Finally, keyword research can help you identify potential competitive advantages. By understanding which keywords your competitors are targeting, you can create more competitive content and increase your chances of ranking higher in the SERPs.
Keyword research tools to use aside from Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is a great tool for keyword research. Still, several other keyword research tools can help you be more strategic in your SEO efforts.
1. Ahrefs Keywords Explorer
Ahrefs Keywords Explorer is one of the most popular keyword research tools available. It offers a comprehensive keyword database and keyword analysis tools, including a keyword difficulty score, search volume, and keyword trends.
2. Moz Keyword Explorer
Moz Keyword Explorer is another great keyword research tool. It offers a comprehensive keyword database and keyword analysis tools, including an opportunity score, keyword difficulty score, and keyword trends.
3. SEMrush
SEMrush is a powerful keyword research tool offering a comprehensive keyword database and analysis tools, including a keyword difficulty score, search volume, and keyword trends.
4. AnswerThePublic
AnswerThePublic is a unique keyword research tool that helps you identify long-tail keywords related to your topic. It uses an algorithm to analyze search queries and generate a list of related keywords.
5. Google Search Console
This tool provides data on the keywords your website is ranking for and insights into search performance and user behavior.
6. Google Trends
This tool provides insights on trending keywords and topics, allowing you to identify and capitalize on current trends.
7. Ubersuggest
This tool provides keyword suggestions and data on search volume, CPC, and competition for each keyword.
8. Keyword Tool
This tool generates keyword ideas based on a seed keyword. In addition, it provides search volume, CPC, and competition data for each keyword.
9. Wordtracker
This tool provides keyword suggestions based on a seed keyword. It offers data on search volume and competition for each keyword.
10. KeywordEye
This tool helps you visualize your keyword research by creating visual representations of keyword relationships and search volumes.
11. Soovle
This tool allows you to generate keyword ideas from multiple search engines and platforms, including Google, Bing, Yahoo, YouTube, and Amazon.
12. SpyFu
This tool allows you to analyze your competitors’ keywords and ad copy and identify opportunities to improve your SEO and PPC campaigns.
13. Longtailpro
This tool provides keyword suggestions based on long-tail variations of your seed keyword. Additionally, it offers data on search volume and competition for each keyword.
14. KWFinder
This tool helps you find long-tail keywords with low competition and high search volume, allowing you to precisely target niche audiences.
15. Keyword Studios
This tool provides keyword suggestions and data on search volume, CPC, and competition for each keyword, making it ideal for PPC campaigns.
How to use keyword research tools
Once you’ve identified the keyword research tools you’d like to use, you can use them to find relevant keywords to target. Here are a few tips for using keyword research tools:
1. Identify your target audience and the topics you want to target. This will help you focus your keyword research and ensure you’re targeting the right keywords.
2. Choose the keyword research tool you’d like to use and enter your target keywords. This will generate a list of related keywords that you can use for your SEO strategy.
3. Analyze the keywords using the keyword analysis tools. This will help you identify keywords most relevant to your target audience.
4. Create content targeting the keywords you’ve identified. This will help you rank higher in the SERPs and drive more organic traffic to your website.
Tips for effective keyword research
In addition to using keyword research tools, there are several other tips you can follow to ensure you’re doing effective keyword research. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
1. Focus on long-tail keywords.
Long-tail keywords are more specific and have lower competition, which makes them easier to rank for.
2. Analyze the search intent.
Understanding the search query’s context can help you create more relevant content for your target audience.
3. Monitor your rankings.
Regularly monitoring your rankings can help you identify which keywords are working and which need improvement.
4. Use a variety of keyword research tools.
Using multiple keyword research tools can help you identify more keywords and ensure you’re targeting the most relevant ones.
Conclusion
Keyword research is an essential part of an effective SEO strategy. By using the right keyword research tools and following the tips in this article, you can increase your rankings in the SERPs and drive more organic traffic to your website.
Optimind has an in-house SEO team who can take care of the nitty-gritty part, such as keyword research. In fact, keyword research is integral to our SEO services. Contact us today so we can kickstart your SEO campaign with the most comprehensive keyword research!