Ranking high on search engines is key for drawing visitors and achieving online success, and Search Engine Optimization plays a significant role in helping websites do just that. But, how to use SEO keywords? Keywords play an essential part here – over 90 per cent of clicks go through to websites appearing first page of Google results alone! By strategically using SEO keywords you can increase website exposure, attract the appropriate visitors, and ultimately drive up conversion rates and grow conversion rates.
Keywords Are Your Website’s Language of Discovery
SEO keywords are search terms people enter in engines such as Google to access information online. Understanding search intent – the reason someone types in a query such as “hiking trails” rather than something more purchase-driven like “best hiking boots” – is key when understanding SEO keywords’ true role on websites like your own. Keywords can generally be divided up as follows:
- Short-tail keywords: Broad and high-volume (e.g., “marketing”), but often fiercely competitive.
- Long-tail keywords: More specific and lower-volume (e.g., “best marketing strategies for small businesses”), but with less competition and potentially higher conversion rates.
- LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords: Related terms that search engines use to understand the context of your content (e.g., “social media marketing,” “content marketing”).
Keyword Research Is The Core of Your SEO Strategy
Before beginning to create engaging content, conducting thorough keyword research is vitally important. Here’s a step-by-step approach that should get your research underway:
- Brainstorm Relevant Topics: Take some time and brainstorm topics related to your niche or services at Pervasive Marketing that would interest and benefit target audiences – what pain points or interests might there be that they could identify?
- Leverage Keyword Research Tools: Utilizing various free and paid keyword research tools such as the Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush can assist in finding relevant keywords, analyzing search volume data and assessing competition.
- Prioritize Keyword Selection: Carefully select short and long-tail keywords to promote brand recognition while targeting specific traffic with long-tail searches that align with user intent. Also, take time to understand search intent to ensure the content you produce matches what users are seeking out.
- Use Long-Tail Gems and LSI Keywords: Long-tail keywords can offer lower competition with increased conversion potential, while LSI keywords add depth and context to content, signalling relevance to search engines.
Strategic Keyword Placement: Where the Magic Happens
Now that your keyword list is assembled, the next step should be implementing them strategically across your website:
- Title Tags and Meta Descriptions: Users’ initial experiences when arriving on search engine results pages. Make the title tag natural by including the primary keyword naturally within it while weaving relevant keywords into the meta description to encourage click-through.
- Headings (H1, H2, and H3): Make your content easily readable both for users and search engines by structuring it with clear headings using key and sub-keywords that improve readability. Do this using heading tags (H1, H2 or H3) for maximum impact.
- Content Body: Avoid stuffing keywords unnecessarily into your writing; rather, integrate them naturally throughout your content to provide useful and informative pieces to your audience.
- Image Alt Tags and File Names: Optimizing images using relevant keywords in their alt tags and file names will both improve accessibility as well as inform search engines about what the images represent. This allows search engines to understand what your photos represent more easily.
- URLs: While not an overarching ranking factor, having clear and concise URLs that include your target keyword can greatly enhance user experience while sending positive SEO signals to Google and Bing.
Track Your Success: Assess Keyword Performance
SEO is an ongoing process. To stay focused and optimize results, tracking keyword performance with tools such as Google Search Console or paid versions like Ahrefs is vital in refining and expanding strategies while simultaneously measuring keyword rank, website traffic and areas for improvement. Analyzing data allows you to see which keywords are driving conversions while adapting strategies accordingly.
Keywords Are Allies, But Content Is King
While mastering SEO keywords will allow your site to be discovered more readily online, remember that content remains your go-to ally when it comes to keeping visitors coming back again and again for more. High-quality, informative, engaging material targeted specifically towards your audience keeps people returning time after time for more.
Pervasive Marketing’s SEO services can assist in devising an all-encompassing search engine optimization plan that goes far beyond keywords alone. We help create high-quality, engaging content which educates visitors while engaging them and turning them into loyal customers.
Pervasive Marketing‘s professional SEO consultants offer free consultations that can help your website achieve maximum SEO benefits and meet its online marketing goals. Reach out now!