How to Find the Perfect Keywords for Your Business

Keywords are the words that people use when searching for information on the internet. They're also important in SEO (search engine optimization), which helps websites rank higher in search results.

Start with an Audit.

Before you begin any kind of keyword research, make sure you understand what you're doing. If you're not familiar with SEO, you should first learn more about it. Then, you can perform a simple audit of your website's current performance. This will help you determine whether there are any issues with your site's structure or content that need to be addressed. If you're already overwhelmed by that idea, don't worry, just reach out and we can either teach you how to get started or do a quick audit for you! The best place to start is with Google Search Console. This tool allows you to see which keywords are bringing traffic to your site, and where those visitors are coming from. You'll also get insights into how well your pages rank for each term. Once you've identified some terms that aren't performing as expected, you can use them to create new content that targets specific audiences. For example, if you find that most of your traffic comes from people searching for "how to lose weight," then you might want to write articles that address that topic. Or, if you notice that most of your traffic is coming from people looking for "best dog foods," then you could write an article about the benefits of different types of diets for dogs. The next step is to conduct a thorough audit of your site. To do this, you'll need to go through every page on your site and identify any problems. Look at things such as broken links, missing images, and duplicate content. Make sure that everything on your site has a purpose and serves a clear goal. If something doesn't seem to fit the bill, consider removing it. If you aren’t sure how many pages you have, this is again where Google Search Console can really help you out. The number of indexed and non indexed pages will give you a sense as to what you are looking for. Once you've completed your audit, you should be able to see what needs to be fixed. You can then use Google Search Console to fix those issues. For example, if you notice that some pages aren't indexed properly, you can submit them to Google using the Submit URL tool.

Once again, if you aren’t sure how to do this, reach out and let us know, we can teach you!

Research Competitors.

Once you've determined that your site needs some work, you'll want to find out who else is competing for those same keywords. There are several ways to go about this. One option is to use Google AdWords. Another is to use tools like SEMRush. Both of these options allow you to see which sites are ranking for certain keywords. We at Cat's Cove love using UberSuggest. The key is to find a tool that you find easy to use and get started there. Or, we can do the work for you and give you a list of words that you should be focusing on! If you're using Google AdWords, you can enter specific keywords into the search bar at the top of the page. You'll then be able to view a list of websites that rank for each keyword. The number next to each website indicates how many times that particular site has been clicked on. The higher the number, the better. If you're using SEMRush, you can simply type in the keywords you'd like to research. After entering them, you'll be presented with a list of websites that are currently ranking for those terms. You can click on each one to learn more about what they're offering.

Ubersuggest has a very simple tool that scans your website and suggests keywords you can be targeting and focusing on. If you already know a couple of keywords you want to focus on, then you can let Ubersuggest work off of those and make other suggestions.

Create a List of Potential Keywords.

Now, you have a list of potential keywords. This will help you narrow down what type of content you should focus on. If you're looking at a new product launch, you might consider using words like "new," "launch," and "product." If you're selling an existing product, you might choose terms such as "best" or "top."

Set Goals.

Once you've identified your keywords, it's time to set goals. What do you hope to achieve when you’re done. Do you want more views? More subscribers? Or maybe you just want to make sure people find your website when they search for certain terms? Whatever your goal, write it down and then break it into smaller steps. You'll be able to see what you're doing right (or wrong) and adjust accordingly. If you're trying to get more views, you might want to focus on getting more shares. If you're trying increase engagement, you might want to try adding more images or playing around with the title. The important thing is to keep track of what works and what doesn't. When you set goals, you should always write them down. That way, you can refer back to them later if you need to. For example, if you want to get more followers, you could write down "Get more followers" and then check off each goal as you achieve it. Or if you want to get better at writing, you could write down things like "Write 500 words every day."

Identify Your Audience.

Next, identify who you are talking to and who your ideal audience is. This includes both your ideal customer and anyone else who might be interested in what you're offering. If you're selling a product, think about who would buy it. If you're promoting an event, consider who would attend. And if you're trying to raise awareness about a cause, think about those who care about it.

Once you know who your audience is, you'll want to determine whether they already know what you're talking about. For example, if you're creating a video about a new diet plan, you should first find out whether people are looking for information about diets. You could ask them directly, or you could use Google Trends or Answer the Public to see which terms are trending right now.

Then when you have an idea what people are searching for, your job is to create appropriate content. In the case of the searches about diets. Don’t start by explaining what a diet is! If someone is searching for it, they already know what a diet is, instead, try and answer their questions specifically. After all, your job is to answer their question.

At the end of the day, when you are starting to take Search Engine Optimization seriously, you should start with keyword research!