The answer to the question ‘why is keyword research important?’ is pretty simple:
You’re not going to get very far in your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts without it.
Sure, when it comes to creating content with the goal of attracting new customers from Google, you could always target the kind of keywords you think those customers are searching for, but doing so is akin to throwing everything against the wall and seeing what sticks.
It wastes time, resources, and energy that could be better spent going after keywords you not only know for certain that people are looking for but that you also know you have a good chance of ranking highly for.
This is what keyword research does.
It provides you with useful data that helps you focus your SEO campaigns on the keywords that are most likely to produce results.
By doing so, you and your tradesman business will reap all kinds of rewards that you’ll read about in this guide. So, join me as I explain why keyword research is important and why no business competing in the digital age can afford to be without it.
Before I do that, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page and understand exactly what keyword research means.
What is Keyword Research?
To understand what keyword research is, it’s necessary to first understand what keywords are.
Keywords are the words or phrases that people type into search engines like Google when they’re looking for something. For example, if you’re a plumber in New York City, some keywords that people might use to find you could be “emergency plumber NYC” or “plumbing services near me.”
Keyword research is the process of identifying which keywords are most relevant and valuable for your business by looking at valuable data, including:
- The number of people searching for your chosen keyword each month
- How much competition there is to rank highly for that keyword
- How relevant that keyword is to your business or website.
By honing in on these specific keywords, you can create content that truly resonates with your audience, resulting in all of the following benefits:
Why Keyword Research is So Important: 6 Key Benefits
1. Improved SEO ROI
Keyword research is important because it means you’ll no longer waste time and resources creating content that doesn’t resonate with your audience.
Instead, you can make informed decisions about what topics to cover, what keywords to target, and how to optimize your content for maximum impact.
The result? A more efficient, effective SEO strategy that delivers measurable results and a higher ROI for your business.
2. Discover What Your Audience Wants and How to Give it to Them
As a business owner, you to gain a deep understanding of what your audience wants.
You may have already done some customer research to get an idea of your audience demographics, preferred platforms, and the type of content that resonates with them. While this is a good start, it only gives you a vague idea of what your audience may be searching for online.
This is one of the main reasons why keyword research is important for SEO. It means you can go beyond these vague possibilities and discover the actual words that your target audience is using to find products or services like yours.
By using a top keyword research tool like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs’ Keyword Generator, or SEMRush Keyword Magic Tool, you can uncover the exact keywords, phrases, and questions your ideal audience is looking for.
Armed with these insights, you can ensure that your content targets the exact keywords your customers are using, ultimately resulting in better engagement and increased traffic to your site.
Additionally, gaining a deeper understanding of what your audience is looking for online allows you to give them exactly what they want, which in turn leads to better results from your SEO efforts.
3. Improved Visibility in Search Engine Results
If you’ve read this far and still find yourself asking why is keyword research important, this next benefit should make it obvious.
If you’re going to win new customers via your web presence, you simply must be highly visible in search results.
Targeting the right keywords with the right content increases the chances of your website appearing high on the first page of search results. This can significantly improve your visibility and brand awareness, as well as increase the chances of attracting high-quality traffic to your site.
Moreover, appearing on the first page of SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) for relevant keywords can help establish your business as an authority in your industry. Being among the top search results is a powerful indicator of your expertise and quality of service, which can build trust and credibility with potential customers.
In addition, improved visibility in search results can also increase the likelihood of getting inbound links from other websites.
High-quality inbound links from reputable websites are a critical ranking factor in SEO, and they can help improve your website’s authority and ranking position.
Therefore, conducting keyword research and optimizing your website with relevant keywords can have a significant impact on your overall SEO strategy, leading to increased visibility, traffic, and, ultimately, revenue.
4. Improved Local Search
As a tradesman, local SEO is vital to the success of your business.
46% of all Internet searches have local intent. Given that some 3.5 billion searches are made on Google every day, that means at least 1.6 billion of them are from users searching for information pertinent to their geographical location, including information on local businesses.
As if that wasn’t enough to convince you that local SEO is important, 97% of all Google users are said to search the web to find a local business like yours, with 80% resulting in a conversion.
In other words, if you’re not appearing in search results when people look for local businesses like yours, you’re missing out.
Again, this is where keyword research proves invaluable for your tradesmen SEO, as it helps you determine which keywords your local customers are looking for so that you can target them.
For example, if you’re a tradesman offering plumbing services in Charlotte, North Carolina, targeting keywords such as “plumbing services in Charlotte” can help you attract users who are actively searching for these services in that area. By providing relevant and informative content around these keywords, you can position your website as a valuable resource for potential customers and increase the likelihood that they will contact you for your services.
5. Deliver Optimum User Experiences That Result in More Sales
This knowledge you gain by learning how to do keyword research can help you create content that is tailored to your audience’s search queries and provides relevant and valuable information. By providing a better user experience through targeted content, you can also increase engagement and keep visitors on your website longer, leading to higher conversion rates.
Additionally, optimizing your website’s content for specific keywords can also make it more organized and easier to navigate.
When your website’s content is structured around specific topics and keywords, it becomes easier for users to find the information they are looking for. This can result in a more positive user experience and make it more likely that they will return to your website in the future. Overall, conducting keyword research can lead to a better user experience, which can have a positive impact on your website’s performance and success.
6. Gain a Competitive Advantage
Keyword research can reveal what your competitors are targeting and how successful they are at ranking for specific keywords. By analyzing this information, you can identify opportunities to differentiate your content and gain a competitive advantage. Additionally, targeting less competitive long-tail keywords can help you rank higher in search results, even if you have a smaller website or less authority than your competitors. By focusing on the right keywords, you can establish your website as a valuable resource in your industry, which can help you stand out and attract more customers.
Furthermore, keyword research can also help you identify gaps in your content that your competitors may not be addressing. By creating content around these topics and targeting relevant keywords, you can fill these gaps and provide a more comprehensive resource for your target audience. This can help you establish yourself as an authority in your industry, which can further strengthen your competitive advantage.
Keyword Research Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I do keyword research?
You should do keyword research on a regular basis. This is because the landscape of search engines is constantly changing, and the keywords that are relevant to your business may change over time.
By doing keyword research on a regular basis, you can ensure that your website is always optimized for the right keywords.
What is the best free keyword research tool to use?
Google Keyword Planner and SEMRush Keyword Magic Tool are the top free keyword research tools on the market, though Ahrefs Keyword Generator is also really good.
How do I use keywords in my website content?
To use keywords in your website content, incorporate them naturally throughout your pages in a way that makes sense for the reader.
Focus on creating high-quality, informative content that satisfies the searcher’s intent, and use variations of your target keywords to avoid keyword stuffing.
Why is Keyword Research Important for SEO: Key Takeaways
So, why is keyword research important?
I hope this guide fully answered that question, but if you’re still unsure, let’s recap.
First of all, It helps you understand your target audience and their search intent, optimize your website’s content to attract more targeted visitors, improve your website’s visibility in search engine results pages, gain a competitive advantage over your competitors, and ultimately drive more traffic and revenue to your business.
By investing time and effort into keyword research, you can create a strong foundation for your SEO efforts and set yourself up for success in the long run. So if you haven’t already, it’s time to start conducting keyword research for your website and optimizing your content around the right keywords.
Read my guide on how to do keyword research to learn more about how to do keyword research and take your SEO efforts to the next level.
For more weekly advice on how to start, manage, and grow your business as a self-employed tradesperson or contractor, follow Tradesman Biz on Twitter, Facebook, or Linkedin.
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