Intro to Keyword Research
Keyword research is the process of finding and analyzing phrases, words, and terms that people enter into search engines like Google or Bing with the goal of using that data for a specific purpose, often for search engine optimization (SEO) or general marketing.
Generating Topics and Terms Important to your Business
Determine topics that you would like to rank for
Think about the topics you would like to rank for based on what products or services you are providing. An easy way to do this would be to look at dedicated landing pages in the main navigation of your website, and what topics those pages cover. For example, let’s say your business is a bar and restaurant in the downtown Ann Arbor area. You specialize in serving local craft beer, excellent wood-fired pizza, and have outdoor patio seating where you host live music and other events. A few key topics you may want to conduct keyword research for would include:
- Bar & Restaurant in Ann Arbor
- Michigan Craft Beer
- Wood-fired Pizza
- Live Music Events
Fill each topic with a list of relevant keywords and phrases
Next, Let’s brainstorm some search terms that would fall under the bucket of “Bar & Restaurant in Ann Arbor.” These are words or phrases that users would likely type into search engines like Google or Bing.
- restaurants in downtown ann arbor mi
- Places to eat in ann arbor mi
- Where to eat in ann arbor mi
- bars in ann arbor mi
- Top restaurants in ann arbor
- Best casual restaurants in ann arbor
- Restaurant and bar
And so on and so forth. The point of this step isn’t to come up with your final list of keyword phrases, but rather to create a brain dump of what you think potential customers might be searching for related to the particular topic.
Long-tail Keywords Vs. Short Head Terms
Making sure you have a mix of long-tail keywords and head terms
Long-tail keywords are more like phrases that people search for while head terms are shorter and more generic.
Long-tail example: Restaurants with outdoor seating in ann arbor mi
Head-term example: restaurants
Head terms are usually searched for more frequently, often making them harder to compete for and more difficult to rank for than long-tail keywords. However, the traffic you get from a more specific, long-tail keyword is often more desirable. Someone who is searching for “restaurants with outdoor seating in ann arbor mi” as opposed to just “restaurants” is probably a much more qualified searcher for your specific business or product. Someone just searching for “restaurants” could be searching for a host of reasons unrelated to your business.
At the end of the day, you should have a healthy mix of both of these. You want long-tail keywords that will award you short-term wins, while you can try to earn ranking for more difficult head terms over the long haul.
Sign Up for our E-Newsletter »
SEO and Keywords Research Tools
Google’s related search terms and “people also ask”
To begin your understanding of keywords, a great first step is to conduct a simple Google search.
Conduct a simple Google search. Pay attention to the related trending searches that begin to drop down as you type in your search query. This is a simple way to why other searches people are currently making in relation to your topic.
You can also head to Google’s “People Also Ask” section. Or navigate to the people also search for section. These should both give you a better understanding of which phrases, terms, or search queries people are typing into Google in relation to your topic.
SEMRush and Keyword Magic Tool
Keyword research tools can help you come up with more keyword ideas based on those you have already generated by this point. There are several keyword research tools out there to explore. In this video, we’ll explore one of the most popular tools out there: SEMRush.
4 Types of Intent: (When a user searches)
Potential customers use keywords differently based on their goals, so you can decide whether and how to target a term based on a searcher’s intent.
- Informational: The user wants to find an answer to a specific question
- Navigational: The user wants to find a specific page, site, or physical location.
- Commercial: The user wants investigate brands or services.
- Transactional: The user wants to complete an action (conversion)
Volume:
The average number of monthly searches for a listed keyword over a 12 month period. You can sort the volume to display results in ascending or descending order.
Keyword Difficulty:
The keyword difficulty score is a percentage from 0 to 100, and the higher the percentage, the more difficult SEMRush predicts it would be to rank on a Search Engine Page (SERPs) for.
For smaller organizations, you’ll want to stick with incorporating keywords with a score below 50. Start with lower-difficulty keywords and build as you go.
Bigger companies will have a higher chance with ranking high difficulty keywords.
Look for relevant, high volume keywords that you are not already ranking well for!
Incorporating Keywords within Site Components
Finalizing your keyword list
Take into account relevance, authority, and volume. You want to generate a final list of highly searched keywords that you can reasonably compete for based on the keyword’s difficulty ranking and your ability to produce content that exceeds the quality of what’s currently ranking. You can also avoid incorporating keywords into your strategy that you are already ranking number one for. There is no need to put in the work for a top spot you already have!
Elements on your site that should include keywords:
- Title Tag
- A short description of a web page that appears in the browser’s title bar and in search engine results pages (SERPs)
- Meta Description:
- A short summary of a web page’s content that appears in search engine results.
- Headings
- Defined as H1, H2, H3, and so on, you can use headings on your site’s pages to organize content. H1 is the primary heading and title for the page. H2 is a subheading and supporting point. H3 is a subsection or list item under an H2, and so on for H4, H5, H6, etc.
- Note: Different heading levels should not be used as a way to simply change text font or size. Search engines use headings to understand the content of a page and connect it to relevant search queries.
- Intro Paragraphs
- A short, prominent message that informs site visitors about the page’s purpose and sets the stage for the rest of the page.
Naturally, Incorporate Keywords into these Elements
Google punishes sites that engage in keyword stuffing, so limit the number of primary keywords you use on a page or throughout your site. Instead, use secondary keywords, long-tail keywords, and synonyms instead of repeatedly using the same keyword.
Using our Ann Arbor restaurant example, let’s say you’ve determined “restaurants in downtown ann arbor” should be your primary keyword. It has the most search volume, or highest number of searches each month, so this is surely a phrase we want to go after! Rather than repetitively using that exact phrase throughout your site’s copy, you can try secondary keywords or variations like: one of the best places to eat in downtown ann arbor, restaurant and bar in ann arbor michigan, casual dining, and so on.
This is why it’s important to generate a thorough list of keywords – so you have options!
You want to incorporate as many variations of key search terms as you can into all elements of your site, but use your common sense! Make sure it sounds natural, and consistent with your brand’s voice!
Want to Learn More?
Want more marketing tips for 2025? Create a free account at Destination Uplift using promo code PARTNER2025 and subscribe to the e-newsletter for updates on upcoming webinars and helpful tips. Click HERE for more info!
Stay In
Fairmont
Let the hospitality in Fairmont welcome you! Just off Interstate-90, you’ll find a wide selection of hotels and restaurants. Perhaps a more rustic stay at a cabin or camping near the lake is more your style – we’ve got you covered.
Area Visitor’s Guide
Check out the Fairmont Area Visitor’s Guide online for tips and insights to exploring our area. Or, we can mail one to you!
