We all know that keyword research is an important element of search engine optimization; however, that doesn’t stop people from making big mistakes while they’re at it.
If you are gearing up to start your keyword research and want to ensure that you get yours right the first time, read on, and we’ll share some of the most common mistakes to avoid…
Doing Keyword Research Before Developing an Ideal Customer Persona
The first mistake is failing to develop an ‘ideal buyer persona’ before conducting keyword research. Before you start, you really need to dive deep into your audience research and identify precisely who your perfect customer is.
We’re not talking about age, gender, and location; delve even deeper! More specifically, what are the biggest challenges they face, and how can you accommodate them?
Once you have a clearer idea of your perfect customer, then you can start looking into your keyword research.
Not Understanding ‘Search Intent’
Another big one is settling on keywords without truly understanding the search intent behind them.
Search intent refers to what outcomes users are hoping to achieve by typing your focus keywords into Google.
So, for example, when someone types ‘SEO agency Abu Dhabi’ into Google, it is safe to assume that they are not looking to learn more about the basics of SEO – but that they likely want to discover the best SEO agencies in their area so they can start exploring their options. In other words, they may be ready to invest!
As such, it is paramount that you understand the search intent behind your focus keywords before committing to them – so you can tailor your message accordingly.
Neglecting Long-Tail Keywords
Many marketers and business owners make the mistake of not targeting any (or nearly enough) long-tail keywords.
Long-tail keywords are phrases that tend to include three words or more.
● SEO = a short-tail keyword.
● Local SEO in Abu Dhabi = a long-tail keyword.
One of the main issues with failing to target long-tail keywords is just how competitive it is to rank for a short-tail keyword.
For example, if you are a brand-new SEO agency and you want to rank on page 1 for the term “SEO,” you’re going to be up against a gargantuan amount of competition. In fact, it would likely be impossible.
However, for a long-tail keyword with less competition and fewer monthly searches, ranking for those keywords is far more likely.
Not only that, but long-tail keywords tend to be more specific, which can make converting clicks into customers far easier (SEO is far too generic and likely wouldn’t result in many people signing up for your services).
ONLY Focusing on Long-Tail Keywords
And, of course, if you were only to focus on long-tail keywords, then that would be a big mistake as well.
For the best results, you need to find a healthy balance of long and short-tail. Sure, short-tail keywords may be deemed as being too broad; however, “SEO” is entirely relevant to an SEO agency, so it certainly wouldn’t hurt to give it some attention.
Again, it’s all about balance.
Failing to Analyze the Competition
Just as you should know your audience, it is also worth having a thorough understanding of what you are up against.
Which keywords are your biggest competitors currently targeting? How do they fare in the SERPs (search engine results pages) for some of the focus keywords you are most interested in? And what content is helping them rank so well?
If you are to come up with a world-class strategy that can help you compete with (and hopefully overtake) your rivals, you’re going to need to collect an awful lot of data on them.
After all, knowledge is power, right?
