Keywords and Keyword research for beginners.

Understanding the use of keywords are one of the most important skills you can have in creating traffic for your website. But people often use keywords in their content that doesn’t make sense because rather than trying to focus on the reader they get caught up on the keywords for their content.

When visitors to your website read your content, they must make a connection with your content that it’s written for them, would it be on an emotional, educational or another level. The reader must relate to your content otherwise, they will lose interest and leave your site without a second thought never to return.

So, as much as how important the keywords are, we must also understand that if our content is overloaded with keywords there are consequences. For one, Google will come down hard on you if your content is flooded with keywords and, as a result, your site will be ranked negatively.

Having said that, what are keywords and how could it be used properly?

A keyword is used when using the search in a search engine by typing the keyword that tells the search engine what to search for.

In other words, when we use Google search we enter a keyword, which can be a word or a phrase, into the search for what we are looking for or what best answers our question.

Once entered a list of the search engine results page also known as SERP for short, shows up as organic search results.

These SERPs are listed in their ranking order from the best being 1st on top, which gets the majority of clicks and visits. And down the line to as low as 100,000,000th and lower and so on, which gets the least or no clicks and visits.

The question here is why and how are these SERPs ranked at its place and not better or not worse.

To best answer this question, let’s take a detour from keywords for a moment and better understand how the ranking of our SERPs are determined by the search engines. I’m confident that by taking this detour it will help us with our keyword technique and utilization when we return.

And since Google is the main search engine that is used by 70% percent of all people searching the web throughout the world, let’s hear what Google has to say.

Click here for an explanation of how the content and other factors Google takes into consideration in determining how the SERPs are ranked.

Now, we have an idea what Google is looking for and although they don’t specifically talk about keywords but a brief mention, in regard to web searches, we need to take advantage of how Google search works.

 

Let’s return to where we left off and focus on how keyword can be used properly.

What is a keyword research? 

The purpose of a keyword research is to get to know how people think and how they search for the products, services and answers to their questions. You never want to guess how they are searching and getting to know what keywords and key phrases people are using for what they are looking for is crucial.

 

What techniques can be used for a keyword research?

• Google instant strategy
• Alphabet soup
• Use of “quotation”

 

Use of Google instant strategy. 

So, going back to basics, when we use Google search and type a word or a phrase you will notice that immediately or instantly Google search will finish and complete the search by giving you suggestions across and below your search.

These suggestions are real searches, most searched and from real search activity that have been completed by people.

Remember to put a word or a phrase into google search and have google search complete your thoughts.

Also, searching in question form can broaden your keywords and phrases possibilities e.g. what, how, where, when, etc.

By utilizing this google instant strategy, it can lead to quality keywords and phrases for your content.

Not only is Google Instant strategy great for keywords and phrases but equally effective when you are brainstorming for ideas.

 

Use of Alphabet soup technique.

When using the google instant strategy, insert a, b, c and on down to z in front of your keyword or phrase, in the middle or between your keywords or phase and at the end of your keyword or phrase.

A to Z in the middle or between keyword or phrase. No suggestions for a,b,c,d and e.

 

A to Z at the end.

Also, equally effective when you are brainstorming for ideas.

Well, Google search is not perfect by no means but for free it’s a powerful tool to have when you need it.

 

Use of “quotation” marks.

Before proceeding note that the keywords used to get the search results and in our case (keyword research techniques) changes every day and some days there are more and some days there are fewer search results. SERPs for keywords used will fluctuate daily.

Now that you have at least the fundamentals to start focusing on your keyword and phrase, let’s see how well our keyword and phrase stake up to our competitors.

We’ll use the keywords (keyword research techniques) to see how well it will match up to the competitors.As you can see for keyword research techniques, it has 2,530,000 competing results or competitors and to point out, no quotation marks were used in the search.

When no quotation marks are present, the Google search shows all relevant results, in other words, keywords that do not match and keywords that do match altogether.

Now let’s take a look at the keywords with quotation marks, therefore, keywords that do match.Like magic, now there are 11,000 competing results and you would think that this is the accurate competition for these keywords: (The keywords without quotation marks or all relevant keywords) 2,530,000 minus (keywords with quotation marks or keywords that match) 11,000 equals 2,519,000 (keywords do not match).

Well, guess what, it’s even less than 11,000 and as you could see below the new true competing results are 315.But how can this be? Here is the explanation from Google below. This is what it appears on the last page of the search result and in this case page 33.Simply put, Google has omitted 10685 from 11000 and left 315 results but you would not know of this result until you get to the last page of the SERPs.

To be honest, when I was looking up to see how many were competing for these keywords I used a keyword tool to get the result quickly otherwise, it would have taken me much longer.

The keyword tool took me directly to the last page saving me time. From entering the keyword, putting quotation marks and then clicking to the last page.

But all good things come at a cost and there is no exception for this keyword tool, it costs money. This is not to say that you must purchase a keyword tool but it will make keyword research a lot easier and faster.

Once again here’s how to do it manually and for free.

Start by utilizing the Google instant strategy with the Alphabet Soup technique to brainstorm for keywords and phrases.

Make a list of your keywords and start the search to see your competition.

• Without quotation marks for all relevant ( broad) keywords competition.
• With quotation marks for (exact) keywords competition.
• Click on the last page to get the competition result.

If you would have chosen “keyword research techniques” as your keywords for your content. You would have a competition result of 315 and is over the 300 mark which is used as a gauge not to exceed. Being over the 300 mark, you will be at a disadvantage from the start and obviously, will take you more time to move up the ranks compared to a keyword having a competition result of 30, 40 or 50.

And finally, if you are worried about all relevant keywords competition of 2,530,000, don’t be because as long as your “exact keywords” are well below 300, in time everything should fall into place. By the way, this does not mean you cannot use keywords that exceed 300 mark. You can but just keep in mind, having more competition will result in more time to move up the ranks.

 

To conclude keyword research, focusing on your content for your readers, visitors and for the people are the most important that will naturally move you up the ranks.

Our personal contents made up of our pages and posts are full of words and all that we write are keywords that the search engines analyze for indexing and ranking.

We never know which words or phrases may be picked up from our content to be indexed. And for this reason, keeping our writing natural and focusing on the readership of our content should be our main concern and the rest will take care of itself.

If you are interested in learning all phases of an internet / online business which includes making money online, choosing a niche, building and setting up a website, keywords, understanding website pages, creating contents and more. Click here How To Become An Affiliate Marketer.

Thanks for sharing your time and don’t forget to leave me a comment.

 

Jason