050 – 553 23 34
An online marketing project at Convident always starts with a comprehensive keyword research. Our experienced marketers know how to translate this into a clear report, after which SEO and/or SEA can be started quickly.
- Extensive analysis
- Perfect basis for further online marketing activities
- Marketers who understand your goals
What is keyword research?
A keyword research is a form of desk research to find out more about the search behavior of the target group. Keyword research is used to identify how the market searches for a product, service or other type of information. This makes it possible to accurately identify which keywords are relevant to implement in your website. It involves looking at the main keyword, long tail keywords and synonyms. All this is done to give the best possible answer to a question and to describe a service or product as clearly as possible. This is done not only to optimize the page as much as possible for Google (or other search engines). But mainly to provide searchers with the best possible information so that they can quickly find what they are looking for. Keyword research therefore identifies which keywords are relevant and finds out which other terms match them.
We research which terms are suitable for a company by using tools (also) facilitated by Google. The marketing specialist draws up a document in which these are all ranked. The research is then substantiated and explained in more detail by the marketing specialist. The keyword research can be used for both an SEO and SEA campaign.
What is the research used for?
As many people know, keyword research is used to set up and optimize effective Google Ads campaigns. When Google Ads’ Keyword Planner is used to gain insight into search behavior, the amounts, or CPCs, are neatly displayed here. These two columns, bid for top of page (low reach) and bid for top of page (high reach) give you a clear insight into the cost of the campaign.
However, the research is also used to establish an effective SEO campaign. SEO keyword research is used in many different ways;
- Building a logical URL structure
- Building a content structure
- Prioritizing keywords per page
- Optimizing Meta Keys and Descriptions
- Optimizing images
- Building an off-page tactic
We often hear that people think such research is used to ‘sprinkle some keywords through a text’. We don’t blame them for this either, as this worked incredibly well a decade ago. Nowadays, a true SEO campaign needs to be put in place, and this is something the experts at Convident can tell you all about.
How does keyword research work?
When starting an SEO project, an SEO specialist always starts with a thorough keyword research. When starting an SEA project at Convident, a SEA specialist goes through a similar process. Our marketers first look at the website. In doing so, they analyze the products or services and get to know the organization. With larger portals or web shops, there are many terms on which a site can be found. A one-off keyword research then often covers a small part of the total options on which internet users search. During the online marketing process, the research is adjusted, supplemented and completed. For organizations with a focus on fewer terms, it is possible to find a complete offer in one session.
Now that an SEO or SEA specialist has researched the site, it is clear to marketers where to start. By deploying the research, our specialists can find out which search terms fit these activities in a targeted way. To do this, they use Google Ads’ keyword planner, for example. Within the planner, search terms can be typed in. Google Ads then indicates the monthly number of searches for the relevant keyword. In addition, Google Ads indicates the search volume and competition level of the relevant keyword. The nice thing about Google Ads is that in addition to information about the keyword entered, it also displays options related to your entered search term. This allows Google Ads to find out what other search terms your target audience(s) are searching for.
More about search volume
Google Ads’ tool, the keyword planner, shows a lot of information about a specific keyword(s) or synonyms. Depending on the goal, it quickly looks at the average monthly searches per month. A logical step when you want to get as many visitors to your website as possible.
Did you know that over 31% of traffic clicks on the number 1 position in Google?
However, much more unseful information can be found in the keyword planner. For example, important changes in search behavior on a specific keyword. The competition level on a specific keyword, even in combination with a clear indexed value. While during the corona pandemic we were still writing ourselves dull on landing pages on this topic, these days we do it much less, if at all.
Depending on what goal you want to achieve when implementing a specific keyword, search volume does not say everything. Preferably, a keyword with a monthly search volume of 110,000 such as ‘shoes’ does not need to generate more sales or leads than a keyword with a monthly search volume of 70 such as ‘buy adidas yeezy’
When doing good keyword research, it is important to take into account with what purpose the specific keyword should be deployed.
The level of competition
Besides the search volume, Google Ads’ keyword planner also indicates the level of competition on certain search terms. This is divided into three options: high, normal and low. The word actually says it all, but the competition level indicates how competitive the keyword typed in is. At a high level, many marketers will want to include the search term in question in their ads. At a low volume, few people will care about the keyword. A low level means that few other companies want to be found on this word and so the price to be paid for it is also lower. The competition level thus mainly provides information about paid advertising on a particular term. Nevertheless, it can also be interesting information for SEO. If people are willing to pay a lot for an ad on a certain term, it can be assumed that it is also more difficult to rank for this word.
"A keyword research gives more insight into the target audience, business and opportunities"
Different types of keywords
As is clear by now, we know that there are many different types of keywords. Some keywords are short and quite broad and others are long and specific. Which type you should use depends on a number of factors. For marketers, deciding whether to focus on long or short keywords is an essential part of online marketing strategy. It affects the SEO structure and thus technique of the website. It can also have a big impact on the profitability of the ads when setting up a SEA campaign.
We explain the different types of keywords and give examples for when they can be used.
Exact keywords
Exact keywords are the most specific keywords from the keyword research within Google Ads. When users type an exact keyword into the search engine, only results are shown that contain this specific keyword or very similar variants of this keyword. Suppose a webshop sells red coats and you have developed an ad based on the exact keyword: ‘red coat’. When an internet user searches on the following keyword: ‘red coats’, your ad will be shown to this person. In this example, red coats is the plural of the exact keyword ‘red coat’. By using exact keywords, you know for sure what the user’s need is. As a result, you can set up an ad that matches this perfectly. Because setting up and maintaining ads takes time, these exact matches must have sufficient volume.
Word groups
Within Google Ads, when a keyword is specified as a word group, it means that an ad is triggered on typing in the exact keyword and phrases very similar to it. Again, we’ll take the same example as before. Suppose you are a business owner selling red coats and you develop an ad with ‘buy red coat’ as the linked phrase. When an internet user searches on the exact keyword ‘buy red coat’, the ad is displayed. But also when an internet user searches on a related phrase, such as ‘buy coat red’, the ad is shown.
The differences are also noticeable in SEO marketing. Consider, for example, the word painter. Through Google’s clever algorithms, they know where the company is based. Without actively naming it, a painter from Almere can be found by an internet user in Almere searching for “painter”. However, if you want to be found in a larger area, it may be wise for the painter to add more keywords. Think “Painter Lelystad” or perhaps “Painter Utrecht”.
Broad keywords
Broad keywords are the most general form of search terms. These options usually use one or two words and are therefore not specific. A search engine shows a web page to a searcher when they search for the broad keyword. In addition, the search engine also shows the web page to internet users when they search on queries related to your broad search term.
Suppose you are an entrepreneur and develop an ad for the broad keyword: ‘red coat’. When an internet user searches for ‘buy red coat in Groningen’, the ad will come up because it is related to the broad keyword. But also when an internet user searches for ‘coat repair’, the corresponding ad will come up. Maybe you only sell red coats and don’t repair them. So as a business owner, you need to pay close attention when listing a broad keyword.
Modified keywords
One way to eliminate the risk of broad keywords is to use modified keywords. With modified keywords, you specify in Google Ads that certain words must be within the search intent for the ad to be shown.
Say an ad should only be shown in combination with a color, in this case ‘buy red coat’. When people search specifically for ‘red coat’ they will be shown the ad. So the ad is shown only when the search query contains the search term ‘red’.
Negative keywords (exclusion keywords)
Within Google Ads, it is also possible to label a particular keyword as a negative or exclusion keyword. This means that one can specify when an ad should not be shown for a particular keyword. Suppose a campaign should not be found second-hand since it only sells new products. Then keywords like second-hand can be specified as exclusion keywords. This has the advantage that the ad is shown in combination with other (related) terms such as new. By using a campaign in this way, a lot of data can be gathered from the search behavior of the searcher.
Introduction meeting
“In the introductory meeting we discuss our findings from the keyword research”.
Which keywords do you use?
Which keywords to use depends very much on the goal of the SEO or SEA campaign. This could include more shop visits, more online sales or perhaps more quotation requests. Using various tools, Convident’s marketing experts look for the right search terms that suit your website, shop or portal. Before we even start with the research, we ask the client a number of questions to find out the intention of the keyword research.
Here, we indicate in the research what seem to us to be the best possible keywords in combination with the assignment given. We look at the intention of the target audience, the search volume and the level of competition. Finally, following the keyword research, we also do competition research. We scrutinize several competitors and see how they score in the search engines. Which pages do competitors’ websites contain, which keywords do they use and how much traffic do they get organically?
To arrive at the best possible answer, it also often happens that more information is required. This can take the form of writing out frequently asked questions, but it also happens that more explanation is required. In that case, you can choose to dedicate an extra page or blog article to this. By doing so, you demonstrate to the search engine that you are a true expert. This is one of the most important aspects of the E-A-T principle (Expertise, Authority and Trustworthiness).
Every online marketing project at Convident starts with a comprehensive keyword research. Proper research is the basis of any successful marketing journey. It is the basis of Planning, Technical SEO, on-page SEO and off-page SEO.
How much time does it take?
The estimated duration of a keyword research differs. This is because it depends on many different factors. A well-developed keyword research always saves time after a while. Keyword research is always used as the starting point of an online marketing project.
Convident’s online marketers look at your content from a different angle and think from the perspective of the potential client. What needs and wants does the potential customer have and what search queries does he/she use to fulfill his/her needs and wants? With Convident’s research, you will have a complete overview of relevant search terms for the products or services. Would you like to have keyword research carried out or to spar further about the opportunities that may still be open to you? We would be happy to talk to you.