Keyword Research / Keyword Mapping

1 year ago

Setare Afsharzadeh

11 minutes

In this blog post we will empowers you to embark on a keyword research journey, ultimately creating a valuable roadmap for your SEO and content marketing efforts. By following these steps, you’ll identify high-volume, low-competition keywords aligned with your website’s niche, enabling you to attract your target audience and outrank competitors.

Why Keyword Research Matters:

Keyword research is the cornerstone of effective SEO. It acts as a roadmap, guiding your content creation, website structure, and overall SEO strategy. By meticulously selecting the right keywords, you can gain a competitive edge, determine your content direction, and allocate resources strategically.

Prepping for the Journey:

While no specific tools are mandatory, having a keyword research tool can significantly enhance your research efficiency. Additionally, prepare a spreadsheet to meticulously organize your findings.

Keyword Research Phases:

Seed Keyword Brainstorming:
- Brainstorm broad yet relevant topics related to your website’s niche.
- Consider questions your target audience might ask when searching for information.
- Example (Travel Website): “best places to visit in Europe,” “budget travel tips.”
Keyword Tool Exploration:
- Leverage keyword research tools (e.g., SEMrush, Ahrefs, Google Keyword Planner) to discover variations and long-tail keywords related to your seed keywords.
- Prioritize tools offering search volume estimates and competition levels.
Keyword Filtering and Prioritization:
- Analyze search volume (number of searches per month) to identify keywords with sufficient audience interest.
- Evaluate competition levels (how many other websites target these keywords) to prioritize those with lower competition.
- Focus on keywords with a healthy balance of search volume and lower competition.
Grouping by Search Intent:
- Categorize your keywords based on user intent (informational, transactional, navigational).
- Informational: Keywords users employ to find information (e.g., “how to fix a leaky faucet”).
- Transactional: Keywords indicating a purchase intent (e.g., “buy new faucet”).
- Navigational: Keywords used to navigate to specific websites (e.g., “Facebook login”).
- This grouping aids in crafting content that aligns with what users are seeking.
Building a Keyword Map and Sitemap:
- Create a spreadsheet or document outlining your keyword groups.
- Develop a preliminary sitemap structure based on these keyword groups, ensuring your website caters to each search intent category.

Example:

Keyword Group (Search Intent)	Keywords	Corresponding Page on Website
Budget Travel Tips (Informational)	cheap travel hacks, affordable travel destinations	/travel-tips/budget-travel/
Best Places to Visit in Europe (Informational)	top tourist destinations in Europe, hidden gems in Europe	/europe/best-places-to-visit/
Book European Vacation (Transactional)	Europe travel packages, all-inclusive Europe tours	/europe/tours-and-packages/

Continuous Improvement:

Keyword research is an ongoing process. Revisit your strategy at least annually or whenever your niche evolves to identify new opportunities and maintain a competitive edge.

Embrace the Power of Keywords:

By dedicating time and effort to keyword research, you’ll equip yourself with a powerful SEO weapon. This comprehensive keyword strategy empowers you and your SEO/content marketing team to craft compelling content and optimize your website to attract your target audience and achieve your digital marketing goals.

Demystifying SEO Keywords:

Understanding the Power of Keywords:

In the realm of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), keywords act as the bridge connecting your website to your target audience. These are the words and phrases internet users type into search engines when seeking information, businesses, or products. By strategically incorporating these keywords into your website’s content and structure, you increase the likelihood of your website appearing at the top of Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).

Beyond Keywords: A Holistic Approach:

It’s important to remember that SEO is a multifaceted strategy, and keywords are just one crucial component. While keyword optimization holds significant weight, it’s not the sole factor determining your website’s ranking. Other elements such as website architecture, mobile-friendliness, and quality content all contribute to your overall SEO success.

Keyword Research Tools: Unveiling Hidden Gems:

Keyword research empowers you to identify the keywords with the highest potential to drive traffic to your website. While Google Keyword Planner was once the go-to tool for SEO professionals, recent limitations have prompted a shift towards alternative solutions. Here are a few popular options currently favored by SEO experts:

KWFinder (10 days free trial): Offers a balance of affordability and functionality.
SEMrush (free with limited capabilities, paid plans offer advanced features): A comprehensive SEO toolkit with a free tier and paid plans for expanded functionality.
SEOBook’s Keyword Tool (decent free tool): A solid free option for basic keyword research.

This guide will utilize KWFinder due to its exceptional value proposition.

The Journey Ahead:

By embarking on this keyword research journey, you’ll equip yourself with the knowledge necessary to identify the keywords that resonate most with your target audience. This empowers you to optimize your website content and structure, ultimately propelling your website towards the top of search engine results.

Gearing Up for Keyword Research Success

We’re now ready to prepare your environment for effective keyword research using KWFinder. Here’s a breakdown of the essentials:

1. KWFinder Access:

Sign up for a KWFinder account to leverage its keyword research capabilities. Many platforms offer free trials, allowing you to test-drive the tool before committing.
If your company already has a KWFinder account, inquire about access to collaborate on your research.

2. Spreadsheet Software:

Having a spreadsheet program is crucial for organizing your keyword findings. Popular options include:
- Microsoft Excel (paid)
- Google Sheets (free, web-based)
- Libre Office Calc (free, open-source)
- Other spreadsheet applications with similar functionalities

3. Patience is Key:

While the keyword research process itself isn’t inherently difficult, it can be time-consuming. The more meticulous you are in your research, the more valuable insights you’ll glean. Dedicate sufficient time to explore various keyword possibilities. Remember, the investment in time translates to a well-defined SEO strategy and potentially significant returns on your efforts.

A KWFinder Exploration

This guide walks you through a comprehensive keyword research process using KWFinder, specifically tailored to a matchmaking website. While the example focuses on this niche, the steps can be adapted to suit any business.

Setting the Stage:

KWFinder Access: Secure a KWFinder account (free trial available) or utilize your company’s existing account.
Spreadsheet Ready: Prepare a spreadsheet using Excel, Google Sheets, Libre Office Calc, or a similar program to organize your keyword findings.
Patience is Rewarded: Keyword research is an investment, so dedicate ample time for a thorough exploration. The more meticulous you are, the more valuable insights you’ll uncover.

Let’s Find Your Perfect Keywords!

Navigate to KWFinder: Visit http://kwfinder.com.
Target Audience Perspective: Imagine the search terms your ideal clients would use to find your matchmaking services. For this example, let’s assume you target a broad location (e.g., entire country) initially. We can refine this later.
Location, Location, Location: Set your business location using the designated box (defaults to “Anywhere”). You can modify it to your specific location.
Enter Your Seed Keyword: In the “Enter Keyword” box, type a broad term related to your matchmaking website. For instance, “find love.”
Unleash the Keyword Power: Click “Find Keywords” or press Enter to initiate the search.
Keyword Analysis: KWFinder will display a list of keywords along with their average monthly searches (“Search” column) and ranking difficulty (“Difficulty” column).
Tailoring Your View:
- Sorting Options: Choose how you want the keywords presented:
  - Suggestions (Default): Prioritizes keywords most relevant to your seed keyword (recommended).
  - Search: Sorts purely by search volume (not always ideal as search intent also matters).
  - PPC/CPC (For Paid Advertising): Not relevant for initial keyword research.
  - Diff: Sorts by difficulty. Ensure difficulty scores are generated for important keywords before using this option (see next step).
Difficulty Score Matters:
- Look for the “KD” column displaying the keyword difficulty score.
- If a score is missing, click the magnifying glass icon for KWFinder to generate one based on current data.
- Prioritize gathering difficulty scores for keywords most relevant to your business.
Selection Time:
- Evaluate each keyword considering:
  - Search Intent: What is the user’s goal behind the search term?
  - Search Demand: How many monthly searches does the keyword have?
  - Difficulty: How challenging is it to rank for this keyword?
- Tick the boxes next to keywords that align with your website’s target audience and goals. Don’t worry about being overly selective at this stage; aim for a comprehensive list.
Building Your Keyword Arsenal:

Click the green “Add to List” button at the bottom to add your chosen keywords to a designated list.
If it’s a new project, create a new list (e.g., “Matchmaking Website Keywords”).
For existing projects, select the appropriate list.

Digging Deeper:

KWFinder offers various avenues for in-depth exploration:
- Related Keywords: Click the arrow next to a keyword to discover related terms.
- Autocomplete: Analyze terms similar to Google’s Autocomplete suggestions.
- Questions: Unearth question-based keywords, perfect for blog content.
Utilize these features to expand your keyword collection. The more comprehensive your list, the greater your competitive advantage.

Keyword Mapping: Building Your Website’s Blueprint

Now that you have a comprehensive keyword list, let’s organize them to lay the groundwork for your website’s structure and content strategy.

1. Exporting Your Keyword Treasure:

Locate the “Export” button at the end of your KWFinder keyword list (beside “Add to List”).
Choose to copy the list to your clipboard or export it as a .csv file.

2. Importing into Your Spreadsheet:

Open your preferred spreadsheet software (e.g., Google Sheets, Excel).
Navigate to “File” -> “Open” and select the downloaded .csv file.

3. Creating a Backup:

Duplicate your imported sheet to ensure you have a pristine copy.
Rename the sheets:
- Original: “Canonical List”
- Working Sheet: “Keyword Mapping Blueprint”

4. Formatting for Clarity:

Center text alignment for improved readability.
Increase cell size to accommodate all relevant keyword data.

5. Filtering and Streamlining:

Apply a filter to your columns for easy sorting.
Arrange entries by “Search Volume” to prioritize keywords with higher search demand.
Eliminate any unnecessary columns (e.g., CPC, PPC Competition) that don’t contribute to your current task.

6. Building Keyword Buckets:

Organize keywords based on search intent.
Group them into distinct “buckets” representing specific website pages.
Example: “/find-a-date” bucket for keywords related to finding potential partners.

7. Assigning Bucket Names:

Rename each bucket to reflect the corresponding webpage it represents.
For instance, rename a bucket containing wedding venue keywords to “/wedding-venues.”

8. Handling Outliers:

Create an “Outlier” bucket for keywords that don’t fit neatly into any category.
These can be potential blog post ideas or lead to further keyword research within KWFinder.

9. Color-Coding for Efficiency:

Employ distinct background colors for each bucket to enhance visual organization.

10. Refining Your Bucket Structure:

Once keywords are categorized, remove empty columns.
Combine buckets within the same column, ensuring clear separation with blank rows.

11. Website Blueprint Emerges:

These buckets represent the foundation of your website’s structure.
While not every bucket might translate into a dedicated page, it provides a roadmap for your website’s content and optimization strategy.

Leveraging Your Keyword Map for Strategic Business Decisions

Having meticulously crafted your keyword map, you can now extract valuable insights to inform your business decisions. This guide explores how to utilize your keyword buckets for market analysis and revenue forecasting (remember, these are estimates, not guarantees).

Market Potential:

Total Monthly Volume:
- Employ Google Sheets’ “SUM” function to calculate the total monthly search volume for each bucket.
- This reflects the overall search interest for keywords within that category.
Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR):
- Assign a conservative CTR value (e.g., 40%) representing the estimated percentage of users who might click on your website from search results if you rank #1.
- This is an industry average, and yours may differ based on specific keywords and website optimization.
Total Addressable Market (TAM):
- Multiply the “Total Monthly Volume” by the “Expected CTR” for each bucket.
- This provides a preliminary estimate of the total number of potential website visitors you could attract through these keywords each month.

Conversion Rate and Revenue Considerations:

Expected Conversion Rate:
- If you have existing website conversion rate data, utilize it for this step.
- If not, employ a well-informed estimate based on industry benchmarks or similar businesses.
- The conversion rate reflects the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action (e.g., sign up, make a purchase).
Total Monthly Conversions:
- Multiply the “TAM” for each bucket by the “Expected Conversion Rate.”
- This estimates the potential number of conversions (desired actions) you could achieve from these keywords each month.
Top Line and Bottom Line Revenue:
- Establish reasonable values for “Top Line Revenue” (gross revenue per conversion) and “Bottom Line Revenue” (net revenue per conversion) considering your business model.
Monthly Revenue Estimates:
- Calculate “Monthly Top Line” and “Monthly Bottom Line” by multiplying “Total Monthly Conversions” with “Top Line Revenue” and “Bottom Line Revenue,” respectively.
- This provides a high-level estimate of potential monthly revenue generated through these keywords.

Important Caveats:

Accuracy Considerations: Search volume data may fluctuate, and conversion rates can vary significantly depending on your industry and website optimization. These calculations offer a broad picture, not a guarantee.

A Dynamic Process:

Keyword research and mapping are ongoing endeavors. Search trends, user intent, and keywords themselves evolve over time. Regularly revisit these steps (with the same dedication!) to maintain an SEO strategy that adapts to the ever-changing search landscape.