Basic Guide to Performing a Keyword Research

Whether you wish to handle your own business’s SEO campaign or you wish to tap the best SEO services in Hong Kong, it pays to have a basic understanding of keyword research. Here is a short guide to what this process is all about and how it is carried out.

What is keyword research?

Keyword research pertains to the process of determining the right set of keywords to optimize your website and content for. Also known as search terms, these are words and phrases used by people when looking for something online. In the case of a business, they are usually terms referring to a product or service and their derivations.

Keyword research is a vital part of the entire optimization process because it dictates the success of most of your digital marketing strategy.

How is it done?

Keyword research usually starts with topics revolving around a business and its product or service. It can also include matters that are usually discussed on existing content and on conversations with customers. To jumpstart a keyword research, SEO specialists usually focus on topics customers are most interested in.

Tools such as Google Analytics help identify the keywords in a fast and easy manner. It allows website owners to monitor traffic and check the sources. This way, they are able to identify the terms and phrases used by people to arrive at the website. Alternatively, the search engine results pages (SERPs) are also a good source of related search terms. The bottom part of the pages shows a list of similar terms and phrases.

Whether you create your own set of keywords or depend on the analytics or both, it is important to settle on an optimal set of keywords to rank for. In many cases, it works best when you use a mix of both head terms and their long-tail variations. As a general rule, your keywords have to be directly related to what your business is about and what your target audience is searching for.

Keyword research is essentially your first step to achieving online success through SEO and other related digital marketing techniques. With this in mind, pay attention to your choice of keywords, so you can have a great start.