Today’s advanced search engine algorithms have necessitated the use of not only the right keywords but also the most optimized ones if one is to hope to rank higher on the search engine results pages (SERPs). This, in turn, requires the use of some of the myriad keyword research tools on the internet. However, given their numbers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s where we step in.
In this easy-to-follow guide, we’ll discuss some keyword research tools that not only are user-friendly, but accurate as well.
Types of Keywords: Short-tail vs. Long-tail Keywords
Keywords are the words or phrases that people type into search engines like Google when they’re looking for something. Finding the best keywords for your website doesn’t necessarily mean you’re to pick the most used keywords but to find a balance between frequency of use and competition.
To understand why you need to do this, consider the extreme ends of both: Pick the most used keywords and you’ll run up against stiff competition that will make it hard to rank significantly on the SERPs. On the other hand, settling for keywords with the least usage of competing companies often means you’ll end up with keywords that address the queries of an exceedingly small demographic, hobbling your website’s traffic flow (even if you rank higher on the SERPs for those searches).
Keyword research tools give you data that’s crucial to find such said balance—keywords that get used by a respectable number of users and ones that not a lot of competing companies use. In this way, you’re likely to rank unimpeded through the SERPs while still enjoying a good influx of website visitors.
There are two main types of keywords: short-tail and long-tail keywords.
- Short-tail Keywords: These are short and general words or phrases, usually one to three words long. They are broad and can have multiple meanings. For example, “shoes” or “laptops” are short-tail keywords.
- Long-tail Keywords: More specific phrases, these tend to be longer and oftentimes are composed of, at the very least, three words. They are more focused and usually indicate exactly what the searcher is looking for. For example, “best running shoes for flat feet” or “cheap gaming laptops under $500” are long-tail keywords.
Tools for Keyword Research Features
Tools for keyword research help people find the best words to use when they search online. They are like helpers for finding the right word because they give suggestions for words related to what you’re looking for and show how many times people search for them. These tools have some key features that make them useful:
1. Keyword Suggestions: These tools give you ideas for keywords related to your topic. Let’s say you’re writing about “healthy recipes.” These tools jump in to suggest more words related to your topic, like “easy meals” or “low-fat cooking.” They help you find more things to write about and make your writing easier for people to find online. So, they’re like your writing buddies, giving you a hand to make your work better and more visible.
2. Search Volume: Refers to the number of times a particular keyword or phrase is entered into a search engine by users. It’s like counting how many times people ask about something on the internet. This information is crucial because it tells us if a certain topic or keyword is in demand or not. For instance, if a keyword has a high search volume, it means many people are looking for information related to that keyword. On the other hand, if the search volume is low, it suggests that fewer people are interested in that topic.
Understanding search volume helps businesses and website owners tailor their content to meet the needs and interests of their target audience.
3. Competition Analysis: This is similar to finding out how many other websites are talking
about the same topics you’re interested in. If only a few websites are using those same words, it’s easier for your website to stand out and be noticed. But if lots of websites are using the same words, it’s harder for your website to rank high in search results. So, knowing the competition helps you decide which words to use to make your website more visible.
4. Keyword Difficulty: This is like a score that tells you how tough it is to get your website
to show up high in search results for a specific word. If the score is high, it means it’s harder to rank high for that word because many other websites are using it. But if the score is low, it’s easier because fewer websites are using that word. So, understanding Keyword Difficulty helps you pick the right words to use to make your website more visible.
5. Trend Analysis: It is like looking at a graph that tells you if a word is becoming more
popular or less popular over time. It’s similar to checking if a word is “trending” or not. If the graph goes up, it means more people are searching for that word. If it goes down, fewer people are searching for it. So, keeping an eye on Trend Analysis helps you know what words are popular right now, so you can use them to attract more people to your website.
6. Location Targeting: A feature found in some tools that enables you to refine your keyword strategy based on specific geographic locations. This means you can focus on keywords that are relevant to particular cities, regions, or countries.
For businesses that operate in specific areas or want to target local customers, this feature is incredibly useful. It allows them to tailor their content and advertising efforts to reach the right audience in the right place, maximizing their chances of attracting local customers and driving foot traffic to physical locations.
Top Easy-to-Use Tools for Keyword Research
These tools for keyword research make finding the right words for your website easy. They each have their special features that help you do keyword research in a way that suits you best.
- Google Keyword Planner: Help people find the right words to use when they’re creating content for websites or ads. It shows you a list of similar words and phrases that people are searching for online. It also tells you how often those words are searched for, and how much competition there is for using those words in ads.
Its standout feature lies in its integration with Google Ads, providing accurate search volume data directly from Google’s vast database.
2. Semrush: Another tool like Google Keyword Planner, but it does a bit more. It’s not just about finding words people use to find your site, but also about checking out what your competition is doing and learning from them.
One of the cool things about SEMrush is that it doesn’t just stop at keywords. It also helps you see what other websites are doing to get more visitors. For example, it can show you where they’re getting their links from (which can help you get more links too), check if your website has any problems that need fixing, and keep track of how well your website is doing compared to others.
So, if you’re serious about making more people visit your website, SEMrush should be in your SEO arsenal! It’s like having a whole bunch of tools in one place to help you do better online.
3. Ahrefs: A powerful tool that not only helps you find keywords but also shows you how difficult it’ll be to rank for them. This way, you can focus on keywords that’ll give you the best chance of success. Ahrefs stands out with its extensive backlink analysis capabilities, allowing users to delve deep into their competitors’ link profiles to uncover valuable insights. Plus, it’s user-friendly, even for beginners in SEO. Whether you’re running a small shop online or you’ve been doing SEO for a long time, Ahrefs can help you make your website better. It helps you get more people to visit your site from search engines like Google.
4. KeywordTool.io: It’s super easy to use and gives you tons of keyword suggestions based on your input. Plus, it works for multiple search engines like Google, Bing, and even YouTube. What makes KeywordTool.io unique is its ability to generate long-tail keyword suggestions, helping you target specific niches and attract highly relevant traffic.
5. Ubersuggest: This online service provides keyword suggestions along with important metrics like search volume and competition level. It is a friendly guide that helps you find the best words to use when you’re putting content online. It gives you suggestions for words people search for a lot and tells you how many other websites are using them. It’s quite easy to use, so even if you’re new, you’ll get the hang of it quickly. And the best part? It doesn’t cost much, so even if you’re not rolling in cash, you can still use it. It’s perfect for small businesses or anyone who wants to get noticed on the internet without breaking the bank.
6. Moz Keyword Explorer: This online service offers a comprehensive suite of features beyond its keyword research capabilities. It provides insights into keyword difficulty scores, search volume trends, and click-through rates. These metrics enable marketers and website owners to make informed decisions about which keywords to target in their content and SEO strategies.
It also shows you how your website compares to others and helps you see where you could do better. You can filter your searches to focus on specific things like where your customers are or what language they speak.
7. WordStream: Ideal for managing your keywords effectively. It helps you group and organize your keywords neatly, so everything stays nice and organized. What’s special about WordStream is that it’s good at making your keywords work better for you. It also does a lot of things automatically, so you don’t have to spend too much time on it. This means you can make the most out of your keywords without working too hard.