What is keyword research?
Keyword research is a crucial step before optimising your website for search engines. It helps identify which terms your potential customers are searching for, enabling you to target those that can drive more traffic and conversions.
How to conduct keyword research
At Bicester Web Design Company, we approach keyword research by focusing on three key metrics:
- Monthly Search Volume: This indicates how often a keyword is searched. Higher volumes are great but can be competitive.
- Competition Level: Assess how difficult it is to rank for a keyword. Lower competition keywords offer a better chance to achieve higher rankings, especially for local businesses.
- Current Keyword Rankings: Identify keywords your website already ranks for. Enhancing these can yield quicker results.
Ideally, we aim for keywords with a decent search volume, low competition, and existing rankings. However, if you’re starting from scratch, you’ll need to build these rankings over time.
Types of keywords to target
Understanding different types of keywords is essential:
- Short-Tail Keywords: These are 1-2 words, like “SEO Services.” They’re broad and competitive, but for local SEO, adding your location (e.g., “SEO Services Bicester”) can help narrow the field.
- Long-Tail Keywords: These are more specific phrases, like “affordable SEO services in Bicester.” Though they have lower search volumes, they often lead to higher conversion rates as they match specific user intent.
- Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) Keywords: These are related terms that support your primary keywords. For example, if your primary keyword is “web design Bicester,” related LSIs might include “website development in Oxfordshire.”
Implementing keywords
To implement these keywords effectively:
- Content Optimisation: Use your primary keywords in strategic places such as titles, headings, and meta descriptions. Don’t forget to sprinkle in LSI keywords to enhance relevance.
- Local Optimisation: Ensure your business location is prominently featured in your content and meta tags to boost local search visibility.
- Regular Monitoring: Keyword research is an ongoing process. Regularly check your rankings and adjust your strategy based on performance metrics.
By following this actionable approach to keyword research, you can optimise your website for local SEO, attract more relevant traffic, and increase conversions for your Bicester-based business.