SEO professionals know that Google’s algorithm is in favor of intent-based searches and it has been like that for a few years now.
As a result of that shift, SEO professionals and online marketers also needed to adapt the way they built their keyword lists. For most in this industry, creating an intent-based keyword list is the new normal. It’s a necessary skill to be relevant.
In the following lines, we will address the blueprint to an A+ keyword list. Our blueprint is in the form of tips and recommendations assembled by professionals offering Denver SEO services that have been in this industry for over a decade.
Make a List of Keywords around Your Customer Persona
This is about casting a wide net in which you need to capture a bunch of keywords relevant to your niche, business, product, or service. Indeed, this is under the assumption that you previously did your homework, and you are familiar with your customer persona. Some experts believe that every small business should create around five business personas. To that end, you can use online tools such as Yoast Google Suggest Expander and the Google Keyword Planner.
While you are at it, try to fit in the shoes of your customer persona. Try to understand their mindsets when searching online. For an exercise, make the same queries using some of the keywords on your list.
Leverage Data from Online Tools That are Mining Autocomplete Data
“Answer The Republic” is an online tool, based on your keyword that can tell you what people are asking about it. It is like a direct line to your customer persona. That way, you can write content that answers all those questions which will be highly valued by both your visitors and Google. Answer The Republic can be your secret weapon towards finding intent-based keywords.
Analyze Data from Your Website’s Internal Search
Internal search queries can be a gold mine for finding high intent search keywords. The visitors on your website are already expressing intent just by being on your website. Internal website searches can tell you exactly the keywords they used to find specific things on your website. Plus, you get to learn more about the different personas and which queries they used. The best part of all is that you can have it all for free via Google Analytics.
Use Social Listening Tools
Social listening tools can help you learn a ton of data on how people look and talk about your brand, product, or service. Thanks to these online tools you can get your hands on real high intent keywords that you can integrate into your SEO campaign right away.
Spy on Your Competitors
Spying might seem a bit unethical, but it is really not as in the world of SEO everybody does it. Nowadays, there are online tools that let you spy on your main competitors, those that rank higher than you, and find out which keywords they are using to rank high with search engines. Some of the most notable tools you can use to spy on your competitors are SEMRush, Pro Rank Tracker, Ahrefs, SimilarWeb, Ubersuggest, and many others.
Use the Power of Long-Tail Keywords
There is a lot to gain from long-tail keywords as most of them qualify as high-intent keywords. However, just because they consist of four or more words, it is not easy to implement them in content in a way they are readable. The thing is, search engines will love them no matter what, but people will dislike them if they don’t slide naturally in the content. Because of that, one needs to be picky when it comes to choosing long-tail keywords.
Always Watch for Trends and Current Interests
You never know when an event close to your niche goes viral and people are all over it. By monitoring Google Trends you can sometimes come across such events. Once you identify such events and the keywords used to search and find them, you should act on them. You can do so by creating content about them while including those specific keywords. This is where the creativity of your copywriter comes to shine. Along with that, getting the content out there as soon as possible is key in riding the wave and catching some of that traffic.
Leverage Related Searches
Last but not least, related searches can also offer certain insights into the intent and mind of your customer persona. Google any of the keywords you plan to use in your campaign and then scroll to the bottom of the page. There you will find the related searches section from where you can pick high-intent queries. It is a simple way to further expand your keyword list and perhaps even get a few fresh content ideas.
To Conclude
Identifying high-intent keywords is great and can be the basis for a great SEO campaign. The tips and recommendations above offer a pathway to find many such keywords for free. Even professional SEO marketers often use those same tools and tactics to find high-intent keywords for their campaigns.
However, high-intent keywords only work when they are part of great content and when they are used regularly. Random and inconsistent use of your keywords, keyword stuffing, poorly written content, are some of the practices you want to avoid. On the other hand, consistency and great content spread across all platforms are the key factors that will make your SEO efforts worthwhile.
Mind that and soon enough you will be able to reap the fruits of your hard work.
