As the world continues to grow more dependent on the Internet, it has become increasingly important for businesses of all sizes to have a strong online presence. Because of this, search engine optimization (SEO) is vital to a successful marketing strategy. SEO involves optimizing your website to earn higher rankings for relevant keywords, thereby resulting in greater search engine results page (SERP) visibility and more web traffic.
To determine what keywords you should use to optimize your website, you will need to do keyword research. Keyword research is a strategy that involves pinpointing the exact words and phrases people use to search online for information, products, or services related to your business. By performing thorough keyword research, you can determine what your audience is looking for and optimize your content accordingly.
While it may seem easy to think of a few words that relate to your company and use them as keywords, effective keyword research requires a more in-depth approach. With search algorithms constantly evolving and competition for top rankings increasing, simply selecting generic or broad keywords will not be enough to drive traffic to your website.
With that in mind, the following is a comprehensive guide on conducting competitive keyword research to elevate your website’s authority and outrank your competitors.
The Importance Of Competitive Keyword Research
Keyword research is essential to your online marketing strategy for several reasons. First and foremost, conducting competitive keyword research helps you identify relevant and high-value keywords with a better chance of ranking well in SERPs. This means that optimizing your website content using these targeted keywords will increase the chances of attracting qualified traffic to your website.
Secondly, it lets you understand your target audience and their search behavior. By knowing what keywords they use to find and discover companies like yours, you can customize your website content to match their intent and provide valuable information that is relevant to them.
For example, if you sell workout equipment, your target audience may search for keywords like “best home gym equipment” or “affordable fitness machines.” You can use these keywords to guide your content creation as well as make sure it is relevant and valuable to your audience. In this case, you may create a blog post comparing different types of home gym equipment or offering tips on choosing the right fitness machine for your budget.
Finally, competitive keyword research also helps you stay ahead of your competitors. You can analyze their strategies by identifying the keywords they are targeting and finding opportunities to outrank them.
Types of Keywords To Search For
When conducting competitive keyword research, you need to understand the various types of keywords that you can target and how they will impact your SEO efforts. The three main types of keywords are:
- Head terms: These are broad and general keywords with a high search volume. They typically consist of one or two words and are highly competitive. For example, “shoes” is a head term with a lot of competition, making it difficult for a small business to rank for it.
- Chunky middle: These keywords are more specific than head terms and have a moderate search volume. They usually consist of two to three words and are less competitive than head terms. For example, “running shoes” or “women’s running shoes” are chunky middle keywords that have a decent search volume but may be easier for a smaller business to rank for.
- Long-tail keywords: Long-tail keywords are longer, highly specific phrases with lower search volumes. They usually contain three or more words and are less competitive compared to broader head terms and middle keywords. For example, “best running shoes for flat feet” or “affordable women’s running shoes under $50.” Despite their lower search volumes, these long-tail keywords can draw targeted traffic to your website.
Understanding the different types of keywords and how they relate to your business can help you create a more well-rounded keyword strategy and target the right keywords for your content.
Metrics To Consider In Competitive Keyword Research
When doing keyword research, there are a few different metrics you should pay attention to. These metrics can help you determine the potential value of a keyword and assess its competition. Some of the key metrics you should use to identify the value of a keyword to your business:
- Search volume: Search volume refers to how often a keyword is used on search engines within a specific time frame. The search volume of a keyword gives you an idea of how popular a keyword is and how many people are searching for it. Higher search volumes indicate greater demand for a keyword but also mean higher competition.
- Keyword difficulty: Keyword difficulty measures how hard it would be to rank for a particular keyword based on competition. This metric considers factors such as domain authority and backlink profiles of websites currently ranking for that keyword. A high keyword difficulty score indicates a higher level of competition, making it more challenging to rank for that keyword. Lower difficulty scores mean less competition, making it easier to rank for the keyword.
- Cost-per-click (CPC): CPC measures the average cost an advertiser pays when somebody clicks on their ad in paid search results. It can help identify valuable keywords with high commercial intent and potential return on investment (ROI). Keywords with higher CPC often indicate a higher level of competitiveness, as multiple advertisers are bidding on them to appear at the top of search engine results pages. However, a high CPC may suggest intense competition for the keyword, which implies that it will be more difficult to rank for it organically.
- Search engine result pages (SERPs): SERPs refer to the pages a search engine generates in response to a user’s query. These results can include organic listings, paid ads, featured snippets, and knowledge panels. Analyzing SERPs when conducting competitive keyword research is crucial as it gives you an idea of what your competitors are doing and how they rank for specific keywords. Pay attention to the types of content (e.g., blog posts, product pages) that appear on the first page of results for your target keyword and their domain authority and backlink profiles.
Understanding Site Authority And Current Site Status
Site authority refers to a website’s credibility and trustworthiness as perceived by search engines. Site authority is measured by the number and quality of its backlinks, content quality, and overall user engagement. The higher the site authority, the more likely the site’s content is to rank well on SERPs. This means that a website with high authority will have a better chance of ranking for competitive keywords and driving organic traffic.
Keeping this in mind, the following are some factors to consider when assessing your site’s current status and authority:
Assessing Site Authority
Understanding your site’s authority and current status is crucial in keyword research because they can impact the keywords you target and the level of competition you face.
If your website has a high authority, it may be easier to rank for more competitive head terms. On the other hand, if your site is new or has a lower authority, targeting specific long-tail or chunky middle keywords may be a more effective strategy. There are several ways to assess your site’s authority, including:
- Backlink profile: Backlinks are one of the most important factors in determining a website’s authority. A backlink is a link from another website to your site, indicating that other sites find your content valuable and trustworthy. The more high-quality backlinks your site has, the higher its authority may be. You can use Ahrefs or Moz’s Link Explorer to evaluate your backlink profile and see how it compares to your competitors.
- Domain authority (DA): Developed by Moz, domain authority is a metric that forecasts a website’s ranking potential on search engine results pages. DA scores range from 1 to 100. Higher DA scores indicate a greater authority (as well as a greater probability of ranking well for competitive keywords).
- Content quality: The quality of your website’s content is vital in establishing its authority. Well-crafted content that is engaging, relevant, and informative not only attracts more backlinks but also enhances the user experience, thereby bolstering your site’s authority. Metrics such as bounce rate, social shares, and time on page can help you gauge the overall quality of your content.
Identifying Current Keyword Performance
Before conducting keyword research, it’s essential to understand how the keywords you are already using are performing. Evaluating the effectiveness of your current keywords can assist in identifying those that are generating the highest traffic, conversions, and engagement. This analysis also helps pinpoint any potential gaps in your keyword strategy.
Some ways to assess your current keyword performance include:
- Google Analytics: Google Analytics provides data on website traffic, including the keywords people use to find your site. You can use this information to track what keywords generate the most organic traffic and conversions.
- Keyword ranking tools: Several keyword ranking tools, such as SEMrush and Ahrefs, can show you where your website ranks for specific keywords. These tools also allow you to track changes in rankings over time, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of your current keyword strategy.
- Search engines: Lastly, you can perform manual searches on search engines using your target keywords to see where your website ranks. This method can show you how well your site competes against other websites for those keywords.
Analyzing Competitor Keywords
Analyzing competitor keywords involves identifying the keywords your competitors are targeting and ranking for. This process can help you understand your site’s authority compared to your competitors’ sites and identify potential keyword opportunities. Here are some ways to analyze competitor keywords:
- Keyword gap analysis: A keyword gap analysis involves comparing the keywords your website currently ranks for with those of your competitors. This assessment can uncover any gaps in your current keyword strategy and reveal new opportunities for keywords.
- Competitor keyword research tools: Various tools, such as SpyFu and KeywordSpy, allow you to enter a competitor’s domain and see the keywords they are ranking for. These tools provide valuable insights into the keyword strategies being used by competing businesses, as well as the competitiveness of specific keywords.
- Manual research: You can also manually search for your target keywords and analyze the websites that appear on the first page of the results. This can give you an idea of how well your competitors rank and what type of content they produce to rank for those keywords.
Setting Goals Based On Site Authority And Current Status
Setting goals based on your site’s authority and current status is crucial for creating a realistic and effective keyword strategy. You should understand your website’s position in the search engine landscape before setting lofty goals that may be unattainable. The following are a few reasons why setting goals based on site authority is important:
- Realistic expectations: Knowing your site’s current authority can help you set reasonable goals for ranking and driving traffic. If your website has a lower authority, targeting highly competitive keywords right away may not be feasible. Instead, focusing on long-tail or less competitive keywords may be a more achievable goal.
- Targeting the right keywords: Understanding your site’s authority can help you determine what keywords you should target. If your site has a high authority, it may be easier to rank for more competitive keywords and aim for higher search engine positions. On the other hand, if your site has a lower authority, targeting specific long-tail or less competitive keywords may be the better strategy.
- Tailoring strategies: Setting goals based on site authority allows you to tailor your keyword strategies accordingly. For example, if your website has a high authority, investing in link building and creating high-quality content to target competitive head terms may be an effective approach. However, if your site has a lower authority, focusing on building backlinks and creating quality content for long-tail keywords may yield better results.
It’s essential to regularly evaluate your website’s current status and authority, as it can change over time. This will allow you to adjust your keyword strategy accordingly and set new goals that align with your site’s growth and improvement.
Why Gradual Progression In Ranking For Higher Competitive Keywords Is Important
Gradual progression in ranking for more competitive keywords is important for sustainable and long-term success in search engine rankings. It involves starting with lower-tier, less competitive keywords and gradually targeting competitive keywords as your site’s authority and relevance increase.
One effective way to achieve this is through creating keyword clusters, which involve grouping related keywords into topic-based categories. This can help you identify low-hanging fruit or easier-to-rank-for keywords within a specific cluster, allowing you to build authority and relevance before targeting more competitive terms.
Some benefits of gradual progression in ranking higher competitive keywords include:
- Establishing authority: By starting with lower-tier keywords and gradually targeting more competitive ones, your website can establish authority in a particular topic or industry. This can help improve your site’s overall reputation and authority, making it easier to rank for higher competition keywords in the future.
- Increasing relevance: As you target lower-tier keywords within a specific cluster, your content will become more relevant to those topics. This can signal to search engines that your website is an authority on the subject and may lead to better rankings for higher competition keywords related to that topic.
- Avoiding penalties: Attempting to rank for highly competitive keywords without a solid foundation can result in black hat tactics, such as purchasing backlinks or finding ways to stuff your content with more keywords than is natural. Search engines penalize such tactics if they’re discovered, often by lowering the website’s ranking or even delisting them from their search engine. By gradually targeting more competitive keywords, you can avoid these shortcuts and build a stronger, more sustainable online presence.
- Measuring success: Gradual progression allows you to measure your success and make adjustments along the way. By tracking your rankings for each keyword cluster, you can identify which strategies are working and which areas need improvement. This data can inform future keyword targeting and help you achieve long-term success in search engine rankings.
- Staying competitive: Gradually targeting more competitive keywords ensures you remain competitive in your industry. Constantly aiming for top rankings for the most competitive keywords can be challenging and time-consuming. Building a solid foundation first allows you to gradually work towards those top positions while staying relevant and authoritative.
Gradual progression in ranking for higher competitive keywords is essential for creating a strong keyword strategy that aligns with your site’s authority and relevance. By setting realistic goals, tailoring strategies, and using clusters to identify opportunities, you can achieve sustainable and long-term success in search engine rankings.
Leveraging Authority Steps With Lower Tier Keywords
Leveraging authority to gradually rank for higher competition keywords involves targeting lower-tier, less competitive keywords initially to build authority and momentum. This strategy allows your website to become a valuable resource in a particular niche or topic before tackling more competitive terms. Some reasons why leveraging authority with lower-tier keywords is essential include:
- Building momentum: By focusing on lower-tier keywords first, you can start generating traffic and visibility for your website. This initial success can give your site the momentum it needs to tackle higher competition keywords in the future.
- Establishing credibility: Targeting relevant but easier-to-rank-for keywords allows you to showcase your expertise and credibility in a particular niche or topic. As you build authority and trust with your audience, gaining backlinks and improving your site’s overall reputation becomes easier.
- Gaining valuable insights: Targeting lower-tier keywords can provide valuable insights into your target audience’s search behavior. This data can inform future keyword targeting and help you create content that is more targeted and relevant for your audience.
- Staying competitive: As mentioned earlier, gradually targeting higher competition keywords allows you to remain competitive in your industry. By first building authority with lower-tier keywords, you can avoid rushing into highly competitive terms and instead take a more strategic and sustainable approach.
- Maximizing ROI: Targeting lower-tier keywords typically requires less time and resources than more competitive ones. This means that you can achieve better results with a smaller investment while still building the foundation for future success.
Keeping these benefits in mind, the following are a few strategies for leveraging authority with lower-tier keywords:
Content Gap Analysis
Content gap analysis involves identifying the gaps in your content compared to your competitors for specific keywords. For example, if your competitors are ranking for a keyword you are not targeting or do not have content for, then there is a gap in your content strategy. By conducting a gap analysis, you can find opportunities to improve and enhance your content by targeting topics or subtopics not currently covered on your website.
This strategy can be very effective when targeting lower-tier keywords as it allows you to uncover relevant and valuable topics that may not have high competition but still have search volume. By filling these gaps in your content, you can provide more comprehensive and authoritative information for your audience, establishing yourself as an expert in the field.
By targeting these specific topics, you can also rank for long-tail keywords that may have less competition but still drive targeted traffic to your site. This can contribute to building your website’s overall authority and relevance, making it easier to rank for higher competition terms in the future.
Long-Tail Keyword Optimization
A long-tail keyword refers to a specific and detailed phrase typically consisting of three or more words. These keywords are more targeted and have a lower search volume than shorter, more general ones. However, they often attract more qualified traffic and have less competition. Long-tail keywords are valuable in SEO and content marketing strategies because they can help websites attract relevant visitors who are more likely to convert into customers or engage deeply with the content.
For example, instead of targeting a broad and competitive keyword like “digital marketing,” you can target long-tail keywords such as “digital marketing for small businesses” or “how to create a digital marketing strategy.” While such keywords may have lower search volumes, they also have a more specific intent and are easier to rank for.
By optimizing your website’s content for long-tail keywords, you can improve the odds of ranking for these terms and attracting relevant visitors who are interested in the specific topics you cover. This targeted approach not only helps build momentum and establish credibility, but it can also contribute to improving your website’s overall authority and relevance for a particular topic.
Additionally, ranking for long-tail keywords can also lead to higher conversion rates. This is because these visitors are more likely to be interested in the specific services or products you offer. This can help generate valuable leads and conversions while still building authority with lower-tier keywords.
Content Quality And Relevance
Create content that is of high quality and that is relevant to both your target audience and your brand when leveraging authority with lower-tier keywords. After all, the goal is not just to rank for any keyword but to establish yourself as a valuable resource and expert in your field. If your content isn’t high quality or relevant to your target audience, it may not have the desired impact on building authority and trust.
For example, if you target a keyword related to “social media marketing for small businesses in Chicago,” but your content only briefly mentions this topic and focuses more on general social media strategies, it may not resonate with your intended audience. As a result, your content may not rank well and may not attract the right kind of traffic.
On the other hand, if you create in-depth and comprehensive content that specifically addresses the challenges and needs of small businesses in Chicago regarding social media marketing, it is more likely to rank for long-tail keywords related to this topic. High-quality and relevant content can also attract backlinks from other authoritative websites, further establishing your credibility and authority.
One way to ensure the quality and relevance of your content is by conducting thorough research on the topics you are targeting. This includes understanding your target audience, their search behavior, and what they are looking for. By delivering valuable and informative content that addresses your audience’s needs, you can position yourself as a trusted source of information within your niche or topic.
Backlink Strategies For Authority Building
Backlinks are an essential aspect of building authority and improving search engine rankings. By acquiring links from other websites, you essentially receive a vote of confidence from these sites, indicating that your content is not only valuable but also trustworthy.
When targeting lower-tier keywords, it can be beneficial to incorporate backlink strategies to help boost the authority of your content. Creating valuable and shareable content can also attract natural backlinks from other websites. For instance, if you write a comprehensive guide or resource on a specific topic, other websites may reference it in their own content. This not only improves your website’s authority but also increases its visibility and reach.
It’s important to note that the quality of backlinks is more important than quantity. Having high-quality links from authoritative websites is better than many low-quality links. When incorporating backlink strategies into your content, make sure external links are relevant and add value to your content.
Monitoring And Tracking Progress
When targeting lower-tier keywords, you should regularly monitor and track your progress. This enables you to evaluate the success of your efforts and make any necessary changes to improve your results. By continuously monitoring your performance, you can evaluate which strategies are working and which may need to be adjusted for better results. This helps ensure you constantly optimize your approach to leverage authority with lower-tier keywords.
One way to monitor progress is by regularly checking the search engine rankings for the keywords you are using. If you see improvements in ranking positions, it indicates that your content is resonating with both search engines and users. Use Google Analytics to track website traffic and user engagement. Analytics tools like this can provide valuable insights into how effective your content is in attracting and retaining visitors.
Tracking your progress also enables you to stay informed about any updates made to search engine algorithms so you can adjust your strategies as needed. By consistently monitoring your progress, you can ensure that your content marketing efforts adhere to current SEO best practices and make necessary adjustments to maintain or improve your rankings for lower-tier keywords.
Lastly, regularly review and analyze your backlink profile. This practice helps identify any low-quality or spammy links that could harm your authority and rankings. By closely monitoring these metrics, you can make the necessary adjustments to maintain a robust backlink profile and continue leveraging authority with lower-tier keywords.
Stacking Your Way Up
As a website or business owner, competing for high-competition keywords and phrases in your industry can be overwhelming. These keywords are often dominated by established websites with higher authority and stronger backlink profiles.
However, with a targeted and strategic approach, it is possible to gradually target these competitive keywords as your site’s authority and ranking improve. The following strategies can help you stack your way up to targeting higher competition keywords and, ultimately, enhance your online presence.
Assessing Risks And Benefits Of Targeting Higher Competition Terms
Before targeting higher competition keywords, you should assess the potential risks and benefits. As mentioned, these keywords are often dominated by established websites and businesses. As a result, you may face stiff competition and potentially longer timelines to see results. If you target competitive terms even though you’re not ready, it could negatively impact your rankings and overall online visibility, wasting time and resources.
On the other hand, ranking for high-competition keywords can significantly increase your website’s visibility and drive more targeted traffic to your site. This can increase brand awareness, conversions, and, ultimately, profits. Carefully weigh these factors to determine if targeting higher competition terms aligns with your overall business goals.
Comprehensive Content Creation
Creating high-quality and comprehensive content is crucial when targeting more competitive keywords. This means conducting thorough research on the topic, incorporating relevant keywords and phrases naturally, and providing valuable information that addresses your target audience’s needs. Your content needs to be better than what is currently ranking on the first page of search results to have a good chance of ranking for high-competition keywords.
Investing in a comprehensive content strategy improves your chances of ranking for competitive keywords. Doing so helps build your authority and expertise within your industry, leading to more backlinks and social shares, which, in turn, enhances your website’s rankings and visibility.
Strategic Backlink Acquisition
Backlink acquisition has always been an essential SEO ranking strategy and continues to be one to this day. As you stack your way up to targeting higher competition keywords, having a strong backlink profile is crucial to support your content and website’s authority. Strive to acquire high-quality and relevant backlinks from authoritative websites in your industry.
The following are a few strategies to consider when building backlinks for targeting higher competition keywords:
- Guest posting: This strategy involves writing or publishing an article or blog post on an outside website or blog. Typically, the guest post will include a bio or byline that provides information about the guest author, along with a link back to your own website. This mutually beneficial arrangement helps the host site provide fresh content to its readers while you gain exposure and authority in their field.
- Broken link building: This is a strategy used to acquire backlinks by identifying broken links on other websites and recommending your own relevant content as a replacement. This involves finding non-functional links on external websites, creating or providing content that fits the context of the broken link, and reaching out to the website owner or webmaster to propose your content as a substitute. This technique helps improve the user experience on the target site and earns you valuable backlinks, which can enhance your website’s search engine ranking and visibility.
- Influencer collaborations: Contact the influencers and thought leaders within your industry and find a way to collaborate with them. Doing so can help you gain exposure, credibility, and, potentially, valuable backlinks to your site.
- Skyscraping: This technique involves identifying content that ranks well for your target keywords and creating a better, more comprehensive version. You can then contact the websites linking to the original content and offer yours as a superior alternative.
- Social media promotions: Sharing your content on all of your social media pages can boost its visibility and potentially attract backlinks from interested users.
It’s important to note that building a strong backlink profile takes time and effort. It’s not about quantity but rather the quality of the links pointing to your site. There are some illegitimate ways of acquiring backlinks that can hurt your website’s rankings in the long run. Instead, concentrate on developing a natural and varied backlink profile that enhances your content and strengthens your website’s authority.
Continuous Optimization And Refinement
As you continue to target more competitive keywords, it’s essential to continuously monitor and track your progress. This involves regularly reviewing your keyword rankings, traffic metrics, and backlink profile. As your site’s authority and rankings improve, you may want to adjust your strategies to target even more competitive keywords.
However, it’s crucial to balance targeting high-competition terms and maintaining rankings for lower-tier keywords. Your lower-tier keywords can still drive significant traffic and conversions while you work towards ranking for higher-competition terms. Additionally, continuous optimization of your content and website based on changes in search engine algorithms is vital to sustain or improve your rankings.
Optimize Your Keywords To Increase Website Discovery And Authoritativeness
When it comes down to it, keyword research is vital to the success of your website. Because targeting high-competition keywords can be challenging for smaller to mid-sized businesses, it’s essential to carefully assess the risks and benefits and have a strategic approach in place. Through comprehensive content creation, strategic backlink acquisition, and continuous optimization and refinement, you can gradually stack your way up to target higher competition terms and ultimately improve your website’s visibility and authority.
Contact us at Paradox Marketing to find out how we can help you develop a customized SEO strategy that drives long-term results for your business. Let’s work together to make your website stand out in the crowded online space.
