5 Simple Secrets to Identifying Powerful SEO Keywords

March 27, 2017 |   9 minute read

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5 Simple Secrets to Identifying Powerful SEO Keywords

SEO keywords are the words and phrases in your website content that search engines use to determine the topic and credibility of your content.

SEO keywords are an important part of the attract stage of inbound marketing, because they help you get found faster by search engines, boost your search ranking, and turn your content into a user-friendly sales tool, all of which will help you stay competitive online.

Use these 5 Simple Secrets to Harness the Power of SEO Keywords on Your Company Website

1. Put People First

Your end goal is to connect with people, so begin with the people. This goes back to your target market. Identifying what problems and goals they have will give you a great idea of the types of searches they will perform. Break your target market into various buyer personas. Create a list of search terms for each, using language that the buyer persona would type into Google to find you.


Unfortunately, you can't see what words people used to come to your site anymore from Google searches, because Google has now encrypted search terms. However, when you type one of your ideas for search terms into Google, look at the auto-complete function. It shows what variations people have searched for.

2. Write Quality Content

With your target market personas in mind, write for the people. If you write quality content, to interest and inform, the words you use frequently which relate to your topic/product/service will become obvious. Once you read over your website copy or blog article, certain words will jump out at you. Brainstorm synonyms. Which words are the most accurate and best describe your business? Once you find the most accurate words, edit your text to incorporate those terms in the natural flow of your words. It should sound like a casual conversation, not like someone trying to read an electrical engineering textbook.

3. Be Specific and Relevant

Be as detailed as you can. Take those accurate words and really drill down. The more specific you can be, the more you increase your chance to successfully connect with your target market. The words and the subject also need to be relevant and provide value to ensure inbound marketing success. Saving time spent on useless searches is valuable. Buyers and investors know what they want. Show that you respect that. Use long tail keywords to attract users farther along in the buyer’s journey, such as “lightning rods and grounding wires for farming.” This search could attract a farmer who knows storm season is coming soon and wants to prevent a barn fire from harming his animals. This is a serious buyer who knows what he needs and is ready to make a purchase. Location-based keywords help you to be more specific as well. If you add a city or town to your search terms, you will start getting results specific to that area, such as a local farm store where he could buy what he needs.

4. Do Your Research

Research the SEO keywords being used by your competitors, other search engines, and other reputable sites. Which words are they using and how do these words evolve over time. Do these changes reflect industry trends? Talk to your customers. Are their needs changing? Is the language used to express those needs changing? If there has been a new industry development, trending topic or viral post, this can affect the keywords people search for.

Ask current clients what problems they have and what they would type into Google

Use free keyword research tools to regularly evaluate how you are doing. Ensure you have proper titles, reliable links and fresh, updated content. Keep up to date with SEO best practices for your headlines. Successful inbound marketing is an ongoing strategy. Schedule periodic checks in your appointment calendar to help you keep up to date or hire a  Tangible Words content specialist to help you navigate this process.

5. Consider Google’s Ranking Algorithm

Google and other search engines continually change their algorithms so that you can’t just stuff keywords into your content. Relevant, quality content is rewarded. Credibility is important too; not only with your target market, but with Google. Google sees the sites that link to yours like references and rates your content accordingly. Avoid duplicate content and stay informed on all changes to ensure your SEO keywords reflect the latest information.
Now you are ready to leverage SEO words to increase the power of your organization to attract, convert and retain members of your target market. With these 5 simple secrets, you can stay grounded when conducting inbound marketing and enjoy the explosion of success for your organization.

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