How to analyze a search query and choose a target SEO keyword
If you’re unfamiliar with SEO, you might think that the keyword “sustainability” is a good keyword for sustainable businesses. In fact, it would be extremely difficult to target the word “sustainability” alone. Even if you do, it won’t necessarily bring you the audience you hope to reach. This is because “sustainability” is a very broad term.
This is why I want to share how to analyze search queries, which are the words or phrases people type into the search bar. Targeting a search query is not the same as assigning a topic to your page. It’s far from it.
Analyzing search queries
It helps to first consider why people type queries into search in the first place. This is called “search intent.”
When people search, they do so for a wide variety of reasons. No matter what, they come with a set of expectations about what they hope to find. They are often looking for something very specific.
Choosing broad and general keywords won’t help you satisfy searcher’s needs with the information, product or service you include on your web page. This is because it’s difficult to interpret the search intent from a broad keyword.
The main search query categories
The types of search queries people type into Google search breaks down into the following categories:
Navigational -- the searcher is searching for a particular site, like New York Times or Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. If you’re trying to rank for the term “Ben and Jerry’s ice cream,” you might find it difficult because most people will just click on the site they’re looking for, rather than your page or blog post. These are considered branded keywords.
Transactional -- they’re looking for a specific product to buy.
Informational -- they have a question and they want to use Google search to define a term, understand a thing or answer a question.
Usually the keywords people use in informational queries are phrased as questions, i.e., How can you boost your immune system?
Informational content can also inform people’s buying decisions with content like reviews and product overviews and product comparisons.
As a blog content writer, I’m usually trying to select keywords that target informational content. Some of the most common searches within the informational content category include definitions, how to do something, and comparisons to consider a product.
In short, searchers often want to know what something is, learn new strategies or techniques, or evaluate different things in relation to one another to inform their decisions.
Finding suitable keywords and matching your content to it involves understanding searcher’s expectations and then delivering the best content to match it.
How to select a target target keyword for a web page
When you research and choose target keywords, you’ll need a keyword research tool to learn the search volume and other data for a particular search query. My recommended keyword research tool is Ahrefs, which is somewhat expensive. However, it provides high-quality, reliable keyword data, which is why I use it for my client work.
First, I type in keywords that I suspect might be useful for attracting the right reader to a topic that I’d like to cover in my blog post. When I analyze keywords, I'm not necessarily looking for ones which are "most" popular, but which are:
relatively popular
not too competitive (targeted by too many other companies)
have a high cost per click
trending, but not just for a short period of time
Finding a balance of these elements is my aim.
Why long-tail keywords help you analyze search intent
And to go further, I look for keyword search intent. Some keywords check all of the above boxes, but when you analyze the content that comes up in search results, it is a meme or something irrelevant to the desired outcome.
Going back to our original example, "Sustainability" itself isn't a useful SEO keyword. What exactly someone would be searching for if they just type in "sustainability"? We have no idea. It is too broad to use as a target keyword.
My guess is searchers who type in “sustainability” into search are probably be looking for a dictionary definition of the word. In contrast, useful keywords from a search intent perspective are usually "long tail." This means they are more specific.
To give an example of a long-tail keyword, something like "GRI vs SASB" is a potentially useful keyword, because we can understand the searcher intent.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with the acronyms “GRI” and “SASB,” they represent two standards for companies which report their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance for customers, investors, and other stakeholders.
We can already tell from the search query “GRI vs SASB" that the searcher is familiar with the terminology of the sustainability industry. They are probably in the process of choosing between these two reporting standards. For a sustainability consultant, this would be an excellent keyword to target, because they could use their expertise to draft a very informative blog post comparing the two. It would be both helpful to their readers and highlight their expertise.
Keywords research analyzes more than just words
I hope this explanation helps you see that keyword research is not just quickly glancing at the search volume numbers, but also analyzing the competition (keyword difficulty), value (cost per click), searcher intent, and trends. It is also analyzing the fit between a keyword and a brand’s goals and target audience.
Going further, as I select keywords, I'm also thinking about how to take advantage of keyword clusters, so I'm sculpting each article out of a group of opportunity keywords that work well together. Then, when I actually write the article, I make sure I understand what content already ranks for that keyword as a basis for what's going to work well, and I aim to create something better.
I view blog topic selection from a holistic business and marketing perspective tailored to individual brands, and it's where the real value of my services starts (writing is just one piece of the puzzle).
This is why I’ve created helpful business blogging packages for sustainable brands. They help brands strategically and effectively target their audience and expand their reach to target a wide variety of search queries in their industry.
SEO Content Blogging Packages: An Overview
Within my SEO content blogging packages, I start with keyword research and competitor research.
I start with keyword research and competitor research. This helps me identify:
trends that might positively or negatively influence your blog posts’ ability to rank in Google search,
target SEO keywords which are most relevant for your brand audience based on its pain points and goals, and
the strengths and weaknesses, including content gaps, of your competitors.
Next, I develop a 3-month content calendar around the target SEO keywords identified in step one. This involves planning the content type (listicle, case study, explainer, etc.) as well as the angle or hook that makes it interesting or timely, and secondary target keywords for the post.
I then draft and publish the posts using SEO writing tactics on a consistent (usually weekly) schedule, and
I track and monitor progress monthly to identify opportunities for further improvement to your blog posts or types of posts that are popular and then planning to repeat their success.
I've developed this approach, because the key points to having a successful blogging strategy are:
Consistent content publishing for continual development of your traffic, because search engines prioritize fresh content in ranking,
Relevant blog posts for your audience on adjacent topics to your services that draw organic traffic for the long-term (unlike social media, which expires immediately), and
Successful SEO writing. Keep in mind that I've consistently helped brands rank and identify customers directly in their niche. And I've also attracted relevant customers this way for my own business.
In my work, I view the core of SEO as developing a rich set of pages through your blog to establish your site and position as a thought leader in a particular domain. This is why I specialize in a particular industry: sustainability.
However, ranking for SEO requires a detailed strategy, because there is a lot of competition online. Using my SEO strategy, I helped a B2C client grow their organic traffic from 3.9K at the start of 2019 to 11.3K at the start of 2020. Traffic in a B2B industry is going to be lower, but it could also grow at a similar rate using a strong SEO strategy. That said, I feel that more important than growth is accurate targeting.
Contact me to learn more about my blogging packages.