How To Do SEO Keyword Research Using The Right Tools

Keywords are SEO currency. But figuring out which ones are worth the most to your website – and the potential customers looking for you – can be a tricky task.

Keyword research has developed into an art, with shifting algorithms, changing trends, and evolving customer need making finding the right ones even more difficult. Keyword research tools are our little online helpers designed to make identifying the keywords that drive results a breeze.

We explore how keyword research has the need for a range of practical tools that help us to find the keywords that drive traffic, boost conversions, and send those search engine rankings to the top of the pile.

Keyword Research Methods

While keyword research used to be all about intensive manual effort and exhaustive analysis, today, we have numerous keyword research tools at our disposal that allow us to take advantage of tried and tested research methods that have been proven to work. 

This step-by-step research methodology allows us to figure out which keywords will work based on specific keyword categories.

# 1. Analysing the Market

Before you get stuck into running your research tools, it is vital to take a moment to look at your market. This includes forming an understanding of your market niches, their pains, and what words they’re likely to use when conducting an online search. There are Market-Defining & Competitor Keywords.

# 2. Establish Your Goals & Define your Audience 

This involves stating who your audience actually is and assigning a set of characteristics that would make up the “perfect customer.” Then, lay out your website’s goals, from growing conversions to creating awareness and increasing traffic, based on this definition of your client. There are customer-Defining Keywords.

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# 3. Break Down Your Market into Sub-Categories

Here, you’ll subdivide your market into smaller segments based on different search topics. This will allow you to hunt down keywords that are a little more specific and competitive later on. Doing so will also boost niche market traffic to your site. There are Product Keywords.

# 4. Seed Keywords

Next, you will go in search of those seed keywords – short search phrases of less than three words that relate to a specific search. Seed keywords are used to research the words that users are likely to use when looking for general information about something. It is here where real keyword research begins.

# 5. Use Reliable Keyword Research Tool

Once you’ve got a good idea of the keywords that will make it onto your keyword list, it’s time to start plugging them into keyword research tools. These will allow you to verify your keyword assumptions and ideas with actual results & data. 

This research process will allow you to develop a much better idea about your keywords before using a keyword research tool. 

Keyword Research Tools

We’ve picked out a couple of the most popular and effective keyword research tools for you to use in getting your website’s keyword SEO just right. While there are hundreds of free and paid tools available online, these are some of the best out there.

• Ahrefs Keyword Generator: Endless Search Data

This nifty tool is the most widely used among serious SEO creators. With the most extensive third-party search query database and unrivalled accuracy, Ahrefs will give you 150 keyword ideas along with a rating of each one’s effort requirement. Boasting geo-location insights and giving you info on how much work each keyword will require, you’ll be churning out the right keywords in no time!

• SEMrush: Competition Central

This popular keyword research tool is geared around using your competition’s keyword use and ranking to give you ideas as to how to outsmart them. It also allows you to reverse engineer what your biggest competitors are doing right, letting you see what you need to do to be better. It’s paid for, though and remembers – your competition can see everything keyword-related about you too.

• Ubersuggest: Taking the Work Out of Research

Easy to use and free, Ubersuggest is great if you don’t have the time to do extensive research beforehand. This helpful keyword research tool creates a massive list of keyword ideas that you can browse and pick from. Keyword suggestions are neatly categorised for you and will offer keywords for things you may not have thought of yet. 

• Google Keyword Planner: The Trend & Forecast Tool of Choice

The Google Keyword Planner taps into Google’s unrivalled power to provide real-time updates on the best keywords to use based on current trends and forecasts. While you must hold a Google Ads account to use it, this tool allows you to view critical historical search statistics as well as predicted clicks and estimated conversions.

• Keyword Tool Dominator: Cross-Platform Insights & Regional Rankings

A relatively new tool, Keyword Tool Dominator, offers keyword research results for data obtained from multiple platforms like Amazon, Google, YouTube and Bing. It also provides ranking results based on different locations for added insight.

While conducting research and figuring out which of those less competitive keywords infrequent use can be challenging, keyword research tools have taken the sting out of this critical SEO task. 

Think carefully about choosing your keywords before selecting a tool to use, and remember to pay attention to what your customers are likely to be searching for, not what you would.

Need all the ranking factors to get more views and subscribers on YouTube? Download the full guide below.