How to Choose Right Keyword For SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

Before Starting SEO (Search Engine Optimization) of any website or  web property; It is necessary to choose the right keyword. Without the right keywords everything will go in vain. All your efforts will leave no results. You may have heard that there a numerous tools and online methods to choose keywords for your business website. But let's tell you the specific tools and methods because more information makes things messy most of the time.

What is a Keyword? As per Wikipedia; Keyword (Internet search), a word or phrase typically used by bloggers or online content creator to rank a web page on a particular topic. Index term, a term used as a keyword to documents in an information system such as a catalog or a search engine. Keyword advertising, a form of online advertising.

What is Long Tail Keyword? Long-Tail Keywords contribute towards 80% of search traffic.  These are keywords that consist more than one keyword or phrase. They have relatively low search traffic and competition; Thus easy to rank with SEO.

For Example:

There are two keywords "digital marketing service","service in delhi ncr"

We will create ling tail keyword "digital marketing service in delhi ncr"

So here are the two methods to determine the keyword or search term on which we want our business website to rank.

1. By Manual Search in Search Engine.
2. By Using Keyword Planner Tool.

Before searching keyword; you are also required to determine for what search engine you are going to search keyword for and rank for. As you will have to use methods based on that.

For case study; we will take below scenarios.

Search Engine: Google Search

Keyword: Digital Marketing Service

Let's talk about each one in detail below.

By Manual Search in Search Engine

The First Way to Determine Keyword is to Search the keyword in Search Engine and Use The Related Search terms.

Step wise Guide to Manual Keyword Research Method.

1. Go to the search engine homepage i.e https://www.google.com/
2. Type "Digital Marketing Service" in Search Bar.
3. A SERP (Search engine result page) will open in next window.
4. Scroll to the very bottom of the page and you will find Related Searches
5. Copy these keywords to a file.
6. Now search more with related queries such as "online marketing service";"internet marketing service".
7. You will get more related search terms based on these terms.
8. Copy All Keywords to File and Sort the relevant search terms (keywords) as per your business.
9. Now check out Keyword Competition and Searches in Keyword Planner Tool. (Will Tell You How To Use Keyword Planner Further)
   
10. Sort out Keywords which have low competition and more searches.
11. Use long tail keywords which are easier to rank on.

Your Excel Sheet Will Look Like This.

Now You have bunch of keywords to work on. Start Your On Page and Off Page SEO Based on these keywords.

By Using Keyword Planner Tool

This is the widely used keyword research method in professional SEO. Just like manual keyword research; you need to first decide which search engine you are going to target. Every search engine has it's own keyword research tool.

For Example;

Google Search Engine offers Keyword Planner Tool

Bing Search Engine offers Keyword Research Tool

Yandex Search Engine offers Wordstat Keyword Statistics

Here we are using Google Search Engine; therefore our choice will be Keyword Planner Tool by Google Adwords. For Keyword research in Keyword Planner Tool; Follow below listed steps.

(Note: You are required to have a Google Adwords Ad Account to use keyword Planner. Follow Steps in this tutorial to create ad account.)

1. First decide your base keyword; In our case we have "Digital Marketing Service" as keyword.
   
2. Now Search "Google Keyword Planner Tool" in Search Engine and Follow the link that appear on top of search engine or simply go to direct url: https://ads.google.com/intl/en_in/home/tools/keyword-planner/
3. Now Keyword Planner Tool Homepage will appear in next window.
4. Login with a Gmail Email Id Credentials with which there is Google Adwords Account or Create a new One.
   
5. Now You will enter Keyword Planner Panel if you followed above link. If you are in Adwords Account Dashboard. Go to "Tools and Settings >> Keyword Planner".
6. In This Panel; You will see Two options i.e. Discover New Keywords and Get Search Volume and Forecasts. Below that you will also see your previous searches for keywords.
7. Now remember that section of Manual keyword Search. You were required to find the competition and traffic of the keywords and search terms. You will use Get Search Volume and Forecasts option to check competition and traffic of keyword. Click on option and paste the list of keywords in the box and click proceed. In next window you will get complete data.
8. For searching new keywords; Click on Discover New Keywords option.
9. Enter you seed keyword in Keyword Field and Select the country for which you want to search Keywords. and Click on Get Results. You can also click on "Start With A Website" option but in this case it will give a bulk recommendations which you will need to sort out as per your business need. So I recommend using Seed keywords to generate ideas.
10. Now a new window will show you keyword ideas with traffic, monthly searches, impression share, CPC details of the keyword.
11. You can download complete keyword list along with statistics by clicking on Download Keyword ideas Button. You can sort keywords by clicking on Tabs such as Monthly traffic, competition, CPC and more. For SEO; You just need to bother with Traffic and Competition.
12. Now From Downloaded Keyword List; Sort out the relevant keywords based on high traffic and low competition. Create Long Tail Keywords for SEO by merging 2,3 Keywords as described in start of article.
13. Now you have complete Keyword List.
    

Search engine result page showing results for "Google Keyword Planner Tool"

Google Keyword Planner Homepage

Keyword Planner Tool Option in Adwords Panel

Google Keyword Planner Screen After Login

Search Form in Google Keyword Planner Tool

Search Results in Google Keyword Planner Tool

All other keyword research tool offered by search engine can be different in options and UI but all of them work on similar principles so just check out the other keyword tools also.

If you want to ask any question or want article on any topic just write in comment box. I will for sure reply to that.

Have a great day and enjoy reading other articles.