SEO is all about finding the right search terms to connect your website with potential customers – keywords are a big part of that. But with so many options, how do you choose which ones to target? And once you’ve picked your target keywords, how do you ensure your website ranks for them?
Choosing the right keywords is essential to achieving keyword rankings on the first page of Google. Do you go for high-volume, high-competition keywords or low-volume, low-competition keywords? What about long-tail keywords?
The answer, as with most things in SEO, is that it depends. In this article, we’ll look at some of the factors you need to consider when choosing your keywords, as well as some of the tools and techniques you can use to get your keywords on the first page of the Google search results.
Keyword Rankings and Search Engines
When it comes to ranking in search engines, keywords are still an essential part of the equation. But how do you choose the right keywords, and how do you get your keywords ranking on the first page of Google? Here’s what you need to know.
What are Keywords?
Keywords are the words or phrases people enter into search engines when looking for something. For example, if you were looking for information on starting a business, you might enter the keyword “how to start a business.”
You need to include different types of keywords in your SEO strategy to ensure the best results. These include:
- Target keywords: These are the main keywords you want to rank for and should be relevant to your business and what you offer.
- Long-tail keywords: These are longer, more specific keywords that are less competitive and easier to rank for. They usually include a location or other modifiers. For example, “how to start a business in Melbourne.”
- LSI keywords: These are related words or phrases that are often used together. Including them on your website helps search engines better understand your content.
Make sure you include all of the keywords mentioned above in your SEO campaigns to give your website the best chance at first-page rankings.
How to Choose the Right Keywords
There are a number of factors you’ll want to consider when choosing keywords for your website. Here are a few of the most important things to keep in mind:
- Relevance: The keywords you choose should be relevant to your business and your products or services.
- Search volume: The number of people searching for a particular keyword can give you an idea of the potential website traffic you can get from that keyword.
- Competition: Keywords with high competition will be more challenging to rank for. So you’ll want to choose keywords with a good balance of search volume and competition.
- Long-tail keywords: Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific keyword phrases. They tend to have lower search volume than shorter, more general keywords, but they can be easier to rank.
For example, a keyword like “marketing” would have high search volume but also high competition. A long-tail keyword like “inbound marketing services” would have lower search volume but also lower competition.
When it comes to choosing your keywords, there are three key factors you need to take into account:
- The intent of the searcher: What are they looking for? Informational? Transactional? Navigational?
- The competition: How many other websites are trying to rank for this keyword?
- Search volume: How many people are searching for this keyword each month?
Understand Search Intent
The intent of the searcher is perhaps the most critical factor to consider when choosing your keywords. Are they looking to buy something? Find out more about a particular topic? Navigate to a specific website?
Understanding keyword intent is key to making your way up the search engine results and improving your keyword ranking positions.
What is Keyword Intent?
There are four main types of keyword intent:
- Navigational
- Informational
- Transactional
- Commercial Investigation
Navigational Keywords:
Navigational keywords are those that people use to find a specific website – usually by typing in the website’s name (or URL) directly into the search bar. For example, “Facebook” or “YouTube.”
Informational Keywords:
Informational keywords are used when searchers are looking for information on a particular topic. For example, “How to bake a cake” or “What is the capital of France?”
Transactional Keywords:
Transactional keywords are those that people use when they’re looking to buy something. For example, “Buy shoes online” or “Book a hotel in New York.”
Commercial Investigation Keywords:
Finally, commercial investigation keywords are those that people use when comparing products or services before making a purchase. For example, “Best camera for vlogging” or “Cheap flights to Europe.”
Don’t Forget About Long-Tail Keywords!
Long-tail keywords are specific, usually longer phrases that are less competitive than more general, shorter keywords. For example, “Best Running Shoes for Women” is a long-tail keyword.
Keep Competition in Mind
Competition is also an essential factor to consider when choosing your keywords. You might want to avoid high-competition keywords if you’re just starting out. It can be difficult to rank for these terms, especially if you’re up against some well-established websites with high domain authority.
Consider Search Volume
Finally, you’ll also want to consider search volume when choosing your keywords. Search volume is the number of people searching for a particular keyword each month.
The higher the search volume, the more potential search traffic you can get from that keyword. However, high competition keywords tend to have high search volumes, so you’ll need to balance search volume with competition when choosing your keywords.
Now that you know some of the factors to consider when choosing your keywords, let’s take a look at some of the tools and techniques you can use to get your keywords on the first page of Google.
Free SEO Tools for Search Volume Analysis
There are a number of Free SEO Tools for search volume analysis available to help you research your keywords and understand their search volume. Here are a few of our favourites:
- Google Keyword Planner: This tool is designed for advertisers, but it can also be used to research keywords and understand their search volume. Simply create a free account and enter your keyword into the “Find new keywords” tool.
- Google Trends: This tool lets you see how popular a particular keyword is over time. You can use it to understand seasonality and trends for your keywords.
- Keyword Tool Dominator: This tool allows you to research keyword position and their search volume for free. Simply enter your keyword into the search bar and select your country and language.
Paid Tools for Search Volume Analysis
If you want more detailed data on keyword search volumes and keyword positions, you can also use a paid tool like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz. These tools offer a free trial, so you can try them out before committing to a subscription.
Tools for Identifying Top Performing Keywords
There are a number of different tools you can use to help you identify the right keywords and improve keyword rankings for your website. Some of the most popular options include:
There are many different paid and free tools you can use to research keywords, check keyword positions and track your keyword rankings. Here are a few of our favourites:
- Google Keyword Planner: This is a free tool from Google that allows you to research keywords and get estimated organic traffic for those keywords.
- Moz Keyword Explorer: This tool from Moz allows you to research keywords, see estimated search volume, and track your keyword rankings over time.
- SEMrush: This is a comprehensive SEO tool that includes keyword research features, as well as tools for competitor analysis, rank tracking, and more.
How to Get Your Chosen Keywords Ranking on Google
Once you’ve chosen the right keywords, you need to focus on getting your keywords ranking on the first page of Google. Here are a few tips to help you do that:
- Optimise your title tags and meta descriptions: Make sure your title tags and meta descriptions are keyword-rich and enticing.
- Improve your website’s content: Google looks for websites with high-quality, relevant content when determining keyword ranking. So make sure your website’s content is up to par.
- Build links to your website: Links are a major ranking factor for Google. The more high-quality links you have pointing to your website, the higher your website will rank.
- Use social media: Social signals are also thought to play a role in keyword ranking. So make sure you’re active on social media and sharing your content.
Following these tips can help you improve your Google keyword rankings and get more traffic from organic search.
How to Track Keyword Rankings
There are a number of different ways you can track keyword ranking. A keyword position checker helps you track progress and see how your keywords perform over time.
Here are a few of the most popular keyword rank checker methods:
- Google Search Console: Google Search Console is a keyword rank checker that allows you to see how your website performs in Google search results. Simply add your website to Google Search Console and click on “Search Traffic” and “Search Analytics.” From there, you can filter the results by keyword performance to see where your website is ranking.
- Google Sheets: You can also use Google Sheets to track keyword ranking. Simply create a spreadsheet and add a column for each keyword you want to track. Then, use the GoogleRank(keyword) function to track your keywords.
- Rank Tracker: Rank Tracker is a keyword rank checker tool that allows you to track keyword ranking across multiple search engines. Simply enter your keywords and website URL, and Rank Tracker will do the rest.
No matter which method you choose, using a keyword position checker will help you keep track of your Google keyword ranking and make sure your SEO efforts are paying off.
Take the Top Spot with Search Engine Optimization
One of the most important things you can do to improve your Google rankings is to conduct keyword research. This will help you identify which keywords will most likely bring traffic to your site. There are several great tools out there that can help with this, including Google Keyword Planner and semrush.com.
Once you’ve identified some high-performing keywords, optimising your site for those keywords is next. This means using those keywords in your titles, descriptions, and content. You can also use keyword-rich anchor text to link to your site.
Another great way to improve your Google rankings is to build links to your site. This can be done through guest blogging, directory submissions, and social media. The more high-quality links you point to your site, the higher your site will rank.
Finally, keep in mind that SEO is an ongoing process, and it’s essential to monitor your keyword rank and make adjustments as needed. Using the techniques we’ve outlined here, you can help improve your keyword rankings and start seeing your keyword ranking positions increase through the search engine results pages.
FAQs
What is a keyword rank checker?
A keyword rank checker is a tool that allows you to track your progress and see how your keywords are performing over time. There are a number of different ways you can track your keyword positions, including using Google Search Console or Google Sheets.
A keyword rank tracking tool such as Rank Tracker can also help you track your keyword rankings across multiple search engines.
How often should I check my keyword rankings?
It’s essential to monitor your keyword rank and make adjustments as needed regularly. You can use a keyword position checker tool for any given keyword or rank checker to help you keep track of your progress.
Can Google Analytics monitor rankings?
Yes, Google Analytics can help you track keyword rankings across the Google search engine. However, it’s important to remember that Google Analytics only tracks keywords clicked on from the search results pages. So, if your site is ranking for a keyword, but no one is clicking on it, you won’t be able to see that data in Google Analytics.
What is organic search visibility?
Organic search visibility is the percentage of clicks you receive from organic search engine results. The higher your organic search visibility, the more likely people will find your site when performing a search engine query.
You can improve your organic search visibility by optimising your site for high-performing keywords and building links to your site.
What are the most important organic ranking factors?
Several factors can influence your organic rankings, including your site’s content, title tags, meta description, and backlinks. The most important thing you can do to improve your organic ranking is to create high-quality content relevant to your keywords.
You should also ensure your title tags and meta descriptions are optimised for your target keywords. Building links to your site can also help improve your organic rankings.
What are search queries?
Search queries are the terms that people use when they perform a search. When you optimise your site for specific keywords, you’re telling Google that you want your site to appear in the search results for those particular keywords.
It’s important to choose the right keywords to optimise for, as these will be the terms people use when looking for the products or services you offer. You can use a keyword research tool to help you find the right keywords to target.
How does an SEO campaign differ from paid ads?
An SEO campaign is focused on optimising your site to improve your organic visibility and rankings in the search results. Paid ads, on the other hand, are advertisements you pay for that appear in the search results.
Both SEO and paid ads can be effective ways to drive traffic to your site. However, SEO can take longer to see results than paid ads.
How do I improve my Google ranking?
You can do several things to improve your Google ranking, including optimising your site for high-performing keywords, building links to your site, and creating quality content. You can also use Google Search Console to track your progress and ensure you’re on the right track.
Can page speed impact your average position?
Yes, page speed can impact your average position in the search results. If your site is slow to load, people are less likely to stick around and click through to your site. As a result, your organic click-through rate will suffer, leading to a lower average position.
Google’s algorithm also considers page speed when determining where to rank your site. So, if your site is slow, you will also see a lower ranking.
