The first step in your SEO strategy is to choose the keywords that you want to rank for. Keyword research can seem daunting. You may feel that way because you are making some of the most common mistakes.
We will discuss them in detail and help you to stop making them. Even if they are not yours, this article might help you to improve your keyword research.
Not doing keyword research
Many people don’t care or skip this step. So why is identifying keywords important for research? Although keyword research can be time-consuming and tedious, it is worth the effort. You will lose a lot of the potential of your text if you skip this step.
It is important to not only know what your audience wants and needs, but also how they look for it. It is also important to think about how they search for it.
Although you have the right keyword, there is plenty of competition.
There are certain fields or topics where the competition is overwhelming. You will understand what we mean if you are faced with such a situation. This is a difficult task. Large companies regularly publish about it.
It becomes more difficult if you’re just starting your business, or if it is already established.
Disregard search intent
This is another important step that people often forget or neglect to take into consideration. Keyword research is incomplete without understanding the search intent. It is important to imagine yourself as your audience and understand their search intent.
You might be searching for information or a product. The keywords and vocabulary that you use in your articles will vary depending on the situation.
Use keywords that no one is interested in
This error is similar to the one before. We discussed in the previous section: “With the keywords, you choose, if these keywords are used widely and if search engines know what your content is about”.
You might not be searched for by that keyword or someone else. The solution, in this case, is simple: take a second look at the search attempt and find the keyword that was used instead of the one you chose.
Uncertain whether to use singular or plural
Make sure you use the correct number for the keyword. This is to make sure it is plural or singular. If you are selling shoes, you need to know whether people have put the singular or plural model.
Google can recognize the same word singularly or plural, but the position of the results pages may change.
Use the same keyword on multiple pages
You are missing some potential if you optimize multiple pages to the same keyword also known as keyword cannibalization. But what is cannibalization in marketing?
In this instance, search engines will not be able to determine which page of your site to display when users search for it.
The good news is that this mistake can be corrected. It will take some time to decide which keywords you should use again.
Do not forget to evaluate
You must be able to rank well for certain terms if you want to do so. Although it is easy to say this, it’s important to look into possible bugs and fix them.
To see the rank for the keyword you selected, you can use an incognito session on Google.
Conclusion
Keyword research can be a tedious process. It is important to take the time necessary. It is not a good idea to rush it. You already know the mistakes to avoid. Keyword research is very rewarding and well worth the effort.