What is keyword research?

keyword research is one of the most important steps in any search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. It's the process of finding and selecting words and phrases related to a website to help determine its rankings in search engine results pages (SERPs). Keywords are used to identify keywords that are likely to bring in more organic traffic and better rankings.

Identifying the most relevant keywords for your website is essential because those words will set the foundation for SEO success. They help search engines understand your content better, which ultimately can lead to higher rankings. On top of that, targeting specific keywords can also draw in highly targeted visitors with an intent to purchase or take a certain action.

To begin keyword research, start by creating a list of relevant terms related to your topic, product or service. Be sure to think about different variations and becoming as specific as possible with your terms and phrases. For example, if you offer web design services in the San Diego area, you would want to include phrases such as "web design services San Diego" or "San Diego web design" instead of focusing on more generic terms like "web design" or "web services". Once you have identified some relevant keyword ideas, head over to various keyword tools such as Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs Keywords Explorer which will provide additional insights into the actual searches being conducted by internet users.

When analyzing your results from these tools, look at monthly search volumes along with the amount of competition for each keyword. You should also consider whether those terms match up with user intent—do those users actually intend on purchasing something from you? Once you have evaluated potential keywords based on factors such as relevance and competition levels, you can use them throughout your website content and meta tags for optimal SEO performance.