A keyword list is a critical element of a successful content marketing strategy. In addition to driving organic traffic to company websites and enhancing SEO, keywords provide a roadmap for content creation by identifying and communicating the topics that connect prospects and customers with an organization. When keywords are used correctly in website content, digital ads and other online marketing materials, marketers can increase brand visibility, boost website authority and showcase thought leadership.
Why Keywords Are Important to Content Development
At their core, keywords are the terms, ideas and topics that represent your company’s services, content and expertise. When it comes to websites and SEO, keywords represent the way users search for information online. A targeted keyword helps companies rank higher in search engines, getting their content in front of more people, ultimately resulting in more and better leads, higher conversion rates and an improved bottom line.
An effective keyword strategy involves more than “stuffing” content with the terms you think prospects are searching for. It involves research, planning, testing, careful analysis and ongoing fine-tuning. When used effectively, it builds a foundation for and a measure by which every piece of content should be evaluated.
5 Steps to Building and Maximizing Your Keyword List
Creating a keyword list involves more than jotting down every term related to your company, its products and services. It takes strategic consideration of what users are already searching for, the value your company provides and strategic placement to ensure both target audiences and search engines can find your expertise. Use these five steps to identify and maximize the benefits of your keywords:
1. Identify core keywords and associated terms.
When building a keyword list, start with the larger categories you already associate with your company: your services, products, expertise, mission, etc. Make a list of topics you already produce content about, subjects that come up in sales conversations and words you want to be associated with your company. Then, take those large umbrella topics and zero in on specifics to create associated keywords. For example, if your services include “supply chain management,” related terms might include “logistics,” “inventory management,” “vendor management” or “compliance.”
From there, develop long-tail keywords containing three or more words that are less competitive and can further specify your niche. The goal of this step is to prepare a foundation for your keyword list. At this point, there is no such thing as too many keywords. You can remove non-performing terms later.
2. Ask and answer: “Who is my target market and what are they searching for?”
Users turn to search engines to find answers to a question or solutions to a problem. When used effectively in marketing digital content, keywords can position your company as experts who can answer questions and provide solutions.
Use market research, evaluation of your competitors, discussions with sales teams and direct communication with prospects and clients to identify their top challenges. Then, covert those problems into keywords. For example, for a management consulting business, possible keywords could include “profitability,” “business strategy” or “employee turnover.”
Search the keywords identified in your first step and identify which questions users are asking related to those topics. Google’s autocomplete function is an excellent resource for this. Consider search engine suggestions and related search queries to hone in on prospect challenges.
3. Use keyword research tools to evaluate your current rankings.
There are multiple keyword research and SEO tools available to help uncover the most powerful search terms in your existing digital content. The tools can help discover vital keyword ideas based on data collected from searchers and other ranked websites. Determine which search queries are already connecting users to your content. Position those solutions at the forefront of your digital marketing efforts. Consider updating ranked content, or developing new resources related to the highest-ranking materials. Leverage data to identify new opportunities based on popular related searches by prospective customers. SEO and keyword research tools have different difficulty levels, data sets and costs, so it’s important to decide which will work best for your purposes. Consider keyword research tools such as:
4. Strategically position keywords to provide value for both users and search engines.
Keywords are central to the subject material discussed in marketing content but cramming keywords into your website or thought leadership can make content unreadable and confusing. Google prefers “natural” content that is original, customer-centric and value-driven. Whether an ad, blog, white paper, article, call-to-action or landing page, ensure you’re strategically incorporating words from your keyword list. Titles and headlines are important for attracting the attention of audiences, but also for search engine bots to evaluate and index. Additional places for keywords that impact search rankings include URL addresses, embedded keywords, backlinks, alt attributes of images, metatags and meta descriptions.
5. Leverage your keyword list for more opportunities.
Once your keyword list is established, strategically incorporate terms and related content throughout the organization. Identify which relevant topics require new, updated or related content. Consider areas of need that haven’t been covered yet. Share important search queries with sales and business development teams to help them connect meaningfully with qualified leads and provide relevant resources to prospects.
Lead with Value
Keywords can make a big impact in a larger content marketing strategy. Use research to align keywords with customer-centric and value-driven content and continually manage keyword lists that can be used across multiple levels of the organization. Be sure to evaluate your keyword list every few months to prioritize successful terms and remove those that aren’t performing. As you gain even more authority in the search engines, you can add more keywords to your lists to expand your digital reach and visibility. An effective keyword and content marketing strategy takes time and effort. If done right and with the customer in mind, it will pay off.
