Keywords are the foundation of search engine optimization. When you plan to optimize your website, you need to ask yourself a few questions about keywords.

  • Are my keywords targeting what people are searching for?
  • Will the user find my website when they use a particular keyword?

If you can’t answer these simple questions, it only means your SEO lacks keyword research. Finding relevant keywords can be a daunting task. To make sure you find the right keywords, ensure to avoid these mistakes when performing research on the right keywords for SEO. 

Ignoring Search Intent 

Search intent is an essential part of the research. You need to have a clear idea of what search intent the user has behind the target keyword. People might be looking for a particular website, seeking information on a subject, or looking to buy products. 

Search engines aim to give an exact answer to the user. If the keyword and the content are not in line with each other, the search engine may never show your website on the search results page. 

Not Looking at Actual SERPs

Many people don’t look at the ranking of the keywords. Many times a user performs a search, and Google considers the user is looking for a product page. 

The search engine may not display your page because the search intent does not match the particular keyword according to the search engine. Hence, you need to spend time looking at the actual SERPs to gain a clear understanding of the way search engines match search intent. 

Limiting Your SEO Vision to Past Volume Metrics

Many times the keyword research is targeted to include high search volume keywords. Perhaps, it’s time to think about what is best for your business. Instead of going after high-volume keywords, you need to research what’s reasonable for your site. What types of queries your target audience will use when searching for a solution you offer. Don’t make the mistake of focusing on volume alone; pay attention to other factors too. 

Ignoring Long-Tail Keywords

When you focus solely on volume, you make another mistake of dismissing long-tail keywords with low search volume. Long-tail keywords are essential for SEO. They represent a lower stage of the sales funnel. In simple words, people using long-tail keywords are closer to buying. 

Using long-tail keywords means less competition. When you target long-tail keywords and the content matches the user’s search intent, they are more likely to consider you an expert or influencer in your niche. They are more likely to come back to your website to make purchases. 

Not Talking to Real People

Looking at the SERPs and using SEO tools is not enough. You also need to talk to real people to understand the customer journey. You can talk to people to frontline people in your industry and learn from their experiences. 

Find out what language they used to interact with customers, what issues they were facing, and what customer questions can be answered through the website content. 

Ignoring Keyword Localisation 

Do you know 85% of users use the search engine to find local businesses? Local SEO is an important part of the overall SEO strategy. Not paying attention to queries on localization, a difference of terms will lead to missed business opportunities. 

Keyword localization refers to translating your content for local audiences.  You need to perform keyword localization research for every region in Australia to stay ahead of the competition.

Not Checking Whether You Can Use Singular or Plural Form of Keyword 

Always check whether you need to target the singular or plural form of a particular keyword. For example, should you aim for ‘ballet shoes’ or ‘ballet shoes’? Find how your target audience searches for products. 

While search engines consider singular and plural keywords the same, the search results are often different. This is mainly due to what users are precisely looking for. It will help if you think of search intent behind keywords. In some cases, users use a singular keyword form when searching for products and a plural keyword form when comparing products. 

Not Evaluating Keyword Difficulty 

Keyword difficulty is an important metric that tells how difficult it would be to rank for a particular keyword.  If you are a new brand entering the market, it might be hard to rank for popular keywords in the niche since Google does not consider your website as an authority in your niche. 

Keyword research is a time-consuming process but a necessary one. You must spend time to think and research the terms you want to rank for, over time. The practical tips given in the post keep your research in the right direction and ensure you do not commit common SEO mistakes that can cost you dearly.