SEO Keyword Research and Mapping: Step-By-Step Guide
Goal: Finding high-volume keywords that are easy to target (i.e. there aren’t many other websites that target them too) and which suit your website’s niche, grouping them according to search intent and demand, as well as creating an incipient sitemap based on the aforementioned keyword groups.
Ideal Outcome: Creating a comprehensive keyword strategy your SEO specialist(s) and content marketer(s) will be able to use in the months to come.
Pre-requisites or requirements: N/A
Why this is important: Although definitely not the only element that ensures excellent Search Engine Optimization, keyword research is by far the most important SEO task. A great keyword strategy can give you a competitive advantage against large players in the market, determine what to work on next, who to hire, and how much to invest. You can use your keyword strategy to inform the structure of your site and even define your content marketing calendar.
Where this is done: In your browser, in a keyword research tool, as well as in a spreadsheet that will help you organize all the keywords you find.
When this is done:
- Before you (re)create your website.
- It should also be done recurrently, at least once a year, to refresh your website’s SEO.
- Before rolling out your SEO or content marketing strategy.
Who does this: The SEO Specialist or a V/A you’ve trained to help you with keyword research and mapping - but if you haven’t hired either one (or an agency to handle your digital marketing), you’re on your own :)
The last SEO Keyword template you'll ever need. This guide takes a systematic approach to conducting keyword research for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes, as well as how to map out those keywords to optimize content for search engines. The guide might include step-by-step instructions on how to: Define target keywords and understand their importance in SEO. Identify keyword opportunities using tools like Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush. Analyze keyword competition and search volume to prioritize keyword targets. Map out keywords to specific pages or content types on a website. Optimize website content for target keywords by incorporating them into meta tags, headlines, and body copy. Monitor and adjust keyword strategy over time based on search engine rankings and user behavior.