SEO Keyword Research: Why Your Website Needs It
You got a leaky tap. How do you find a plumber? You get out your phone and Google. What business do you call first? Probably one of the bad boys (or girls) at the top of the search results.
Do you ever wonder how those plumbers get to rank so high on Google? You’re now entering the world of SEO - Search Engine Optimisation.
What’s SEO?
SEO is the process of optimising your website to rank better on Google, e.g. get on the first page.
Unlike paid Google ads, SEO is about ranking higher organically.
SEO is a must for small to medium-sized businesses because:
The #1 driver of traffic to your site is Google search (51%)
81% of people perform some type of online research before making a large purchase
78% of local Google searches result in an in-store purchase
The top 3 search engine results get 70% of clicks.
So you see, getting your SEO sorted is important because visibility on Google affects your sales.
How to improve your SEO?
Unfortunately, SEO is not one of those marketing tasks you can just tick off the list. Much like your social media marketing, it’s an ongoing process. But a secure, mobile-friendly website with optimised content gives you a great head start.
SEO encompasses many factors including;
Mobile-friendly and secure website
Site speed
Relevant information
Optimised content inc. web copy, blogs
Internal and external links (Links to other pages on your website and external websites)
Domain authority (how long the site has been around)
What’s optimised content?
Google ranks websites by relevance. In other words, Google wants the most relevant content to come up first because this is the most helpful for the user.
How do make your website relevant? Make sure it has relevant information. Enter SEO copywriting.
SEO copywriting comprises of:
Engaging and audience-specific copywriting
Headings (H1, H2, H3)
Paragraphs
Meta Descriptions
Title Tags
Keywords
Keyword research’s role in optimised content
To help Google deem your website as relevant, you need to include keywords in your copy. How do we know what keywords to include? Research.
Keyword research is the process of finding out what keywords your target market is searching on Google. For example, if you’re searching for a marketing consultant in Perth, you’ll likely start with the keyword, "marketing consultant Perth". But there are many other keywords people use to find information. When you’re searching for the best keywords to you use in your copy, you keep these factors in mind;
How many people are searching for these terms (traffic)
What the competition is for this keyword (competition)
What is the user’s intent (Are they ready to buy? Do they want to find information?)
Once your copywriter or SEO keyword researcher finds the best keywords for you, they sprinkle them into your copy. But not obviously. We don’t want you to sound like a robot! Copywriters always write for your audience first.
The importance of SEO-friendly content
When you’re in the process of developing your website, you might focus a lot on its design rather than the actual content. This is a mistake. Great content is key to persuading your target market to choose you over your competitors.
SEO copywriting is also an essential piece of your SEO puzzle. Without optimised copy, your website will be lost in the sea of websites never to be found. And you obviously don’t want that!
The world of SEO can be a bit overwhelming. So if you have any questions, shoot us a message using the chat below. We’d love to help!