Keyword analysis is the basis of any successful web communication SEO strategy. The selected keywords are then intelligently used in the content so that the website starts to be indexed (and “ranked”) based on them.
What is a keyword research?
The work that needs to be done to compile a comprehensive list of keywords for which a given web content should be optimized for search engines.
Some notes on the keywords
Key phrases (or key expressions) are search terms consisting of several words. When we talk about keywords, we don’t just mean a single word. ‘Graphic design studio‘ is also a keyword, as is ‘logo designer in Sofia’. Since Google searches rarely consist of a single word, when we talk about keyword research, we mean research on search phrases and expressions.
Long tail keywords are more specific and descriptive phrases that meet niche search criteria. The longer and more specific the search criteria are, the easier it is for us to rank highly for them. In the context of Zen Studio, for example, it is difficult to compete for the first page for words such as “graphic design” or “logo design.” However, if we imagine more precise and niche concepts, it will be relatively easy to rank for “packaging design and production” or “logo design for an accounting firm.”
A keyword SEO strategy is a set of decisions and an action plan resulting from researching and identifying keywords for your business and targets.
Why is keyword research important?
Companies often have a corporate culture and vocabulary that describe products and services differently than customers would. There is no point in optimizing content for phrases that people are not searching for.
Proper keyword research is important to determine the actual set of search terms used by prospects.
This way, all efforts to optimize content and SEO copywriting will be heading in the right direction.
Keyword research workflow at Zen Studio
As with any other corporate communication development project, at Zen Studio we believe that the initial data should come from the customer. This is logical, as you know your business, competitors, and marketing goals best. We start with a short brief to get two main guidelines for the research:
- About your business – who you are, what your mission is, what sets you apart from your competitors, what the characteristics of your market and customers are.
- What are your customers looking for (in your opinion) – here you give us a list of your assumptions about the needs of your prospects. What words would they use in their search?
With this initial information, Zen Studio will begin its research using Google tools, third-party providers, and human verification and analysis of the results. In order to implement a successful SEO strategy, we try to determine what triggers the search. Does the customer want to be informed? Are they looking for commercial information? Are they looking for information in the context of a competing brand? The research ends with the longest possible list of keywords that match real searches. This list is discussed with the client and priorities are validated – usually a mix of short keywords and long-tail keywords.
These prioritized keywords form the basis of SEO optimization and content creation for the new website. They also define the long-term keyword strategy.
How does Zen Studio apply keyword research?
The practical application of keyword research results consists of establishing the structure of the website and the hierarchy of its content—cornerstone pages, landing pages, and supporting pages.
What are cornerstone pages? They are part of the main information structure of the site. These are the most important pages that cover the most voluminous keywords and accumulate the highest “authority.” They should be “ranked” for the most frequent and important keywords. Since the goal is to be visible, their content should be extensive, informative, and easy to read. Just like this page, they are designed for organic traffic from search engines through evergreen content that builds both authority and links over the years. The cornerstone pages are optimized for broad and high-volume (short-tail) key phrases.
Landing pages are designed for conversion. Their task is to get the user to perform a specific action here and now—to buy a product, sign up for a newsletter, or request an quote. They are usually isolated, often with menus removed to avoid distracting the user. There is only one path – to the call-to-action (CTA) button. They are most often intended for traffic from paid advertising (PPC), email campaigns, or social networks. Lending pages are optimized for highly specific and niche (long-tail) keywords.
What we call supporting pages in Zen Studio? These are pages for more specific terms related to the business, but they may not be visible in the main navigation. In the site structure, they are at a lower level than the main pages, with the aim of increasing the ranking of the main page and transferring authority to it through contextual links and tags. For example, if a cornerstone page is optimized for “car tires,” supporting pages may respond to searches for “winter car tires,” “summer car tires,” “how to choose tires,” “tire shop in Sofia,” etc., depending on keyword research.
Other keyword research applications
It should be noted that SEO optimization is a long process. Depending on the competition in the sector, reaching the top positions can take between 4 months and a year, and no one, not even a Google employee, can predict when and where the site will appear in the results. At Zen Studio, we know that applying best practices and techniques for quality SEO copywriting and optimization yields results. Although every client expects to hear “First place,” “In the top three,” or “First page,” it would be arrogant to commit to an exact prognosis.
This does not mean that business should stop while waiting for the results of our hard work. Paid advertising in AdWords and other digital channels is a way to be visible with the right keywords immediately. Therefore, checking keywords before setting up the ad is more than advisable. It allows us to optimize the cost of the campaign by setting more specific and therefore cheaper keywords.
Conclusion
Keyword research is the beginning of any long-term SEO strategy. It provides a long list of keywords, based on which we define priorities. The structure and topics of the website—cornerstone, landing and supporting pages—are decided based on this research. However, the most difficult part is yet to come – creating the content itself.
At Zen Studio, we provide a full service including keyword research, strategy and structure definition, SEO copywriting, web design, and website development in Bulgarian, French, and English.