Improve your rankings in the SERP by avoiding the 8 major keyword research mistakes
- Park Intelli Solutions
- Jun 12, 2021
- 3 min read
Every business wants to rank on the top in the google search results. The first step is to think about the keywords you want to rank for. Keyword research can be quite daunting. Here are a few keyword research mistakes businesses make. Rectifying these mistakes can help you set up a successful keyword strategy and help you rank high on the Search Engine Results Page.
The 8 keyword research mistakes
Not doing a keyword research
Doing keyword research is painstaking and consumes a lot of time. It is not just about stuffing the right keyword in the text but understanding what exactly the potential user is looking for. It is crucial and takes time to understand the language of the audience. What terms do they search for? What words do they use? The competition for the keywords. Your keyword research should answer all the above. Then develop your keyword research list and keep updating it regularly as your audience might change similar to how your business needs change.
What if you have the right keywords but the competition is high?
Few business niches have high competition and ranking in these niches can be quite difficult especially if your business is new or if you have just created a website for your business. If you are a newbie then go for long-tail keywords which are easier to rank and have higher chances of converting.
Say, if you own a salon start a blog about beauty tips. It will be hard to rank for the term beauty tips at the beginning. Find out which aspect of your blog is unique and try to rank for those keywords. Say the keyword “your daily beauty routine” is a good strategy, aim to rank for this keyword.
If you have been for a little longer in your area of business and if you are successfully ranking for long-tail keywords then you must aim to rank for head terms and that has to be your next keyword research strategy.
Not understanding the search intent
It is important to understand the kind of intent behind each keyword. Users can either look for a navigational intent, an informational intent, or a commercial intent. As search engines are updating their algorithms to give the users the exact answer for their query it is important to match your content with the searcher’s intent. No matter how well the page is designed or optimized, if the searcher’s intent doesn’t match with the content it won’t make it to the SERP.
Using keywords that users do not search for
The keywords you want to rank for should be the same words the users type in the search bar. Say, you own a boutique, and when marketing you refer to gala dresses. People usually search for gowns or evening dresses instead of gala dresses. Hence, you will not get traffic to your website for this search term. You can make use of google trends to understand if the maximum number of people are looking for a gown or an evening dress and optimize your site accordingly.
Long-tail keywords help you at the start but they simply don’t generate traffic but the chances to convert website visitors into prospects or returning users are high.
Focusing on exact keywords
Don’t limit your blogs to just one keyword, try including related search terms.
Not checking the singular or plural form of the word
Figure out what people are looking for. Are they car dealers or car dealer? For the word car dealer you can expect to see results for those dealing with cars however you can expect to find a video game as well for the keyword. Though Google recognizes both the singular or plural form of a word is the same, the results in the SERP are different from what the user is exactly looking for. Hence, understand the intent before using it.
Keyword cannibalization
Optimizing multiple pages in the website for the same keyword will not bring you success. This might affect your rankings as search engines will not know which page to show the users.
Failing to evaluate
If your aim is to rank for certain keywords, always keep an eye on them, evaluate them regularly. Google your keyword now and then using the incognito window. If you do not evaluate you will not know if you can aim for more competitive keywords.
Create a successful SEO strategy
Doing keyword research is time-consuming, it is important to take time and think about the terms your business can rank for and requires expertise to set up a successful keyword strategy. Park Intelli helps you reduce the pain of doing keyword research and helps you rank in the SERP. Reach out to us, talk to an expert to know more.
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