Unlocking the Power of Keyword Research

Introduction

Welcome to part 3 of our Ultimate SEO Checklist series, our latest blog post about the importance of keyword research in Search Engine Optimization (SEO). One critical aspect of effective keyword research is understanding the difference between short-tail and long-tail keywords. These two types of keywords can have a significant impact on your website's ranking on search engines like Google.

So, let's dive in and discover how these keywords can help you rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

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Our Series:

• Part 1 The Basics checklist
• Part 2 Technical SEO checklist
• Part 3 Keyword Research checklist
• Part 4 Content creation checklist
• [COMING SOON] Part 5 On-page optimization checklist

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Definitions

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Short tail keyword

Short tail keywords SEO refers to using short and commonly searched phrases as keywords in your website content, with the aim of ranking higher in search engine results pages. These keywords typically have a higher search volume, but also higher competition.

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Longtail

Longtail keywords SEO, on the other hand, involves using longer, more specific and niche phrases as keywords in your website content. While these keywords may have a lower search volume, they also have lower competition and can attract more targeted traffic to your site.

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Keyword Research Checklist

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1. Find the keywords to target

Optimizing your website for specific keywords will help you rank high on Google. Each page you build should target a primary keyword that you want to rank for.

The best way to choose a keyword is to analyze what is the most popular way of searching for the topic. Let(s say you are eCommerce selling E-bikes. There are different ways people could search for your store

• E-bike online shop
• Where to order E-bike
• High-performance E-bikes

E-bike is thus a main and short tail keyword. All words around e-bike plus e-bike form longtail keywords.

To find the best keywords use tools such as:

• Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer
• Ubersuggest keyword tool
• Semrush

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2. Analyze the competition

One of the best ways to find the best keywords is to analyze your competition. Learn whatkeywords they rank for and which bring the most traffic. To find out what works best for your competition use the same tools mentioned above.

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3. Analyze search intent

Your content must align with search intent to rank high in Google. Search intent is one of the most important ranking factors and a crucial part of a successful SEO strategy.

Search intent is the “why” behind every query. Do the users want to learn something? Are they looking to purchase a product or service? Is the reason behind their search intent something else?

Recommended read: Search intent Ultimate Guide for Beginners