Killer Keyword Research5 Tips and ToolsJimmy McCann – Head of SEO @ Search Laboratory

#1 – Know the Market

• How does offering compare?– Ask yourself.. will it convert?• Range• Pricing• USP’s

Source - http://lukachtaengleman.blogspot.co.uk

#1 – Know the Market

• Use right terminology on your site

• B2B– Avoid in house jargon– Sector specific navigation

• Ecommerce

Reflect what users search for!

#1 – Know the Market

• Seasonality

• Adapt focus / strategy– Ahead of peaks

Use your Loaf

• Be logical

• Assess keyword potential– i) Search volume– ii) Search intention– iii) Relevance / ability to convert

img source flickr - betterbrandagency

#2 –

#2 – Use your Loaf

• Use wordtracker / Adwords KW tool– Adwords not 100% accurate

• Especially on low volumes

• However– Good barometer for prioritisation

i) Search Volume

#2 – Use your Loaf

• What does a user want to find from their query?– Think about it

• Head terms– Offer large amounts traffic– Not all traffic is 100% relevant

ii) Search Intention

#2 – Use your Loaf

• Not specified, could be a host of things eg– How does solar energy produce electricity?

– What is solar energy?

– I want to find out more about solar energy because I’m thinking about getting some solar panels for my house

ii) Search Intention

#2 – Use your Loaf

• Very specific to the service site

offers– Conversion rate higher

• Less difficult to rank for this term– Than ‘solar energy’

ii) Search Intention

That’s what we do!!!

#2 – Use your Loaf

• Is keyword relevant to company’s products /

services?– Are they competitive in this area?

iii) Relevance

We are solar panel

installers!

I need a solar panel

installer!search - ‘solar panel installers’

User Company

#3 - • PPC data to test the water

– Especially in emerging / ultra niche markets

• Conversion rate data key

• Exact match data only img source – Leftcoastcowboys.com

#3 - • Can be used to find actual search volumes

• Setup campaign– Handful exact match keywords only– Put exact negatives on other campaigns

• Make sure 100% impression share

Accuracy!

#4 – SERP’s• What does Google think is suitable?

• Helps assess intention

• Categorise competing listings– Direct competitors– Research– Blended results

• ‘solar energy’ SERP

#4 – SERP’s

Research

Research

Research

#4 – SERP’s Research

Competitor

News

Images

#4 – SERP’s Research

Research

Research

Research

#5 – • Organic traffic / conversions– Not from page one

• Identifies easy keyword wins– Traffic / conversions coming via

page 2

Credit - http://www.distilled.net/blog/seo/tracking-referrals-from-second-page-of-google-in-google-analytics/

Key Tips – Show ROI

• Show return early in campaign– Logical approach from ground up

Key Tips – Be Realistic

• Don’t aim above your station– …(just yet)

Key Tips – Long Tail!

• Long tail keywords first– Easier to optimise– Will convert better– Allows reinvestment into campaign /

less risk

• Build up to head terms– Naturally over time

Summary• #1 – Know the Market

• #2 – Use your Loaf

• #3 – Test using PPC

• #4 – Analyse SERP’s

• #5 – Refine using analytics

Any Questions?:www.searchlaboratory.com

jimmy@searchlaboratory.com

@jimmymccann / @searchlabs

/in/jimmymccann1982JIMMY MCCANN

Head of SEO