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SEO Keyword Research: 15 Biggest Mistakes You Should Avoid In 2023

SEO Keyword Research: 15 Biggest Mistakes You Should Avoid In 2023
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  • Topic : SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
  • Date : 9/12/2021 11:11:35 PM

You can't talk about SEO without considering keyword research. It's like eating a cheese pizza without the cheese.

Competition is fierce, with 92.42% of keywords getting only 10 monthly searches or less. That's why the true strategies no longer work.

If you have not upped your keyword research play, you could hold back your campaigns and your client’s money.

Let's take a look at the 15 keyword research mistakes you're making, and what to do instead.


1. Ignoring Search Intent

Too many people focus on search volume and forget why.
Why are people using a specific keyword?
What does that word tell you about looking for that person?
More importantly, what does ranking #1 mean for a position that doesn't actually lead to any sales?

Instead of focusing on how many people use a search query, focus on the intent of the search or the reason someone is searching.

User intent breaks down into two things:
  • Figuring out what visitors to your page want to consume.
  • Making your content the best choice for those users.

So, let's say you sell new Puma shoes.
It doesn't make sense to target [how to clean puma shoes] because those people probably aren't ready to buy; They want to take care of the shoes they already have.

Instead, you'll want to focus on [buy Puma shoes near me] because that finder is clearly ready to buy.

Granted, you can use [how to clean puma shoes] to build trust and capture those buyers later, but it has to be done intentionally.

2. Allowing customers to choose keywords

One of the biggest keyword research mistakes of all is failing to do keyword research. We all have that customer who wants to "help" you by telling them what keywords they want to target. Unfortunately, those terms are often too broad, don't match the intent of the search, or are too competitive to even bother with.

That customer list should be an opening point, not an endpoint.

Most business owners think they know what searchers are looking for, but keywords should be based on data, not vanity or gut sense.


3. Forgetting to look at the SERPs

There are so many powerful keyword research tools that make keyword research so easy. You can dig deeper into the data, view historical trends, even see what your competition is ranking for.

Many marketers contribute much time investigating tools that they skip to look at the one place that really matters - SERPs

Instead of targeting a single keyword, look for related words that support the keyword. For example, a post about keyword research should also target related terms such as keyword research tools.

Just keep in mind that it doesn't have to be coercive - just use relevant words that fit your content.


5. Targeting only high-volume keywords

What metrics do you look for when considering which keywords to target? If high-volume keywords are for you when it comes to finding the right keywords, you may be missing out on better options. Why? Because high-volume often disregards user intent, which we have already talked about.

Plus, high-volume words are highly competitive. It's hard to stand out when you follow the same important terms as everyone else. Don't forget to look for mid-volume keywords that suit the search intent,  they are simpler to rank for and cheaper to bid on.


6. Avoiding Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords often have low search volume, which turns some marketers away. This is a mistake you cannot tolerate in 2023.

Sometimes low search volume is a good thing. Low-volume keywords are usually further up in the sales funnel, meaning the user is very close to getting a purchase.

Using a variety of relevant keywords can also ensure that you cover a topic more comprehensively and are more likely to provide visitors with the content they need to convert.


7. Not Talking to Your Customers

Sometimes the words we use to talk about our product or service are not the same words that our customers use to talk about our product or the problems they are facing. In addition to using keyword research tools, it's important to talk (and listen) to what your customers say.

Pay attention to how they describe their challenges, the solutions they find, or the type of products they want.


8. Going Back to Insert Keywords

Some SEO marketers think that creating content for users means ignoring SEO to the end.
After all, can't you go back and add whatever keywords Google wants after the content is done? When I hear customers say this, it feels like I'm burning my mouth with hot coffee.

You wouldn't put taco seasoning in your tacos after you've cooked them, would you?

Likewise, you can't go back and "SEO" a post once the writing is complete. Instead, keyword research should be done before a topic is chosen, and words should be naturally added where it makes sense.


9. Don't know what channels your customers are searching for. 

When we talk about SEO, most of the time, we're talking about Google - and that's a problem.
Google isn't the only search engine out there.

And no, I'm not talking about Yahoo and Bing, I'm talking about other channels that people use as search engines like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter. 

Each platform has a different algorithm and different preferences that you need to pay attention to. Just because a word ranks well on Google doesn't mean it will perform well on YouTube or Twitter. Pay attention to what channel your users are searching for, not just what words they use.


10. Pushing Exact Match Keywords

How many times have you received a list from clients that included weird keywords like "SEO service company in Mumbai, India" or "SEO Agency Mumbai, India".

Stop cramming weird phrases into your content and ads. (Also, stop accepting your clients' keyword lists as gold.) Google is very apt about using exact match keywords.
They properly understand your terms with "in" or even multiple words in between parts of a keyword.

With the addition of natural language processing, Google keeps getting better and better at understanding context.


11. Ignoring Keyword Localization

Keyword localization, or word spacing, can affect your SEO efforts. Do not  pretend that people in different countries or different parts of the same country, use the same terms when searching for a product

For example, soda, pop, and coke all refer to carbonated drinks but are used in different parts of the country. This is another reason why it is so important to focus on actual SERPs.


12. Leaving topical research

Earlier, I mentioned that you should not focus on just one keyword.

Instead, you need to include a number of related keywords related to the original topic. The reason it works is that it establishes topical authority, or authority, on a broad idea rather than a single word. Topical research is the act of finding topics related to the main keyword goal.

For example, if you wanted to rank for SEO, you wouldn't just write a 3,000-word post about SEO,  you'd want to find out what people search for in other related topics like SEO tools, SEO mistakes, SEO Service, SEO company, and more.


13. Removing Your SERP Competitors

Hopefully, you know who your market competitors are - but do you know who your SERP competitors are?

Brands that rank above you for content may not be the same competitors that you compete with for real customers. For example, if you sell a specific air conditioner part, you can compete with other manufacturers and stores for customers but a handyman blog for key keywords.

Competitive research can also uncover other keywords you haven't considered, so it's important to make sure you check all of your competitors regularly.


14. Keyword Difficulty Passing

Most keyword research tools provide information about the difficulty of the keyword or how competitive a certain term is in the SERPs. I see a lot of marketers ignore this statistic to focus on search volume.

After all, if 40,000 people are searching for a word, some will end up on our site, right? If not then you can grab one of the top three positions in SERPs because it is very difficult for keywords to rank.

Sometimes the lower volume and shorter difficulty duration make it easier to rank, and ultimately more attractive. But keyword difficulty doesn't consider too many factors. If you have high traffic and rank well for similar terms, a highly competitive keyword may not be hard for you to rank for.


15. Ignoring Conversions

Let's say you're optimizing an e-commerce shoe site. Which word is going to drive the most traffic - tennis shoes or boots? This is a tricky question because the answer to neither can be very good.

Many customers (and some marketers) target broad keywords that are important in their industry but fail to realize that they will actually create more sales targeting keywords.


After all your effort, if you fail or even if you don't have time to implement yourself, no worry Volgum Technologies is the SEO Agency in Mumbai, India, you can simply visit www.volgum.com to know more!

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