Earlier in the year, we published a guide on how to start SEO. We explained what keywords are, and how important they are if you want your website to appear in the search results. (If you’re not familiar with the basics of SEO, you might want to read that article first.)
Today, we’ll take a deeper dive into the wonderful world of keywords! This time around, we’ll focus on the practical side of keyword research. If you want to discover how to find keywords for SEO, then this article was written with you in mind.
Choosing the Best Keyword Tool
Throughout this guide, we’ll look at a couple of free keyword tools:
Google’s own keyword research tool can be used to find keywords for paid ads or organic search. And the best part is, it’s 100% free to use (you’ll just need to sign in with your Google account).
This keyword tool is ‘freemium’ – meaning it can be used for free by signing in with a Google account. You can unlock more keyword data if you sign up for a subscription, but that’s optional.
If you get serious about SEO, there are many other popular keyword tools. Most have a monthly subscription fee, so we’ll focus on the free options here!
How to Find Keywords Your Website is Ranking For
Before you start looking for new keywords, take a moment to explore how your website is performing right now. Ubersuggest makes it simple to check a website’s Google ranking for lots of keywords:
- First, enter your domain name (website address) in the search box.
- Next, scroll down until you reach the section called ‘SEO Keywords’.
- The table will show your ranking position and the volume of searches for each keyword. There’s also a handy estimate of how many visitors you’re getting each month from that search term.
Finding Keywords for Your Site
You can use Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to find new keywords to target. Here’s how to choose keywords for SEO:
- Start by thinking about the kind of keywords you actually want to rank for. (Targeting the wrong keywords isn’t just a waste of time – it could also confuse visitors to your website.)
- Once you have some basic ideas, enter simple search terms into Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest.
- Both tools will offer suggestions. These should help you find keywords related to your search.
- Choose some short keywords to target. (These are sometimes called ‘head’ keywords. They usually have a high number of monthly searches.)
- You should also try to find longtail keywords. These are longer phrases or questions that include 3+ words. They usually have lower search volumes, but can be easier to rank for.
How Do I Find My SEO Keyword Competitors?
It’s worth looking at how competitive keywords are before you try to target them. Type a keyword into Google and look at which websites rank well in the search results. Are they large websites with high visitor numbers, or small, local websites?
If you see a competitor ranking well for keywords you want to target, it could be worth looking at their website for inspiration. You could even enter their domain name into Ubersuggest to find keywords they’re ranking for.
Finding New Trending Keywords
So far, we’ve looked at the basics of how to choose keywords for SEO. But some keywords go in and out of fashion.
Targeting a search term that’s becoming more popular is a great way to increase website traffic well into the future. Here’s how to find trending keywords:
- Keep in mind that internet users value up-to-date information, and sometimes end their searches with a year. (For example, ‘top keywords 2020’.)
- Stay alert to new products and trends in your niche. Keep an eye open for big advertising campaigns by manufacturers or competitors. These can influence people’s searches.
- Remember that some products or services are more popular at certain times of the year. Search volumes can vary with the seasons, or in the run-up to big events like Christmas or Eid.
- Once you’ve found some trending keywords, you can start creating blog posts or website content. Alternatively, you may be able to update your current content, adding keywords as you go.
Now you know how to find trending keywords, you’re well placed to get ahead of the curve and start boosting your search traffic!
Learn More
For more tips, tricks and advice, why not explore these articles:
- The experts at Hubspot have written a great beginner’s guide on how to do keyword research for SEO.
- There’s also a detailed guide over on WordStream.
Good luck!
