7 Advanced Keyword Research Strategies to Boost Your Traffic

Keyword research is an ongoing process and proper keyword research will help you keep your website relevant to changes in search engine algorithms and user behaviors. The SEO industry is evolving and so does the Keyword research strategies. Now if you are wondering what are the latest keyword research strategies or what strategies will dominate the SEO industry in the coming years then you should keep reading this article.

Impact of Keyword Research in Driving Website Traffic

Keyword research plays a crucial role in driving website traffic. Here are the key impacts of keyword research:

• Improved Search Engine Visibility: By identifying relevant and high-traffic keywords, you can optimize your website’s content, meta tags, headings, and other on-page elements. When search engines understand the relevance of your content to specific keywords, they are more likely to rank your website higher in search results, increasing its visibility to potential visitors.
• Targeted Organic Traffic: Effective keyword research helps you understand what users are searching for and the language they use. By optimizing your website for these keywords, you can attract targeted organic traffic from search engines. Targeted traffic is more likely to convert into leads or customers because it aligns with the intent of the user.
• Long-Term Sustainability: Well-researched keywords often have a lasting impact on website traffic. Once you have optimized your content and earned a higher ranking for specific keywords, your website can continue to receive traffic over time without requiring significant ongoing efforts.
• Higher Conversion Rates: Keyword research allows you to align your website’s content with the intent of your target audience. When users find content that directly addresses their needs and matches their search queries, they are more likely to engage with your website and convert into customers or subscribers. This leads to higher conversion rates and ultimately improves your business’s bottom line.
• Competitive Advantage: Analyzing keywords used by your competitors can provide valuable insights into their strategies. By identifying gaps and opportunities, you can optimize your content to rank higher for keywords that your competitors might have overlooked. This helps you gain a competitive advantage and attract traffic that might have otherwise gone to your competitors.
• Content Planning and Optimization: Keyword research helps you understand the topics and subtopics that are relevant to your target audience. It guides your content planning by highlighting the specific information users are seeking. By incorporating these keywords naturally into your content, you improve its relevance and appeal to both search engines and users.
• Enhanced User Experience: Keyword research can also lead to an improved user experience on your website. By understanding the language and intent of your target audience, you can create content that directly addresses their needs and provides value. This leads to higher engagement, longer time spent on your website, and lower bounce rates, all of which are positive signals for search engines.

Understanding Keyword Research Basics

Understanding the basics of keyword research is crucial for optimizing your website’s visibility and attracting relevant traffic. Here are the key elements of keyword research:

• Relevance: Choose keywords that are highly relevant to your website’s content, products, or services. Aligning your keywords with your target audience’s needs and search intent ensures that the traffic you attract is more likely to engage with your website.
• Search Volume: Analyze the search volume of keywords to understand their popularity and potential traffic. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Moz Keyword Explorer can provide estimates of monthly search volumes for specific keywords. Aim for a balance between high search volume and keyword competitiveness.
• Competition: Evaluate the competition for keywords within your industry or niche. Highly competitive keywords may be challenging to rank for, especially if you have a new or low-authority website. Consider targeting long-tail keywords or finding niche-specific keywords with lower competition to increase your chances of ranking higher.
• Keyword Variations: Explore different variations of your primary keywords to capture a broader range of search queries. This includes using synonyms, related terms, or alternative phrasing. Search engines are increasingly capable of understanding the context and intent behind search queries, so diversifying your keyword usage can be beneficial.
• Keyword Research Tools: Take advantage of keyword research tools to discover new keywords, analyze search volumes, assess competition, and gather insights. Some popular tools include Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, Moz Keyword Explorer, and Ubersuggest. These tools provide valuable data and metrics to inform your keyword strategy.
• Regular Evaluation and Adjustments: Keyword research is an ongoing process. Monitor your keyword performance, review search trends, and adapt your keyword strategy accordingly. Stay updated with industry changes, evolving user behavior, and emerging keywords to maintain your website’s visibility and attract relevant traffic.

7 Advanced Keyword Research Strategies

According to many experienced Digital Marketing and SEO Strategist, here are the 7 advanced keyword research strategies that you should follow in the coming months!

• User Intent Analysis
• Use of LSI Keywords
• Use of Long Tail Keywords
• Topic Clusters and Pillar Pages
• Use of User-generated Content and Q&A Platforms
• Target Keywords for Featured Snippets and SERP Features     
• Local SEO Keywords for Location-Based Traffic

1. User Intent Analysis

User intent analysis is the process of understanding and interpreting the underlying intentions and motivations of users when they perform a search query or interact with online content. It aims to determine what the user is trying to achieve or the specific information they are seeking. There are generally three types of user intent:

• Informational intent: Users are seeking information or answers to their questions. For example, “How to tie a tie” or “What is the capital of France?”
• Navigational intent: Users are looking for a specific website or resource. They already have a particular destination in mind. For example, searching for “Facebook login” or “Amazon website.”
• Transactional intent: Users are ready to make a purchase or engage in a specific transaction. They are looking for a product, service, or specific action. For example, “buy iPhone X” or “best laptop deals.”

User intent analysis plays a crucial role in keyword research by providing valuable insights into understanding what users are looking for when they perform a search query. It helps marketers and content creators identify and target keywords that align with the specific intent of users, resulting in several impactful benefits:

• Relevance: By understanding user intent, keyword research can focus on identifying keywords that are highly relevant to the content being created. This ensures that the content matches the user’s expectations and provides the information they are seeking. When the content aligns with user intent, it increases the chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) and attracting organic traffic.
• User Experience: User intent analysis helps in delivering a better user experience. When the content directly addresses the user’s intent, it reduces bounce rates and encourages users to stay longer on the website, engage with the content, and potentially convert. This positive user experience can lead to increased user satisfaction, repeat visits, and better overall website performance.
• Conversion Potential: User intent analysis can uncover transactional keywords that indicate users are ready to make a purchase or take a specific action. By targeting these keywords, businesses can optimize their content and landing pages to align with the user’s intent to convert. This can significantly impact the conversion rate and drive more qualified leads or sales.
• Competitor Analysis: Analyzing user intent can provide insights into the keywords and content strategies used by competitors. By understanding what keywords they are targeting and how they are meeting user intent, marketers can identify gaps, find new opportunities, and differentiate their own content to stand out in the competitive landscape.
• Long-tail Keywords: User intent analysis helps in identifying long-tail keywords, which are more specific and targeted phrases that align with user intent. Long-tail keywords often have lower search volume but higher conversion potential. By incorporating these keywords into content, marketers can capture highly interested and relevant traffic, resulting in higher conversion rates.

2. Use of LSI Keywords

LSI stands for Latent Semantic Indexing, which is a technique used in natural language processing (NLP) and information retrieval to analyze and understand the relationships between words and documents. LSI is based on the idea that words that are used in the same contexts tend to have similar meanings. It employs mathematical techniques, such as singular value decomposition (SVD), to create a mathematical representation of words and documents.

By using LSI, it becomes possible to uncover hidden semantic patterns in a large collection of documents. This can be helpful in various applications, such as information retrieval, document clustering, topic modeling, and question-answering systems. LSI has been widely used in search engines and text analysis tools to improve the accuracy and relevance of search results. Here’s an example to illustrate LSI keywords:

Topic: “Climate Change”

LSI Keywords:

• Global warming
• Greenhouse gases
• Carbon footprint
• Renewable energy
• Climate adaptation
• Sustainability
• Emissions reduction
• Climate policy
• Sea level rise
• Extreme weather events
• Fossil fuels
• Clean technology
• Deforestation
• Carbon capture
• Paris Agreement

In this example, the LSI keywords are related to various aspects of climate change. These keywords provide a broader understanding of the topic and help search engines identify the relevance and context of content related to digital marketing.

3. Use of Long Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are specific, longer, and more detailed keyword phrases that are typically used in search queries. Unlike broad or generic keywords, long-tail keywords are more specific and targeted, often consisting of three or more words. They are called “long-tail” because they represent the less frequently searched, but highly relevant and specific queries, which form the longer end of a distribution curve. Here are a few examples of long-tail keywords in different industries:

Niche: Fitness

• “Best running shoes for flat feet”
• “Low-impact cardio exercises for knee pain”
• “Keto diet meal plan for beginners”
• “Resistance band exercises for upper body strength”

Niche: Travel

• “Family-friendly resorts in Hawaii”
• “Budget backpacking tips for Southeast Asia”
• “Best hiking trails near Yellowstone National Park”
• “Luxury beachfront resorts in the Caribbean”

Niche: Technology

• “Gaming laptops under $1000”
• “Wireless earbuds with noise cancellation”
• “Beginner’s guide to coding in Python”
• “Comparison of DSLR cameras for wildlife photography”

Niche: Home Improvement

• “Tips for refinishing hardwood floors without sanding”
• “Best paint colors for small bedrooms”
• “How to install a smart thermostat”
• “DIY guide for building a backyard deck”

In each of these examples, the long-tail keywords are more specific and targeted compared to broader keywords. They cater to users with specific needs or interests, such as finding products within a certain price range, seeking solutions for particular problems, or looking for detailed guides or recommendations. These long-tail keywords help businesses or content creators attract a more focused audience, increase relevancy, and improve the chances of conversion.

4. Topic Clusters and Pillar Pages

Topic clusters are a content strategy approach that involves creating a group of interlinked articles or pages centered around a core topic or pillar. The cluster consists of a pillar page and multiple supporting content pieces that cover subtopics related to the pillar.

Pillar pages are comprehensive and authoritative pieces of content that serve as the main hub for a specific topic cluster. They provide a broad overview of the core topic and serve as a guide to related subtopics covered in the cluster. Let’s consider an example in the field of digital marketing to illustrate topic clusters and pillar pages:

Topic Cluster: Social Media Marketing

Pillar Page: Comprehensive Guide to Social Media Marketing

The pillar page would serve as a comprehensive guide to social media marketing, covering various aspects of the topic. It would provide an overview of social media marketing, its importance, and key strategies. The pillar page would also include a table of contents or navigation that directs users to the specific subtopics covered in the cluster.

Supporting Content Pieces within the Topic Cluster:

Subtopic: Facebook Advertising

• Article: Effective Facebook Ad Campaign Strategies
• Article: Targeting Options for Facebook Ads
• Article: Optimizing Ad Creative for Facebook

Subtopic: Instagram Marketing

• Article: Instagram Marketing Tips for Business Growth
• Article: Building an Engaged Instagram Community
• Article: Instagram Stories: Best Practices for Engagement

Subtopic: Social Media Analytics

• Article: Measuring Social Media ROI: Key Metrics to Track
• Article: Using Social Media Analytics Tools for Insights
• Article: Interpreting Social Media Data for Strategy Improvement

Each supporting content piece focuses on a specific subtopic related to social media marketing. These articles delve deeper into the respective subtopics, providing detailed insights, tips, and strategies. Importantly, each supporting piece links back to the pillar page, creating a cohesive network of interconnected content within the topic cluster.

This approach helps search engines understand the relationships between the pillar page and supporting content, signaling the depth and breadth of expertise on social media marketing. It also enhances user experience by offering comprehensive information while allowing users to navigate easily between the pillar page and relevant subtopics of interest.

By utilizing topic clusters and pillar pages, businesses can structure their content strategy effectively, establish their authority on specific topics, improve SEO rankings, and provide users with valuable and organized information on a given subject.

5. Use of User-generated Content and Q&A Platforms

User-generated content and Q&A platforms have a significant impact on keyword research by providing valuable insights into the language, questions, and concerns of real users. Here are some ways in which they influence keyword research:

• Real User Language: User-generated content, such as customer reviews, forum discussions, and social media comments, reflects the language and terminology used by actual users. This can help marketers identify the specific keywords and phrases users use when discussing products, services, or topics related to their industry. Incorporating these user-generated keywords in keyword research ensures that the content created aligns with the language of the target audience.
• Long-tail Keywords: Q&A platforms like Quora, Reddit, and Stack Exchange are rich sources of long-tail keywords. Users often ask detailed questions and seek specific solutions to their problems on these platforms. Monitoring and analyzing the questions and discussions on these platforms can reveal niche and specific long-tail keywords that are highly relevant to the target audience. Including these long-tail keywords in keyword research can uncover opportunities for content creation and targeting specific user needs.
• Topic Ideas and Content Gaps: User-generated content and Q&A platforms can provide inspiration for new content ideas. By analyzing the questions and discussions, marketers can identify common pain points, gaps in existing content, and areas where users seek more information. This information can guide the creation of new content that directly addresses user queries and fills content gaps, improving overall content strategy.
• Search Intent Analysis: User-generated content often reflects the search intent of users. By analyzing the questions and discussions, marketers can gain insights into the reasons behind user searches and the specific information they are seeking. Understanding the search intent helps in optimizing content to align with user needs, resulting in better search engine rankings and increased organic traffic.
• User Engagement and Feedback: User-generated content provides an avenue for users to engage directly with brands and provide feedback. By monitoring user discussions and feedback on social media, forums, and review sites, marketers can identify keywords or phrases that indicate user satisfaction or dissatisfaction with specific products or services. This feedback can be valuable in keyword research as it helps to understand user preferences, improve offerings, and optimize content based on user feedback.

6. Target Keywords for Featured Snippets and SERP Features

Targeting keywords for featured snippets and SERP (Search Engine Results Page) features requires a strategic approach to optimize content for enhanced visibility and capturing these coveted positions. Here are some key considerations:

• Identify Query-based Keywords: Focus on keywords that trigger query-based search intent. These are typically in the form of questions or informational queries, such as “how to,” “what is,” “best ways to,” etc. For example, “how to lose weight,” “what is artificial intelligence,” or “best ways to improve SEO.”
• Long-tail Keywords: Long-tail keywords often have a higher chance of triggering featured snippets and SERP features. These keywords are more specific and targeted, capturing users seeking detailed answers or specific information. Incorporate long-tail keywords into your content, such as “how to reduce belly fat in 2 weeks” or “best SEO practices for local businesses.”
• Content Relevance: Ensure your content directly answers the query related to the target keyword. Provide a comprehensive and concise answer that satisfies the user’s intent. Make sure the content is well-structured, easy to read, and properly formatted with subheadings, bullet points, and numbered lists.
• Optimize Meta Tags: Craft compelling meta titles and meta descriptions that reflect the target keyword and entice users to click. Consider adding a question format to the meta title, as it aligns with featured snippet queries. Meta descriptions should summarize the content and highlight its value.
• Use Structured Data Markup: Implement structured data markup, such as Schema.org, to provide additional context to search engines about the content on your page. This markup helps search engines understand the structure and meaning of the content, increasing the chances of appearing in featured snippets or other SERP features.
• Provide Concise Answers: When targeting featured snippets, aim to provide a clear and concise answer in a paragraph or a bulleted list format. Anticipate the specific information users are seeking and directly address it in your content. You can also use tables, charts, or step-by-step instructions to enhance the visibility of your content.
• Research Existing Featured Snippets: Analyze the current featured snippets for your target keywords. Understand the format, content, and structure of the existing featured snippets and aim to provide more comprehensive, well-structured, or unique answers to increase your chances of replacing or outranking them.

7. Local SEO Keywords for Location-Based Traffic

Local SEO keywords are essential for attracting location-based traffic to your website. Here are some strategies to identify and optimize local SEO keywords:

• Location-Specific Keywords: Include the name of your city, town, neighborhood, or region in your keywords. For example, if you run a coffee shop in New York City, target keywords like “coffee shop in NYC” or “best coffee shop near Times Square.”
• Long-Tail Keywords: Long-tail keywords are more specific and can be highly effective for local SEO. Combine location keywords with other descriptive terms to capture targeted traffic. For instance, “organic grocery store in Seattle” or “dog-friendly parks in San Francisco.”
• Google My Business: Set up and optimize your Google My Business listing. This platform allows you to add relevant keywords in your business description, services, and other sections. It helps your business appear in Google’s local pack and Google Maps.
• Local Directories: Submit your business information to local directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, TripAdvisor, and industry-specific directories. Ensure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) is consistent across all directories, and include relevant keywords in your business descriptions.
• Customer Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and Facebook. Reviews help improve your local SEO and can mention location-specific keywords naturally.
• Location-Specific Landing Pages: Create dedicated landing pages targeting specific locations or neighborhoods. Optimize these pages with local keywords, relevant content, and contact information. This strategy increases your visibility for location-based searches.
• Local Events and News: Incorporate keywords related to local events, festivals, or news stories happening in your area. This can attract traffic from users searching for information about those events. For example, if you run a hotel in Austin, Texas, you could target keywords like “hotel near SXSW” during the festival season.
• Mobile Optimization: Local searches often happen on mobile devices, so ensure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly. Mobile optimization improves the user experience, which is a ranking factor for local search results.
• Schema Markup: Implement schema markup on your website to provide search engines with specific information about your business, such as address, phone number, business hours, and customer reviews. Schema markup helps search engines understand your business better and can improve your local SEO.
• Monitor Local Search Trends: Keep an eye on local search trends, especially for seasonal or location-specific keywords. Adjust your strategy accordingly and optimize your content to align with trending keywords or topics.

The Closure

Implementing effective keyword research strategies helps improve search engine visibility, drive targeted organic traffic, increase conversion rates, gain a competitive advantage, enhance user experience, and ensure the long-term sustainability of your website traffic.

By applying these keyword research strategies, you can optimize your website’s content, increase its visibility in search results, and ultimately drive more relevant traffic that converts into leads or customers.