Keyword Analysis
Search engine optimization aims to rank at the top of search engines like Google for selected keywords. Therefore, the foundation for all SEO measures is created by the keyword analysis, which begins with keyword research. Such an analysis must be thorough and consider the intent behind the search terms.
What does a keyword analysis include?
First, when analyzing, the key terms must be researched that are relevant for the respective shop or page. There are also different combination possibilities such as "service + location" or "product + product feature or price feature". Especially in the initial phase of a website or online shop, it can be advantageous to optimize for keyword combinations. For keyword analysis, it is helpful to divide the website into sections - such as categories or individual services! It is also useful to research niche terms or consider typos. Ultimately, it is crucial that the target audience searches for these terms.
At the same time as keyword research, an evaluation of the keywords—a keyword analysis—must be carried out. The search terms must meet some criteria—for instance, the frequency of search inquiries (search volume) should be sufficiently high. This provides insight into the demand from internet users. A tool like the Google Keyword Planner or Mangools Keyword Finder can be helpful. Google Trends, on the other hand, is a tool that helps identify seasonal search inquiries and their search volume. If there is no demand, search engine optimization for this keyword will not be promising. Furthermore, it is important to scrutinize the competition, as every keyword is "contested" within the scope of search engine optimization. If the competition around a search term is very high, one needs to consider within a keyword analysis whether search engine optimization for this word is sensible—or whether an alternative might be more valuable for the project. For some terms, large providers already have a dominant position due to their brand name, making it very difficult to bypass them and take first place in the Google SERPs.
Alternative search terms can often deliver more qualified traffic than the desired search terms. Finally, it is important to assign priorities to the selected search terms based on their determined value.
Longtail Keywords: Consider the intention of key terms in the analysis
Multi-word search terms are referred to as longtails. These can also take the form of a question like "what vitamins does an apple have?". Longtail search terms usually have less search volume. However, these queries are more specific and cover a very particular interest in a search. Basically, it is essential to consider search intention in every keyword analysis and research. There are terms that aim more at an informational need and others that pursue an intention to act. Content creation is shaped according to the intention. Above all, searching by question is becoming increasingly important. It is therefore advisable to use an SEO tool to find the right questions and incorporate them into the content. A useful tool for questions is "Answer the Public", for example.
Additional significance is given to this principle for Mobile SEO and Local SEO. Google has been following a "Mobile First" approach for some time. Anyone creating a mobile website may need to conduct an additional analysis and consider how the search and the associated keywords differ.
Why is a keyword analysis or keyword research important at the beginning?
The selected keywords are allocated to the individual subpages and categories of a website in the next step of the keyword analysis. Moreover, they serve as a foundation for editorial plans and content design. They are also incorporated into the respective meta-tags, link texts, image captions, and the URL. Keywords therefore appear in almost every part of a website. To ensure that search engines consistently recognize a connection to a selected topic, the keywords from the keyword analysis should be assigned at the beginning and, if possible, not changed. Therefore, the keyword analysis and research should be very precise and thorough. A high search volume is not always automatically good. Adding additional keywords is always possible and also sensible, as a website grows over the years. Moreover, the intention in a search can indeed change over time. It is therefore important that a keyword analysis is carried out continuously. Especially if existing content falls in ranking or the visibility index simply does not want to increase, which can also be due to Google updates, it makes sense to use a tool like Sistrix to analyze search terms in comparison to the competition.