1. Advanced Search Engine Optimization
Keyword Research
Ron Pascal

2. What Is Keyword Research?
Finding keywords that help you rank against your competitors
Most important step in all of search engine optimization
Results of your SEO is largely based on how well you can perform keyword research

3. What Is Keyword Research?
Understand that you must look up keywords before writing any type of content, or even creating the website
Biggest mistake you can do is not looking up data for keywords, and randomly guessing which keywords you should use
Use Google Keyword Planner and tools like SEM Rush to find keyword information

4. Keywords Terms people search within to find a solution for an issue
Each keyword has a specific search volume every month
You can rank for as many keywords as you want
There are different types of keywords (buyer keywords, long tail keywords, etc)

5. Buyer Keywords
Keywords that directly relate to the purchase of your products or services
Directly result in conversions, and not just traffic
Focus on these types of keywords the most for conversions

6. Long Tail Keywords
Long termed searches that bring customers to your website
Usually based around problems or concerns
Great for long term strategy (adds up to hundreds or thousands of searches over time)
Primarily used for content marketing purposes

7. Keyword Ideas
Take from what the competition is already ranking for (Use SEM Rush)
After looking at the top 3-5 competition websites, create your own list of buyer and long tail keywords
Use Google Keyword Planner for additional keyword ideas

8. Keyword Difficulty Understanding keyword difficulty is a game changer
Don’t rely too much on Google Keyword Planner “difficulty” metric! Use your own judgment (see modules for On Page and Off Page)
Do not try to rank over websites such as government (.gov) or education (.edu)
Websites like Yelp or Amazon are fine to rank over. Focus more on direct competition

9. Competition
Look closely at traffic for the competition. Are they from buyer keywords?
Keyword Research involves looking at a competitors entire strategy for ranking
Do not ask “Can I beat them?” Ask, “How can I beat them?” (On Page, Off Page, Etc)
See other modules for the best understanding

10. Competition
More keywords can be added as you progress with your SEO (long tail content)
Buyer keywords and search volume bring in more business
Track keywords and progress through a keyword rank tracking tool

11. Action Steps Create a spreadsheet for your keyword list
Separate by buyer and long tail
Use Keyword Tracker For Tracking Your Progress