Google is a word chewing beast. It eats keywords and delivers what it thinks are the best results to address the searcher’s needs. You need to know the keywords people are using to search for your organization so you can rank on the first page of Google. They are also useful in updating your website’s content and creating marketing messaging. Here are 6 ways you can find quality keywords today for free.
Google Search
That’s right! Go straight to the source. Searching keywords you think people are using to find your website. This will provide autocomplete suggestions which will give you a good idea of what people are already searching. You can also take a few keywords from autocomplete and look at the bottom of the search results page to find even more suggestions. Do this and you’ll have 10-20 keywords for FREE!
Google Keyword Planner
The Google Keyword Planner tool is a FREE keyword research tool that is simpler to use than you might think. Just login to Google AdWords (free) with your Gmail and go to the Keyword Planner tool. Put in your keywords, hit “Get Ideas” and be amazed at the 100’s of recommendations. What’s more, you’ll see how often the keywords are searched per month and how much it would cost to run ads on Google using them. Pretty awesome huh?
Google Search Console
Tell Google your website exists and allow it to collect juicy data with Google Search Console. First, verify ownership of your website. Now, just go to Search Traffic>Search Analytics. Hello sweet sweet keywords! Connect Search Console with your Google Analytics and you will be swimming in free keyword data.
Google Analytics
You will need to apply a small HTML code to your website for this, but once Google Analytics is up-and-running on your site you will thank us for this one. Analytics provides a king’s fortune of information and data about your website. You can use it make a great content and marketing strategy, impress your board members with insights, and educate colleagues in ways they may have never seen before.
Now to find keywords. Sign in to Analytics and go to Acquisition>Search Console>Queries. Connect your Google Search Console and after a few weeks check back. Boom! Now you can see keywords people are searching to get to your site plus your performance analytics all in one place.
Competitors
There’s no shame in taking a look at what keywords your competitors are using, especially if they are above you in search results. Check out their website’s content for repetitive keywords. Search Google for those keywords and see if any ads pop up at the top. Now, see what kind of keywords are in the title and description of the search results. Don’t feel bad, it’s called being competitive!
Your Customers
Your ears are your most powerful keyword research tool and best of all, they are free. No one knows the terminology of your industry better than you and your customers. Ask them how they found you on Google. Listen to their issues and pain points and pick out the keywords they most likely are using when they are in search mode online.
Let us take a look at your keywords and help develop an awesome implementation strategy for your website and marketing. Call us, we’re certified Google Partners – (916) 446-1082.
