Keyword Research 101 - Part 2 - George Do

Summary

In this session, George Do from Long Tail Pro explains the importance of keyword research for SEO and e-commerce success. He highlights the need to understand your product and niche deeply, rather than relying solely on tools. Do demonstrates how free tools like Ubersuggest and premium ones like Long Tail Pro can help streamline keyword selection. He discusses four key factors: keyword relevance, volume, profitability, and competitiveness, and how Long Tail Pro provides comprehensive data for better keyword targeting. The session emphasizes search intent and targeting long-tail keywords for effective SEO.

Takeaways

• 🔍 It's essential to deeply understand your product and niche before using keyword tools for research.
• 💡 Keyword tools are helpful, but only in the right hands, as they need strategic use tied to understanding search intent.
• 🚫 Google's AdWords keyword tool is no longer freely accessible, so alternatives like Ubersuggest are preferred for keyword generation.
• 📊 Long Tail Pro is a paid tool that covers all four important keyword research factors: relevance, volume, competitiveness, and profitability.
• 🔑 Keyword competitiveness measures how difficult it is to rank for a specific term, while profitability gauges the potential financial return.
• 💻 Free tools like SEO Quake and Moz Bar can offer helpful metrics such as domain authority (DA) and page authority (PA), though they are less comprehensive than Long Tail Pro.
• 📋 After generating keywords using a tool, users need to sift through them based on their relevance and discard irrelevant options.
• 🔗 Keyword competitiveness is calculated using several factors like trust flow, citation flow, backlinks, and domain age.
• 📉 Long Tail Pro makes it easier to filter keywords based on competitiveness and volume, making the research process more efficient and targeted.
• 🛠 Targeting long tail keywords, which are specific and less competitive, is critical for fulfilling all four keyword quadrants and achieving success in SEO.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of using keyword tools according to the video?

The main purpose of using keyword tools is to streamline the keyword research process after understanding the product and niche well. Tools help by generating a list of keywords, but it's important to first understand search intent and customer needs, which cannot be fully achieved using just tools.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of understanding your niche before using keyword tools?

The speaker emphasizes understanding the niche because keyword tools alone won't give the depth of knowledge about the product or customer needs. This background understanding is crucial to filter out irrelevant keywords and make informed decisions when using tools.

What are the four factors that make a good keyword?

The four factors that make a good keyword are: keyword competitiveness, keyword profitability, keyword volume, and keyword relevance. These factors help determine how easy it is to rank for a keyword and how profitable it will be.

What free keyword tool does the speaker recommend, and why?

The speaker recommends Ubersuggest as a free keyword tool. It is preferred over other free options because it's easier to access and provides useful keyword suggestions. However, it lacks the comprehensive data that paid tools like Long Tail Pro offer.

What makes Long Tail Pro stand out compared to free keyword tools like Ubersuggest?

Long Tail Pro stands out because it covers all four important keyword factors (competitiveness, profitability, volume, and relevance). It also provides more detailed metrics such as keyword competitiveness scores, which can help users find less competitive yet profitable keywords.

How does keyword profitability differ from keyword volume?

Keyword profitability measures how much money can be earned by ranking for a particular keyword, while keyword volume refers to the number of people searching for that term. A keyword with high profitability may not have a high volume, and vice versa.

Why should users avoid targeting certain keywords like 'trekking pole reviews' if they are running an e-commerce store?

Users should avoid targeting keywords like 'trekking pole reviews' if they are running an e-commerce store because those keywords are geared towards information rather than transactions. Google will prioritize sites that offer reviews rather than those trying to sell products.

What advice does the speaker give for selecting keywords based on competitiveness?

The speaker advises targeting keywords with a keyword competitiveness (KC) score below 35 if you have a newer site. More established sites can aim for keywords with a KC up to 40. This helps balance difficulty with the chances of ranking well.

What additional tools are mentioned as alternatives for users who do not want to pay for Long Tail Pro?

SEO Quake and Moz Bar are mentioned as free alternatives. These tools offer metrics like domain authority (DA) and page authority (PA), which can provide some insight into competitiveness and ranking difficulty, though they are less comprehensive than Long Tail Pro.

What is the significance of search intent in keyword research?

Search intent is significant because it determines whether a keyword aligns with what users are looking for. Even if a keyword seems relevant, if the intent behind it does not match the type of content or products you offer, it will be difficult to rank well for it.