Keyword Research for Clients

Lecture: Client's target keywords - Using SEMRush

Evaluating Client Keyword Requirements

• Example scenario: Client with "dog breeds" website wants to rank for specific terms

  • Smartest dog breeds

  • Fluffy dog breeds

  • Mountain dog breeds

Keyword Analysis Process Using SEMRush

1. Use keyword overview tool

2. Select target country (e.g., United States, United Kingdom)

3. Analyze each keyword for:

   • Search volume

   • Trend stability

   • Keyword difficulty

   • Search intent

Key Metrics Breakdown

• Search Volume: Traffic potential (e.g., "Smartest dog breeds" - 40,500)

• Trends: Evaluate monthly fluctuations or growth patterns

• Keyword Difficulty:

  • "Possible" (up to 49): Easier to rank for

  • "Difficult" (50-69): Requires more effort

  • "Hard" (70+): Highly competitive

• Search Intent:

  • Informational: Users seeking knowledge

  • Commercial: Users considering options before purchase

Strategic Recommendations Based on Analysis

1. For "Possible" difficulty keywords (e.g., "Mountain dog breeds"):

   • Focus on quality on-page SEO

   • Ensure good user experience

   • Typically doesn't require backlinks

   • If not ranking after 30 days, consider 2-10 backlinks from domains with authority 20-30

2. For "Difficult" keywords (e.g., "Fluffy dog breeds"):

   • Create well-structured, detailed content

   • Implement thorough on-page optimization

   • Build 20-50 backlinks from domains with authority 20-30

3. For "Hard" keywords (e.g., "Smartest dog breeds"):

   • Create superior content

   • Implement flawless technical SEO

   • Build 50-300 backlinks (half from medium authority sites, half from high authority sites)

   • Consider alternative strategy if resources are limited

Alternative Strategies for Highly Competitive Keywords

1. Target keyword variations with lower difficulty

   • Example: Instead of "Smartest dog breeds" (40,000 volume, 73 difficulty)

   • Consider "Top 20 smartest dog breeds" (1,300 volume, "Difficult" range)

   • Or "Smartest small dog breeds" (880 volume, 48 difficulty - "Possible" range)

2. Balance search volume with conversion potential

   • Commercial keywords may have lower volume but higher conversion rates

   • Informational keywords may bring more traffic but lower conversion rates

Lecture: Niche Keyword Research - Using SEMRush

Using Keyword Magic Tool for Niche Expansion

1. Enter main category or niche (e.g., "dog breeds")

2. Filter by keyword difficulty (custom range 0-49)

3. Review total potential:

   • Example: 3,300 keywords

   • 600,000 combined search volume

   • Average difficulty of 37

Identifying High-Value Keywords

1. Export filtered keywords to Excel

2. Keep essential columns:

   • Group

   • Keyword

   • Search volume

   • Keyword difficulty

   • SERP features

3. Format as table for analysis

4. Sort by search volume (largest to smallest)

5. Analyze by keyword groups

Prioritizing "Cream Keywords"

• Definition: Keywords with best balance of volume and difficulty

• Characteristics:

  • Medium-high volume (1,000+)

  • "Possible" difficulty range (below 50)

  • Commercial intent when possible

Alternative Selection Methods

1. Sort by difficulty (smallest to largest)

2. Look for long-tail keywords with good volume

3. Focus on commercial keywords with high conversion potential

   • Example: "best breeds for service dog"

   • Users are close to making purchase decisions

Best Practices

• First target "cream keywords" (high volume, commercial intent, moderate difficulty)

• Filter by intent if needed (focus on commercial/transactional)

• Research subcategories if website covers multiple topics

• Balance effort vs. potential return

Lecture: SERP Features

Understanding SERP Features

• Beyond traditional top 10 rankings

• Different features require different content strategies

• Include in keyword research planning

SERP Feature Types

1. Video Carousels

   • Add relevant videos to your content

   • Create original videos or embed from YouTube

2. Image Carousels

   • Include optimized original images

   • Use target keywords in alt text

3. FAQs/People Also Ask

   • Answer questions from:

     • SEMrush questions for keyword

     • Google's "People Also Ask" sections

4. Reviews

   • Add customer reviews

   • Implement review rich snippets/structured data

Implementation Strategy

• For keywords with video SERP features: Include videos

• For keywords with image SERP features: Add optimized images

• For keywords with FAQ features: Answer common questions

• For keywords with review features: Add structured review data

Benefits

• Increases chances of ranking in both traditional and SERP feature positions

• Captures more search result real estate

• Enhances visibility and click-through rates