Keyphrase Research Part 1: Tools and Processes

Any business, organisation, or resource with an online presence is reliant to varying degrees on their visibility within search engines (for 'search engines' read 'Google'). Now, we all know as searchers that our capacity to trawl the infinite pages of the Google SERPs is virtually non-existent. That almost 60% of users clickthrough the top 3 results of any given search demonstrates our collective search engine laziness.

But it's more than just laziness. We have an inherent trust (and a justifiable one in this case) in the ability of entities such as Google to provide us with the best possible suggestions, akin to the medical advice of a doctor, or the wise words of a parent.

We know that there are goings-on behind the scenes which ensure that the most relevant and trusted results are put forward to use when we enter our query. I intend to provide a level of insight into these goings-on, and demonstrate how the right choice of words can have an extraordinary impact on not only search engine rankings, but on trust levels and, ultimately, sales.

The Backbone of A Website

Keyphrase research is of course only one aspect of a multi-faceted approach to success, but it is the foundation of a long term strategy, and one which will stand your website in good stead, optimised from the outset.

There are three main concepts to keep in mind at all times when carrying out keyphrase research: relevancy, return, and realism. Each and every keyword and phrase must be relevant to your product or service, thus instigating trust levels within both search engines and human users. Though there will be phrases which are capable of driving bucket-loads of traffic to your site, it is not always realistic to target such terms, as the competition levels will be intense.

So, a balance must be struck between relevant keywords, high traffic volumes which will provide a return on investment, and realistic competition levels.

Initial Stages

Our first steps to be taken involve a lot of data gathering from various sources. Depending on the size of a site, this stage can take a few minutes or a few hours. I always tend to start with what we've got; so an analysis of the current site, feedback from the client themselves, and up-to-date Google Analytics will provide a comprehensive overview of where we are and what we perform well for. It will also provide the means to discover where we aren't, highlighting under-represented areas by their very absence.

In Google Analytics, we are able to download lists of each and every keyphrase which has successfully directed users to the website, and gain an insight into the efficiency of the keyphrase terms. Did the user spend a lot of time of time on the site or did they bounce off immediately? Were they new to the site or have they been before?

When this data has been extracted, it can then be filtered. Instantaneously we are able to pick out obvious contenders for promotion, as well as complete non-starters. For example, for a hotel website in Edinburgh, phrases such as Edinburgh hotels are going to be very important, however,the phone number for the hotel, will not be.

Using this data (once filtered) we can then start to develop something of a keyphrase list. The surviving contenders from Google Analytics and client contributions can then be processed through multiple tools, with the aim of generating a refined collection of target keyphrases.

Google Adwords provides excellent information which will inform any final decisions. Loading the Adwords tool with extensive keyphrase lists and hitting the Search button will provide competition scores and estimated traffic volumes – local and globally.

Again, an initial look will give rise to a selection of terms which are either a) irrelevant or b) unrealistic (option) can be countered to some extent by selecting the option of only showing 'ideas closely related to my search terms'.

Take A Step Back

Now that we have further refined our keyphrase list (double filtered), it's time for a quick stock-take of where we are. We should have a solid set of top level terms, perhaps insisted upon by the client themselves, or just as a result of a knowledge of the site and the importance of certain terminology within that field.

Depending upon the website and the products on offer, we may have geo-specific variations on the kephrases, so descriptive prefixes such as cheap, luxury, or 5 star (to continue the hotel theme), and a mix of short and long tail terms are very important here, and the latter of which we will come to in the second part of this series.

Always refer back to the site, or, if a new site is being built, maintain contact with clients, developers and other agencies; communication between all parties is crucial when involved in either a site re-design or a new website build. You don't want all your hard work to be rendered invalid because navigations have been altered or products have been changed. Ensure that you know where keyphrases will sit, which pages they will represent, and how they will promote the service on offer.

Once we have an optimal blend of short and long tail keyphrases catering for the nuances of the product or service, and a balance between high traffic potential and realistic competition, we are ready to carve our findings into the website.