Keyword Research: Who Is It Really For?

Regardless of the actual industry that you work in these days, if you’re even tangentially connected to the Internet you’re familiar with Keyword Research.

Whether you’re performing the Research or just the one responding to it, it’s always couched in how it benefits the company that performed, or had performed, the Research.

But should it be?

Mind you I’m not implying that companies shouldn’t benefit from Keyword Research. But, is it really for them that it’s being performed?

User-Focused Keyword Research

Performing Keyword Research as a means to better understand how Users search is absolutely a way to better target your search marketing efforts.

But, what if you instead used Keyword Research to better serve your Users? What if, instead of using the Research only to lure them in, you used it to provide them with value that turned them from visitors into Engaged Customers, ones that visited more often, spent more money, and promoted your company more often.

I’m not saying that this is easy, or even something that happens overnight, but there are a few items you can try that not only benefit you, but benefit your Users, which, let’s be honest, still benefits you.

Meta Data

I know, I know, meta data-focused Keyword Research is the hallmark of doing KW Research for the site owner. But, it doesn’t have to be.

While Meta Data certainly provides you the opportunity to show value to the Search Engines, it also provides you the chance to do the same for your Users. Ensure Page Titles include keywords pulled from both your favorite Research tool and from Analytics, while also including useful, valuable info in the Meta Description about what your Users should expect to accomplish on the page.

On-Page Content

On-page content provides a great opportunity to mine keyword data from your Users and use it to create content that’s valuable to them; quality information, easy to understand calls to action, and text that’s tailored to what they want, be it information, entertainment, or an offer for a deal.

Build a Community

Building a community can really be a small side-step from on-page content by taking the idea of mining your Data Analytics to a whole new level.

Building a community through Keyword Research starts by reviewing how your Users are coming to your site. Don’t look for those two or three word key phrases, that’s the sort of thing that ends up in Meta Data or some page copy. Instead, look for Users that were asking questions.

How do I use X?

How many times a year should I X?

Where can I buy X?

Where does X come from?

These types of keyword questions are an opportunity to do a little additional Keyword Research for related terms that other Users may be searching for, and to provide Community Content that answers the questions, inspires a dialogue, and convinces your Users that you’re committed to helping them even when they aren’t using your product or service.

Experiment

These are just a few ideas on how to use keyword and data research to provide a benefit to your Users instead of just targeting the Search Engines. I truly believe that by taking a User-focused approach not only to your Keyword Research but to everything you do, you’ll not only be rewarded by your customers, but by the Search Engines in the long run as well – afterall, they rely on Users using them, and providing them with the right sites, the sites that benefit them, keeps those Users coming back.

Experiment with different ways to user keyword research to benefit your Users and I’m sure you’ll be rewarded by everybody, with improved rankings in the search results and, perhaps more importantly, Engaged Customers that benefit you every day.

Keyword Research: Who Is It Really For?