Whatever new marketing changes 2018 brings, one thing is always certain in the online world, keywords work. The right keywords have the power to take you to a whole other level, particularly when it comes to your search rankings. There’s an art to finding the right ones for your business however.

Understanding the aim of SEO keywords is a great place to begin. The keywords and phrases you choose should speak the same language as those using the web to find the products, services or simply the information that’s relevant to your industry and in tune with what your business does. Contrary to popular belief, search engines love keywords. After all, they help search engines to deliver on their promise to internet users, by giving them a link to exactly what they’re looking for. So, where do you start when finding the right, and best, keywords for your business?

Get down to a little research

As with all marketing activities, the best keywords are built on a foundation of great research. Understanding your audience is the key to discovering exactly what they are searching for. Keyword research should always begin with a brainstorm, so get your team together and hash out the keywords that best describe your business and what it delivers, paying particular attention to the ones that connect audiences with the specific products or services that you offer. Looking at the keywords your competitors use can also be helpful, whilst understanding which work and which don’t can provide another beneficial insight.

Refine and rework your list

Your keyword list isn’t something that can be knocked up in an hour. It takes time to identify the keywords and phrases that will connect your business with its target audience online. Once the initial list is complete, go back to the drawing board, refining and reworking as you go.

Refining and reworking your list should be done on a regular basis to ensure the landing pages, PPC ads and content connected with your keywords can be as successful and hard hitting as possible.

Bring in the tools

As with any activity in our professional and personal lives, there’s plenty of apps and tools that make keyword research that bit easier. We recently gave you the lowdown on the most useful online tools for keyword research so don’t be afraid to use them. As well as checking the viability and revealing opportunities related to the keywords on your carefully devised list, many keyword research tools give you the means to recognise new and often under explored keywords as well as explore more niche keyword groups.

For those looking to use their keywords to improve PPC activities, many keyword research tools give you the cost per click, difficulty rating and search volume stats you need to fine tune campaigns for even greater success.

Selecting the right keywords is just the beginning of your SEO journey. Check out our latest blog post for a few more best practice SEO tips to get you started.