Keyword Research 101: Ice Cream Scoop Keywords

Congratulations! You have landed on this page either to freshen your fundamentals or learn the tasty secrets behind keyword research (definitely the latter).

Of course, search engine optimization (SEO) is nothing without a quality website, loaded with rich, relevant content. However, you won’t get the attention your page deserves without keyword research.

The aim of this article is to reintroduce the concept of keywords of being broad and generic, but rather tasty and mouthwatering. That being said, I must warn you: the following content is delicious. Drooling may occur.

What is Keyword Research Anyways?

If SEO campaigns took the shape of a temple, consider keywords to be the pillars.

Before typing into the search engine box of Google or Bing, people must first squish their queries into keywords or phrases that summarize what they are looking for. The search engines will then use a web crawler, also known as a spider or bot, to “crawl” the web and index its findings.

Ta-da! By the combined work of the spider and index software, the search engine will then present you with the most relevant search results based on your keywords.

Websites that appear at the top of the first search results page has the most traffic, or visitors. Undoubtedly, we all share the same goal: to get our company’s page at the top. How to get up there is the real question.

Two words: keyword research (isn’t that what you came here to learn about?).

You will need to first learn how your target audience thinks and how they search for your products or services. Then, with the help of some handy SEO tools and tips, you will brainstorm potential keywords that best reflect your content, aim of that particular page, and generate organic traffic.

Delicious Ice Cream Scoop Keywords

How do we define keywords? Which keywords should you be using for your website? For delicious purposes (and perhaps the main reason you started reading), think of keywords as being different types of ice cream. I mean, who doesn’t love ice cream?

For delicious purposes (and perhaps the main reason you started reading), think of keywords as being different types of ice cream. I mean, who doesn’t love ice cream?

Vanilla is equivalent to your general keywords – broad, highly competitive, one-word queries. Sadly, not everybody can rank for terms such as “business” or “company.” Despite how tasty vanilla is, it hardly stands alone next to the other flavors in the factory.

Enter the chocolate goodness – chocolate chip, cookie dough, rocky road. You name it! These 2-3 keyword phrases have a happy medium of traffic volume and relevance as well as moderate cost and competition. It is best practice to generate chocolate keywords that will better describe your services. It also helps to throw in your city or state into the keywords. Use geo-centric phrases like “Portland digital marketing” or “Portland marketing agency.”

It is best practice to generate chocolate keywords that will better describe your services. It also helps to throw in your city or state into the keywords. Use geo-centric phrases like “Portland digital marketing” or “Portland marketing agency.”

Now if you’re looking for the best sugar rush – and I’m talking about Cold Stone’s mouthwatering, signature creations – generate a phrase with 4-5 keywords. Sure, their traffic volume is low, but they are cost-efficient, easier to rank higher, and more specific to users that will likely buy your service or product.

Below is a tasty diagram of the different types of keywords, measured in terms of deliciousness:

Before you go storming into the nearest ice cream dispensary, reexamine and revise the primary and secondary keywords that you’re targeting for. Trash out vanilla keywords and focus on chocolate and mouthwatering keywords that sweet-toothers can’t resist.

Want more deliciousness? Share your suggestions and other comments for another sweet (or maybe salty) SEO topic. Like and share the page and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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