When you hear keyword research, your mind immediately goes to Google and SEO. However, while Google might be the best source of organic traffic, keyword research can be useful for creating content whose goal is not hitting the first page.
It’s good for social media, newsletters, podcasts, webinars, and more.
The better you do in these channels, the more traffic and ranking you’ll get from Google. And he listed four different types of keyword research you can perform.
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Keyword research for PPC and SEO
The goal here is to identify keywords that searchers type. And use these keywords as the starting points of your SEO and PPC efforts.
There is, however, a difference between PPC and SEO research. When you run a paid campaign, you’ll typically target keywords that target prospects in advanced stages of the funnel, and already looking for a solution. With SEO, you’ll frequently go after top-funnel keywords.
Keyword research for social media marketing
The goal is to uncover the topics of discussion and engagement plus the hashtags that earn attention.
This information will help you understand what topics, hashtags, and wording to use in your organic and paid posts.
When you perform this research, it’s important to note that every social media platform is different.
Keyword research for content creation
You’re not really going after search data here. Instead, you want to understand which topics gained more interest from your audience, and which wording and phrasing resonate with them.
Starting with a topic, research it by using YouTube, Reddit, Quora, social media platforms, or Google Discover. Identify the topics that gained more traction, and use this information to create better content.
Keyword research for audience research
The goal is to uncover your audience’s preferences, behaviors, and self-descriptions.
- Who are you writing to in your copy?
- What job do they have?
- What content do they consume?
- Where do you reach them?
While keywords don’t tell you anything about the person typing them, they still are the starting point to identify your audience’s pain points and desires.