[Power user content… this article assumes the reader has had at least some prior experience with the topic]
Descriptive, keyword-rich copy is critical to ranking well in search engines. Web copy should speak to your target audience using the same terms and language style that they use when searching for your products and/or services.
In order to do this, it’s important to understand what the intent is behind the user’s search query. Search queries primarily correspond to one of four categories of search intent: informational, transactional, comparison or navigational.
If a company sells small business accounting software, some of those queries might be:
Comparison – best bookkeeping software for a small business
Navigational – download XYZ software for free
How to Find Keywords
To begin: brainstorm. You can probably think of dozens of phrases off the top of your head. Jot them down and assign a search intent category to each phrase that you come up with. If you have a sales or customer service team, they can be a great asset during this keyword discovery stage. People who interact directly with clients and prospects likely get asked many of the same questions over and over. What are those questions, and what is their intent? If your website has a search function, you may also want to look at those logs to see how users are searching once they do find your site.
Keyword Tools
There are also several free keyword tools that can help you find additional search phrases relevant to your business. A quick search at Wordtracker.com (https://www.wordtracker.com) will reveal several additional phrases along with monthly search volume metrics:
Another great strategy is to find semantically related phrases to use throughout your page copy. Finding and using related phrases may help you rank for both primary phrases and keyword variations related to your page topic. An easy way to find phrases that Google might consider “related” is to inspect the keyword suggestions that are provided when you begin to type in a phrase:
Keyword Usage
Now that you have a list of relevant and closely related phrases to use throughout your site copy, sculpt your pages to speak to each category of search intent, followed up with a strong, impactful call-to-action.
By following this strategy you’ll help Google understand your products and services. And, most importantly, you’ll be connecting with your customers and prospects using language that they understand.
