-How To Do GOOD-
-Keyword Research-
Paige Hobart
Head of SEO @ ROAST
@PaigeHobart
Agenda
● Why should you care about keywords?
● What is GOOD keyword research?
● The 4 stages to success:
○ 1 - Keyword Extraction
○ 2 - Keyword Metrics
○ 3 - Keyword Expansion
○ 4 - Keyword Optimisation
● Recap & key takeaways
@PaigeHobart
-WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT-
-KEYWORDS?-
Keywords are REALLY important!
SEARCH = -SEARCHING-
They help us check our homework
Whether that’s helping us:-
● Track improvements;
○ Rankings
○ Share of Voice
○ Featured snippets
● Identify Competitors
● Flag areas of improvement
● Flag areas of opportunity
-WHAT IS ‘GOOD’ KEYWORD-
-RESEARCH?-
REAL BAD EXAMPLES
Yes, these are real examples...
House Plant Brand-
- “Aloe vera gel”
An agencies ‘experience &-
innovation’ webpage-
- “Branding”
- “Brand design”
- “Customer Experience”
- “Tone of Voice”
- “Experiential”
- “Design”
- “Commerce”
B2B Factory Business-
- “Augmented Reality”
TV Box Brand-
- “Netflix”
-Rule 1-
-Relevancy is EVERYTHING-
Your keyword list should ONLY include words and phrases
you actually have a chance ranking for!
-If in doubt - GOOGLE IT-
Follow
The Rules
-So how do we find all these GOOD keywords?-
-1. Keyword Extraction-
-2. Keyword Metrics-
-3. Keyword Expansion-
-4. Keyword Optimisation-
KEYWORD EXTRACTION-
Google Search Console (GSC)
The most powerful & important tool in the SEO armoury,
-Google Search Console- is the place to start your ‘seed list’.
This way you include queries that already have value!
Search Analytics for Sheets
If you want to apply filters (like excluding -Brand-),
or segment your data by URL/country/device/etc.
-Search Analytics for Sheets- is a fab FREE tool
for exporting more detail from GSC
Extracting keywords from your website
-Screaming Frog- will gather:
URLs, Title Tags, Meta Descriptions, H1s, H2s, Anchor text, etc.
These are all on-page elements that could/should contain
keywords to include in your seed list.
Extracting keywords from your website
Extracting the text in the -Navigation- of large sites can be a great
way of gathering more relevant keywords.
You can also use these as ‘tags’ to group your keyword sets e.g.
the “Sewing” category contains “quilting” & “haberdashery”
Extracting keywords from PPC
Extracting
keywords from
-PPC Data- is
another great
source of
potentially
valuable and
relevant terms.
-Only take what-
-is valuable,-
-not everything.-
(Keyword Planner
within Google Ads)
-So how do we find all these GOOD keywords?-
-1. Keyword Extraction- - Rule 1 - Relevancy is everything
-2. Keyword Metrics-
-3. Keyword Expansion-
-4. Keyword Optimisation-
KEYWORD METRICS-
-Rule 2-
-Tag up your keywords as you go!-
Tagging is adding layers of data to your keywords that help you identify
keyword suitability.
-This process is evolutionary-
Adding and adapting this data as you go, will help you!
Follow
The Rules
Keyword Tagging = Adding Data
Keyword Tagging = Adding Data: Source
Source
GSC
Website Crawl
GSC
Website Crawl
GSC
GSC
GSC
GSC
GSC
GSC
Navigation
GSC
GSC
Navigation
Website Crawl
GSC
GSC
GSC
GSC
GSC
GSC
GSC
GSC
Website Crawl
Source Category 1
GSC Cheap
Website Crawl Car
GSC Young Divers
Website Crawl Blog
GSC Bike
GSC Car
GSC Bike
GSC Multi Car
GSC Quote
GSC Young Divers
Navigation Cheap
GSC Young Divers
GSC Young Divers
Navigation Car
Website Crawl Bike
GSC Young Divers
GSC Young Divers
GSC Young Divers
GSC Brand
GSC Young Divers
GSC Multi Car
GSC Multi Car
GSC Cheap
Website Crawl Quote
Keyword Tagging = Adding Data: Categories
Source Category 1 Category 2
GSC Car Cheap
Website Crawl Car
GSC Car Young Divers
Website Crawl Blog SORN
GSC Bike
GSC Car Quote
GSC Bike
GSC Car Multi Car
GSC Car Quote
GSC Car Young Divers
Navigation Car Cheap
GSC Car Young Divers
GSC Car Young Divers
Navigation Car
Website Crawl Bike Bike
GSC Car Young Divers
GSC Car Young Divers
GSC Car Young Divers
GSC Brand Brand
GSC Car Young Divers
GSC Car Multi Car
GSC Car Multi Car
GSC Car Cheap
Website Crawl Car Quote
Keyword Tagging = Adding Data: Categories
Keyword Tagging = Search Volume & Rank
Each layer of data tells you something about that keyword
-Keyword Planner will probably change your keywords-
This is Okay-
Use vlookups to transfer your data into keyword planners output list
This way you will avoid having duplicate search volumes
Just make sure you have manually checked what keyword planner has
changed your phrases to. Most of the time its plurals etc.
Search Volume
-Don't use GSC ‘position’ unless you really have to-
Use a dedicated rank tracking tool for ‘rank’ & ‘ranking url’ data-
GSC position can be misleading and widely considered as not particularly
accurate at scale for ranking position data.
Much better to use a rank tracking tool like Myposeo (who we use) or
SERP Robot is a really cheap (FREE up to 25 keywords, then around $5 per 300)
Rankings
SERPROBOT
Keyword Tagging = Future State
You can even map keywords to ‘proposed’ URLs if your site
isn’t live, or is undergoing an IA restructure
I FULLY recommend tagging at ‘page level’-
This will be really helpful in the months & years to come
-Right, so we’ve got all this data...-
Pivoting your data
Pivoting out your tags will show you;
● which areas have a lot of keywords in e.g. “Marketing”
● and which categories have only a few e.g. “Small Business”
Pivoting your data
You should aim to have the number of keywords in
each category roughly equal.
Although there are times when this isn’t possible -
-relevancy & quality are more important than quantity-
Pivoting your data
Average rank & search volume can
help you identify the categories with
the most opportunity e.g.
“Background checks” is a good area of
opportunity with high search volume,
keyword count and good average rank.
-So how do we find all these GOOD keywords?-
-1. Keyword Extraction- - Rule 1 - Relevancy is everything
-2. Keyword Metrics- - Rule 2 - Tag as you go
-3. Keyword Expansion-
-4. Keyword Optimisation-
KEYWORD EXPANSION-
-Rule 3-
-NEVER bulk import tool keywords-
I promise you WILL save time by manually cherry picking each query and
adding it to your list. This WILL take a lot of time, but it takes a lot less
time versus the clean up after bulk-pasting keywords into your list.
-I’m looking at you Keyword planner…-
Follow
The Rules
Tools for keyword expansion
-Now you know the rules…-
Work through your categories bit by bit.
Expand on those themes - particularly the
groups that were a bit light on keywords >
You are allowed to bin off a category if it breaks
Rule 1! (relevancy is everything!)
Tools for keyword expansion
-Tools I like to use-
FREE
▻ IBM NLU Text Analysis
▻ Answer the Public
▻ People Also Ask queries (Google)
▻ Related Searches (Google)
▻ Concatenation (Excel / Google Sheets)
▻ Competitor Research > -Navigation-
▻ Competitor Research > -Crawl-
PAID
▻ Google keyword planner
▻ SEMRush
▻ Ahrefs
Competitor Research
You can use most tools (apart from GSC) on -any website!-
This means you can steal all of your competitors good keywords!
Expanding your keywords and data
Remember -Rule 2 - Tag as you go!-
During the expansion process you may have;
- Identified new categories or sub-categories
- Combined smaller groups together
- Split out large categories into smaller groupings
- Deleted whole categories of keywords
-All of this is okay!-
It’s also okay to have categories that are slightly larger than others;
Sometimes there is just more opportunity in one topic than another!
-So how do we find all these GOOD keywords?-
-1. Keyword Extraction- - Rule 1 - Relevancy is everything
-2. Keyword Metrics- - Rule 2 - Tag as you go
-3. Keyword Expansion- - Rule 3 - No bulk importing
-4. Keyword Optimisation-
KEYWORD OPTIMISATION-
-Rule 4-
-Be realistic !-
You're so vain
You probably think these KEYWORDS are about you
You're so vain (you're so vain)
I bet you think these KEYWORDS are about you
Don't you? DON’T YOU?
Follow
The Rules
-Rule 4-
-Be realistic !-
No “Vanity Keywords”
Follow
The Rules
Remember these?
These all break -Rule 1- - Delete them!
House Plant Brand-
- “Aloe vera gel”
An agencies ‘experience &-
innovation’ webpage-
- “Branding”
- “Brand design”
- “Customer Experience”
- “Tone of Voice”
- “Experiential”
- “Design”
- “Commerce”
B2B Factory Business-
- “Augmented Reality”
TV Box Brand-
- “Netflix”
Finding the BAD STUFF
-Sorting, pivoting & filtering your list-
● Highest to lowest Search Volume
● Highest to lowest CPC
● Highest to lowest Impressions*
*Will only be available for GSC-sourced keywords
● Google it! Are the websites in the top 5
positions like you?
● Filter by locations - do you exist there?
● Filter by keywords you’re not ranking for
● Filter by keywords you and none of your
competitors are ranking for
-So how do we find all these GOOD keywords?-
-1. Keyword Extraction- - Rule 1 - Relevancy is everything
-2. Keyword Metrics- - Rule 2 - Tag as you go
-3. Keyword Expansion- - Rule 3 - No bulk importing
-4. Keyword Optimisation- - Rule 4 - Be realistic
Thanks!
ROAST @PaigeHobart

Paige Hobart - How to do GOOD Keyword Research - Search Advertising Show 2021

  • 1.
    -How To DoGOOD- -Keyword Research- Paige Hobart Head of SEO @ ROAST @PaigeHobart
  • 2.
    Agenda ● Why shouldyou care about keywords? ● What is GOOD keyword research? ● The 4 stages to success: ○ 1 - Keyword Extraction ○ 2 - Keyword Metrics ○ 3 - Keyword Expansion ○ 4 - Keyword Optimisation ● Recap & key takeaways @PaigeHobart
  • 3.
    -WHY SHOULD YOUCARE ABOUT- -KEYWORDS?-
  • 4.
    Keywords are REALLYimportant! SEARCH = -SEARCHING-
  • 5.
    They help uscheck our homework Whether that’s helping us:- ● Track improvements; ○ Rankings ○ Share of Voice ○ Featured snippets ● Identify Competitors ● Flag areas of improvement ● Flag areas of opportunity
  • 6.
    -WHAT IS ‘GOOD’KEYWORD- -RESEARCH?-
  • 7.
    REAL BAD EXAMPLES Yes,these are real examples... House Plant Brand- - “Aloe vera gel” An agencies ‘experience &- innovation’ webpage- - “Branding” - “Brand design” - “Customer Experience” - “Tone of Voice” - “Experiential” - “Design” - “Commerce” B2B Factory Business- - “Augmented Reality” TV Box Brand- - “Netflix”
  • 8.
    -Rule 1- -Relevancy isEVERYTHING- Your keyword list should ONLY include words and phrases you actually have a chance ranking for! -If in doubt - GOOGLE IT- Follow The Rules
  • 9.
    -So how dowe find all these GOOD keywords?- -1. Keyword Extraction- -2. Keyword Metrics- -3. Keyword Expansion- -4. Keyword Optimisation-
  • 10.
  • 11.
    Google Search Console(GSC) The most powerful & important tool in the SEO armoury, -Google Search Console- is the place to start your ‘seed list’. This way you include queries that already have value!
  • 12.
    Search Analytics forSheets If you want to apply filters (like excluding -Brand-), or segment your data by URL/country/device/etc. -Search Analytics for Sheets- is a fab FREE tool for exporting more detail from GSC
  • 13.
    Extracting keywords fromyour website -Screaming Frog- will gather: URLs, Title Tags, Meta Descriptions, H1s, H2s, Anchor text, etc. These are all on-page elements that could/should contain keywords to include in your seed list.
  • 14.
    Extracting keywords fromyour website Extracting the text in the -Navigation- of large sites can be a great way of gathering more relevant keywords. You can also use these as ‘tags’ to group your keyword sets e.g. the “Sewing” category contains “quilting” & “haberdashery”
  • 15.
    Extracting keywords fromPPC Extracting keywords from -PPC Data- is another great source of potentially valuable and relevant terms. -Only take what- -is valuable,- -not everything.- (Keyword Planner within Google Ads)
  • 16.
    -So how dowe find all these GOOD keywords?- -1. Keyword Extraction- - Rule 1 - Relevancy is everything -2. Keyword Metrics- -3. Keyword Expansion- -4. Keyword Optimisation-
  • 17.
  • 18.
    -Rule 2- -Tag upyour keywords as you go!- Tagging is adding layers of data to your keywords that help you identify keyword suitability. -This process is evolutionary- Adding and adapting this data as you go, will help you! Follow The Rules
  • 19.
    Keyword Tagging =Adding Data
  • 20.
    Keyword Tagging =Adding Data: Source Source GSC Website Crawl GSC Website Crawl GSC GSC GSC GSC GSC GSC Navigation GSC GSC Navigation Website Crawl GSC GSC GSC GSC GSC GSC GSC GSC Website Crawl
  • 21.
    Source Category 1 GSCCheap Website Crawl Car GSC Young Divers Website Crawl Blog GSC Bike GSC Car GSC Bike GSC Multi Car GSC Quote GSC Young Divers Navigation Cheap GSC Young Divers GSC Young Divers Navigation Car Website Crawl Bike GSC Young Divers GSC Young Divers GSC Young Divers GSC Brand GSC Young Divers GSC Multi Car GSC Multi Car GSC Cheap Website Crawl Quote Keyword Tagging = Adding Data: Categories
  • 22.
    Source Category 1Category 2 GSC Car Cheap Website Crawl Car GSC Car Young Divers Website Crawl Blog SORN GSC Bike GSC Car Quote GSC Bike GSC Car Multi Car GSC Car Quote GSC Car Young Divers Navigation Car Cheap GSC Car Young Divers GSC Car Young Divers Navigation Car Website Crawl Bike Bike GSC Car Young Divers GSC Car Young Divers GSC Car Young Divers GSC Brand Brand GSC Car Young Divers GSC Car Multi Car GSC Car Multi Car GSC Car Cheap Website Crawl Car Quote Keyword Tagging = Adding Data: Categories
  • 23.
    Keyword Tagging =Search Volume & Rank Each layer of data tells you something about that keyword
  • 24.
    -Keyword Planner willprobably change your keywords- This is Okay- Use vlookups to transfer your data into keyword planners output list This way you will avoid having duplicate search volumes Just make sure you have manually checked what keyword planner has changed your phrases to. Most of the time its plurals etc. Search Volume
  • 25.
    -Don't use GSC‘position’ unless you really have to- Use a dedicated rank tracking tool for ‘rank’ & ‘ranking url’ data- GSC position can be misleading and widely considered as not particularly accurate at scale for ranking position data. Much better to use a rank tracking tool like Myposeo (who we use) or SERP Robot is a really cheap (FREE up to 25 keywords, then around $5 per 300) Rankings SERPROBOT
  • 26.
    Keyword Tagging =Future State You can even map keywords to ‘proposed’ URLs if your site isn’t live, or is undergoing an IA restructure I FULLY recommend tagging at ‘page level’- This will be really helpful in the months & years to come
  • 27.
    -Right, so we’vegot all this data...-
  • 28.
    Pivoting your data Pivotingout your tags will show you; ● which areas have a lot of keywords in e.g. “Marketing” ● and which categories have only a few e.g. “Small Business”
  • 29.
    Pivoting your data Youshould aim to have the number of keywords in each category roughly equal. Although there are times when this isn’t possible - -relevancy & quality are more important than quantity-
  • 30.
    Pivoting your data Averagerank & search volume can help you identify the categories with the most opportunity e.g. “Background checks” is a good area of opportunity with high search volume, keyword count and good average rank.
  • 31.
    -So how dowe find all these GOOD keywords?- -1. Keyword Extraction- - Rule 1 - Relevancy is everything -2. Keyword Metrics- - Rule 2 - Tag as you go -3. Keyword Expansion- -4. Keyword Optimisation-
  • 32.
  • 33.
    -Rule 3- -NEVER bulkimport tool keywords- I promise you WILL save time by manually cherry picking each query and adding it to your list. This WILL take a lot of time, but it takes a lot less time versus the clean up after bulk-pasting keywords into your list. -I’m looking at you Keyword planner…- Follow The Rules
  • 34.
    Tools for keywordexpansion -Now you know the rules…- Work through your categories bit by bit. Expand on those themes - particularly the groups that were a bit light on keywords > You are allowed to bin off a category if it breaks Rule 1! (relevancy is everything!)
  • 35.
    Tools for keywordexpansion -Tools I like to use- FREE ▻ IBM NLU Text Analysis ▻ Answer the Public ▻ People Also Ask queries (Google) ▻ Related Searches (Google) ▻ Concatenation (Excel / Google Sheets) ▻ Competitor Research > -Navigation- ▻ Competitor Research > -Crawl- PAID ▻ Google keyword planner ▻ SEMRush ▻ Ahrefs
  • 36.
    Competitor Research You canuse most tools (apart from GSC) on -any website!- This means you can steal all of your competitors good keywords!
  • 37.
    Expanding your keywordsand data Remember -Rule 2 - Tag as you go!- During the expansion process you may have; - Identified new categories or sub-categories - Combined smaller groups together - Split out large categories into smaller groupings - Deleted whole categories of keywords -All of this is okay!- It’s also okay to have categories that are slightly larger than others; Sometimes there is just more opportunity in one topic than another!
  • 38.
    -So how dowe find all these GOOD keywords?- -1. Keyword Extraction- - Rule 1 - Relevancy is everything -2. Keyword Metrics- - Rule 2 - Tag as you go -3. Keyword Expansion- - Rule 3 - No bulk importing -4. Keyword Optimisation-
  • 39.
  • 40.
    -Rule 4- -Be realistic!- You're so vain You probably think these KEYWORDS are about you You're so vain (you're so vain) I bet you think these KEYWORDS are about you Don't you? DON’T YOU? Follow The Rules
  • 41.
    -Rule 4- -Be realistic!- No “Vanity Keywords” Follow The Rules
  • 42.
    Remember these? These allbreak -Rule 1- - Delete them! House Plant Brand- - “Aloe vera gel” An agencies ‘experience &- innovation’ webpage- - “Branding” - “Brand design” - “Customer Experience” - “Tone of Voice” - “Experiential” - “Design” - “Commerce” B2B Factory Business- - “Augmented Reality” TV Box Brand- - “Netflix”
  • 43.
    Finding the BADSTUFF -Sorting, pivoting & filtering your list- ● Highest to lowest Search Volume ● Highest to lowest CPC ● Highest to lowest Impressions* *Will only be available for GSC-sourced keywords ● Google it! Are the websites in the top 5 positions like you? ● Filter by locations - do you exist there? ● Filter by keywords you’re not ranking for ● Filter by keywords you and none of your competitors are ranking for
  • 44.
    -So how dowe find all these GOOD keywords?- -1. Keyword Extraction- - Rule 1 - Relevancy is everything -2. Keyword Metrics- - Rule 2 - Tag as you go -3. Keyword Expansion- - Rule 3 - No bulk importing -4. Keyword Optimisation- - Rule 4 - Be realistic
  • 45.