Understanding SEO keyword research to optimise your website

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In the world of online marketing, it is essential to understand how people search for products or services.

This is where the SEO keyword researchThe main objective is to identify the terms and expressions that visitors type into search engines to access specific information.

By mastering this technique, you can optimise the natural referencing of your website and therefore attract qualified, targeted traffic.

What is SEO keyword research?

SEO keyword research consists of analysing and selecting the terms and expressions to improve a site's ranking in search engines, such as Google.

It also makes it possible to determine which subjects are most sought after by Internet users and to create content tailored to their needs. This crucial stage should be at the heart of any online marketing strategy, because without well-chosen keywords it will be difficult to generate traffic and reach the desired targets.

How do you conduct effective SEO keyword research?

Defining your objectives

Before starting any SEO keyword research, you first need to identify the objectives to achieve. This could be improving your website's ranking in search results, increasing the number of visitors or boosting your sales. Once these objectives have been defined, it will be easier to find the right terms and expressions.

Identifying your targets

To carry out effective SEO keyword research, it is essential to know your targets. Depending on the type of audience you are targeting (private individuals, professionals, etc.), the queries made on search engines will vary and so will the terms you should use to optimise your online presence.

Using specialised tools

Several tools can be used to facilitate SEO keyword research. Some focus on analysing popular terms, while others study the behaviour of web users and their queries. These include Google Ads Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, Ahrefs or Semrush.

Criteria to take into account when selecting keywords

Relevance

It is essential to choose keywords that are relevant to the product or service offered by your website. The terms you select should accurately represent what you offer to web users and meet their expectations. Don't hesitate to put yourself in your target audience's shoes to anticipate the terms they might use when searching.

Search volume

Another criterion to take into account when selecting keywords is the search volumewhich corresponds to the number of times a term is searched for on a search engine. It is of course worth focusing on keywords with a high search volume, as this means that many Internet users are interested in this subject.

Competition

However, we must not neglect the aspect of competitionwhich represents the number of websites dealing with the same subject, or keyword. If certain queries are very popular with Internet users, they are also very popular with site owners, who will be fighting for the best positions in the search results. In this case, it is sometimes preferable to choose keywords that are less competitive but just as relevant.

Tips for optimising your content with SEO keywords

Once your keywords have been identified and selected, it's time to take action to capitalise on this research. There are a number of ways of optimising your content to maximise your online visibility:

Include keywords in titles The title of your page or article must contain the main keyword to make it easier for search engines to understand.
Repeating keywords Key terms and expressions: include your key terms and expressions several times in your content, but be careful not to overuse them to avoid over-optimisation, which is penalised by Google.
Linking pages together Where relevant, create internal links pointing to other pages on your site dealing with the same subject. This will make it easier for visitors to navigate and will help your content to be found in search engines.
Focus on quality Finally, don't forget that SEO is not just about keywords. The quality of your content is also vital if you want to retain your visitors and be appreciated by the search engines. So make sure you write carefully and offer rich, interesting information.

SEO keyword research is an essential process for optimising a website's online presence.

Not only does it give you a better understanding of what web users want and how they behave, it also enables you to adapt your content to position yourself on the most relevant terms. Thanks to this technique, you can maximise your chances of increasing your traffic and achieving your commercial or visibility objectives.