Using the right keywords in your content can mean the difference between ranking on the first page of Google... and the tenth page of Google. It can mean the difference between tons of traffic... and very little traffic.Using the right keywords in your content can mean the difference between ranking on the first page of Google... and the tenth page of Google. It can mean the difference between tons of traffic... and very little traffic.

But you have to be smart about keyword usage. Keyword stuffing (the practice of unnaturally loading a bunch of keywords onto a web page) is not the answer. Not only will Google penalise your site for this, but keyword stuffing will also degrade the quality of your content, and you definitely don't want that.

So how can you optimise your content for keywords the right way?

Here are four steps to do it:

1. Brainstorming

Before you even determine what your content should be about, you need to find out what search terms your audience is typing into Google.

Start by looking for 5-10 topics that are relevant to your industry. These should be topics that interest your audience.

Take a look at TransferWise, a money transfer service that allows people to send money abroad. Their content doesn't just revolve around global finance (although that is something they write about). It also revolves around living abroad and studying abroad. Why? Because they know their target audience is interested in reading about those things and may be looking for information related to those topics.

2. Brainstorming Keywords

Once you come up with some topics, brainstorm a mix of short- and long-tail keywords that you think your audience might be searching for.

SHORT KEYWORDS

Short keywords are generic keyword phrases that usually consist of only one or two words.

These can be good sources of traffic for many businesses, but short-tail keywords are also more competitive and harder to rank for. Another disadvantage of short keywords is that you usually don't really know what the user is searching for.

For example, if someone searches only for "Brazil", they have no idea whether they are interested in moving to Brazil, travelling to Brazil or just learning a little more about the country and its history.

LONG TAIL KEYWORDS

Long-tail keywords are the longer, more specific keyword phrases that visitors use to find your products or services. They have fewer searches than short keywords, but the advantage is that you can usually get a better idea of what the user is looking for. People who type in long-tail keywords also tend to be further along in the sales cycle, usually closer to making a purchase.

So, for example, one of TransferWise's themes is "life abroad". So a keyword for that topic might be "how to obtain Spanish citizenship". Someone searching for that keyword is someone who has a high intention of living abroad, and therefore using the TransferWise service, so it might be a good idea to create a piece of content that revolves around that particular topic and keyword.

If you are struggling to find possible keywords, you could try typing some keywords into Google and see what suggestions appear at the bottom of the page.

Bonus tip: People also ask

Like long tail keywords, you can also add to your blog what people are already asking for. One reason most blogs can't rank at the top is because they simply ignore what people are asking for. The best way to get zero place in Google is to copy the first three questions from "People also ask" and then write content around them. You can also create content in the form of frequently asked questions. To improve your website's optimisation for e-commerce, add these questions in the form of FAQs in the product descriptions on each product page.

Finally, head to SEMrush to find out what search terms your competitors are ranking for; this will give you an idea of what content is already performing well.

3. Research your keywords

After making a list of possible keywords (and potential content ideas), it's time to find out if those keywords will actually be effective.

Use SEMrush and Google Keyword Planner to find out if people are searching for the keywords you compiled.

4. Write your content

Once you've determined the keywords your audience is searching for, it's time to come up with a list of content ideas that relate to those keywords.

When you write your content, you'll want to use your keyword in it:

• Meta title
• Meta description
• URL
• Alt text
• First paragraph
• At least one subtitle (h2 or h3)
• 2-5 times in the body

Just remember: Never sacrifice the quality of your message for keywords. Always write for your readers first.

Summing up

If you follow the steps above and optimise your content for the right keywords, you'll be that much closer to ranking on the first page of Google and driving the right traffic to your website.
Need a little help optimising your content for keywords? Get in touch to find out how we can help you.