Why Keyword Research is Important in An SEO Campaign

Why do people search online? What are they searching? Key questions that an SEO would consider while hosting a website for search engine optimization. As per a survey, online searches are done for different reasons which could be:

For Seeking Information – Websites offer a tremendous scope as a means of information ranging from finding the nearest seafood restaurant to the most popular seafood junction in the big apple (New York!). The unending thirst for knowledge could be as mundane as finding the exact measurements to make an apple pie or as bizarre as searching the exact place where the last werewolf was sighted!

The search in such cases is done to seek out info on any given subject, with instant results. The intention of such search does not go beyond the first moment of information gathering. These are non-commercial searches.

For Navigation to a specific site – An online user searching for used cars in his locality would know which site to navigate to. Searches that are made with a specific purpose to a specific site are done mostly by users who know the web address or URL of the site. These searches could either be commercial or non commercial.

For Commercial Data only – Businesses hosted online are the biggest traffic boosters when it comes to such searches. Here the search is done with the sole purpose of a commercial gain. For e.g. a hardware repair person would search online for the best bargains available for his/her hardware store.
Apart from these three online searches involves the research work for education, knowledge, thesis writing, disseminating information for the overall good of the society etc.
By determining the reasons why people surf the net, an SEO can zero in on the keyword strategy. The SEO first needs to determine the target audience/visitors and then search for keywords that are relevant to that niche. So s/he goes about by using a few guidelines:
1. Keywords are Dynamic by nature. Over the years trends keep changing, so does the use of vocabulary. What sounds good today may not be cool tomorrow. Hence keyword search is a continuous process to be undertaken for an effective SEO campaign.
2. Experts are also Novices – So called experts in the field of research have failed miserably when they could not gauge audience’s mood. The people who search the web are not experts in the ‘keyword search field’. Most of them are average people seeking information. SEO;s need to think like them to be able to catch the exact keyword by its tail!
3. Create The List – It is important to create ‘The List’. These are the important keywords that are doing the rounds on the net for the niche. By incorporating these (depending on the relevance) SEO’s can rest assured being ranked high on the searches.
4. Keyword Relevancy in Content – The keywords that are so painstakingly gleaned out need to be placed at the appropriate places or else they might just pull you down or even attract a penalty. Irresponsible and irrelevant use of keywords within a content stand out sorely that irritates the audience.
5. Go back to guideline 1. Research never stops. Period.