What is keyword research?

When it comes to online marketing, keyword research is perhaps one of the most important aspects that needs to be taken into consideration. Keyword research essentially involves the process of finding and analysing keywords used by potential customers so that they can be targeted more effectively. The ultimate goal of keyword research is to determine what phrases or terms are being searched for when looking for a particular product or service, and using those terms in on-page SEO and content marketing efforts.

By researching what words and phrases people are using to search for something related to your business, you are essentially creating an optimized experience for them when visiting your website, blog or social media page. This helps prospective customers find what they're looking for more quickly and easily. Additionally, effective keyword usage can greatly benefit search engine optimization (SEO) efforts as well. Search engine algorithms are more likely to rank websites higher if they contain relevant keywords in the content.

There are many different approaches used when researching keywords including web analytics data, manual research as well as keyword suggestion tools. It's important to remember that the right keywords can vary depending on an industry so research should always be tailored towards a specific market sector. When beginning a keyword research project it generally helps to come up with a comprehensive list of related topics and words first then narrow down which ones have the highest search volume and relevance to your business goals.