Common Mistakes to Avoid While Conducting Keyword Research

7 min readJun 19, 2023

Not all keyword research strategies are created equal, and there are common mistakes that you need to avoid.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the most Common Mistakes to Avoid While Conducting Keyword Research.

Understanding the Basics of Keyword Research

Keyword research is the process of researching and analysing the search terms and phrases that people use to find information online.

The goal of keyword research is to identify the keywords that are most relevant to your business and that have high search volumes, so that you can optimize your content around those keywords and rank higher in search results.

Picking the Right Keywords for Your Business

One of the most important steps in keyword research is picking the right keywords for your business.

You need to find keywords that are relevant to your business and that have high search volumes.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that just because a keyword has a high search volume, it doesn’t mean it’s the right keyword for your business.

Considering Search Volume and Search Intent

While search volume is important, it’s also crucial to consider the search intent behind the keyword. Search intent refers to the reason why someone is performing a search.

Users may search for a variety of reasons, such as informational, commercial, navigational, or transactional purposes.

By understanding the search intent behind a keyword, you can create content that matches the user’s intent and offers relevant solutions.

Avoiding Common Mistakes While Picking Keywords

One of the most common mistakes that marketers make when picking keywords is focusing solely on high search volume keywords.

While these keywords may have a lot of search volume, they may also have high competition and may not be the best fit for your business.

It’s important to find keywords with high search volume and low competition, and this requires proper research and analysis.

Ignoring Search Intent

One of the most common mistakes that marketers make is ignoring the search intent behind a keyword.

Matching keywords with the user’s search intent is crucial for driving relevant traffic to your website and providing value to your target audience.

Make sure to create content that matches the search intent and offers solutions to the user’s problem.

Focusing Solely on Search Volume

Another common mistake is focusing solely on high search volume keywords without considering the competition and relevance to your business.

Instead of targeting one keyword, consider targeting related keywords and creating content that matches the intent behind those keywords.

Choosing Keywords Based Only on Exact Match

Choosing keywords based only on exact match is a common mistake that prevents you from targeting specific keywords and searcher needs.

Instead, consider using long-tail keywords that are more specific and relevant to your business, and that can help you drive targeted traffic to your website.

What Are the Best Tools for Keyword Research?

There are several awesome tools out there to help you with keyword research. Here are some of them:

Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a free tool that allows you to monitor and analyse your website’s search performance. You can use it to see what keywords are driving traffic to your website, and identify opportunities to optimize your content.

Google Trends

Allows you to see the popularity of searched terms over time. You can use it to find related keywords and identify search trends that you can use to optimize your content.

SEMrush

is an all-in-one SEO tool that allows you to conduct comprehensive keyword research, track your rankings, analyse your competition, and optimize your content for search engines.

Understanding the Importance of Keyword Research for Digital Marketing

Keyword research is a crucial component of digital marketing and SEO strategies. By conducting proper keyword research, you can identify the right keywords to target, create content that matches the user’s search intent, and improve your search engine rankings.

Avoiding Common Keyword Research Mistakes

Some of the common keyword research mistakes to avoid include focusing solely on high search volume keywords, ignoring search intent, and choosing keywords based only on exact match.

By avoiding these mistakes and conducting proper keyword research, you can optimize your content and drive high-quality traffic to your website.

Using Different Tools to Conduct Effective Keyword Research

There are many different keyword research tools available that can help you conduct comprehensive research and analysis.

By using different tools, you can find the right keywords to target, and create content that matches the search intent of your target audience.

Frequently asked questions

In this FAQ section, we’ll delve into the frequently asked questions about keyword research, providing you with the answers you need to navigate this essential aspect of SEO

Q: What is keyword research in SEO?

A: Keyword research in SEO is the process of identifying specific keywords and phrases that people are searching for when looking for information, products, or services related to your website.

It involves finding the right keywords that will help your website rank higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Q: Why is keyword research important?

A: Keyword research is important for SEO because it helps you understand what your target audience is searching for, what questions they have, and what their interests are.

With this information, you can optimize your website’s content for the right keywords and improve your website’s chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages.

Q: How do you pick the right keywords for your SEO strategy?

A: When picking keywords for your SEO strategy, it’s important to consider several factors such as search volume, search intent, and keyword difficulty.

You also want to make sure that the specific keyword you choose matches the content of your website and that your website’s content is optimized to match that keyword.

In addition, it’s important to choose long-tail keywords that are specific to your business instead of generic keywords that are highly competitive.

Q: What is keyword difficulty?

A: Keyword difficulty refers to the level of competition for a specific keyword used in search engine optimization. It’s a metric that tells you how hard it is to rank for a certain keyword in the search engine results pages.

A highly competitive keyword has a high keyword difficulty score, while a less competitive keyword has a lower score.

Q: What is search intent, and why is it important in keyword research?

A: Search intent is the reason behind a user’s search query. It can be informational, navigational, or transactional.

Understanding search intent is important in keyword research because it helps you tailor your content to meet the specific needs of your target audience.

For example, if someone is searching for “boarding schools in USA,” they have a specific search intent, and if your content doesn’t match what they’re looking for, they’ll be less likely to visit your site or engage with your content.

Q: What are long-tail keywords, and why are they important for SEO?

A: Long-tail keywords are phrases that contain three or more words and are very specific to what someone is searching for.

They are important for SEO because they are less competitive than short-tail keywords, and they allow you to create content that is more targeted to the needs of your audience.

Long-tail keywords can help you rank higher in search engine results pages and bring more traffic to your website.

Q: What are some common mistakes to avoid in keyword research?

A: Some common mistakes to avoid in keyword research include ignoring search intent, picking the wrong keywords, using generic keywords, and focusing too much on keyword volume.

It’s important to conduct thorough research to ensure that you are selecting the right keywords for your specific situation and that your content matches the keywords you’re targeting.

Q: How do you conduct successful keyword research?

A: To conduct successful keyword research, you should start by identifying your target audience and their specific needs and interests.

Then, use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to find keywords that match your target audience’s interests and search intent.

You should also analyse your competition to see what keywords they are targeting and try to find gaps in the market where you can rank for specific keywords.

Lastly, make sure to evaluate the effectiveness of your keyword strategy regularly and adjust your approach as needed.

Q: What role do backlinks play in keyword research and SEO?

A: Backlinks are an important factor in SEO because they help to establish the authority and credibility of your website. When other websites link back to your content, it signals to search engines that your website is trustworthy and valuable.

Backlinks can also help to increase your website’s visibility in search engine results pages and improve your rankings for specific keywords.

Q: How do you evaluate the effectiveness of your keyword strategy?

A: To evaluate the effectiveness of your keyword strategy, you should track your website’s rankings for your top keywords, monitor your website’s traffic and click-through rates, and analyse your website’s engagement metrics like bounce rate and time on page.

You should also track your website’s backlink profile and monitor how it changes over time. If you find that your keyword strategy isn’t delivering the results you want, you may need to adjust your approach and try new keywords or tactics.