Researching and Mapping SEO Keywords

Objective: Identify high-volume keywords that are relatively easy to target (meaning there is minimal competition from other websites) and align with your website’s niche. Organize these keywords based on search intent and demand, then develop an initial sitemap using the categorized keyword groups.

Perfect Result: Develop an all-encompassing keyword plan that your SEO experts and content creators can implement in the upcoming months.

Necessary conditions or requirements: None

Here’s why this matters: While it isn’t the sole factor in achieving outstanding Search Engine Optimization, keyword research stands as the most critical SEO activity. An effective keyword strategy can provide a competitive edge over major industry players, guide your next steps, influence hiring decisions, and determine investment levels. Your keyword strategy can guide the organization of your website and shape your content marketing schedule.

Where this takes place: In your browser, using a keyword research tool, and within a spreadsheet to help you manage all the keywords you discover.

When this is done:

1. Prior to developing or revamping your website.

2. Regularly, at a minimum of once annually, to keep your website’s SEO up to date.

3. Prior to launching your SEO or content marketing plan.

Who handles this: Whether it’s the SEO Specialist or a V/A you’ve trained to assist with keyword research and mapping, these tasks fall under their responsibilities. However, if you haven’t employed either one or engaged an agency for your digital marketing needs, you’ll need to manage it yourself.

Comprehending the SEO Keyword System Before Beginning

Prior to beginning, it’s important to comprehend the workings of the SEO keyword system:

• SEO keywords are the terms and phrases that people enter into search engines when they are looking for a business, specific information, or related content.
• The more effectively you optimize your website using these keywords, the higher the chance it will appear among the top results on a search engine results page.
• Remember that SEO encompasses more than just keywords; while they are an essential part of the optimization process, they are not the only factor.
• There are numerous tools available for conducting keyword research. Until fairly recently, Google’s Keyword Planner was the preferred option for SEO experts. However, Google has now begun to restrict both the quantity and quality of its recommendations, particularly for users who do not spend money on AdWords campaigns.
• Consequently, SEO experts have increasingly turned to alternative tools. Examples include KWFinder (10-day free trial), SEMRush (free with limited features but outstanding when upgraded), and SEOBook’s Keyword Tool (a reasonably good free option). For the purpose of this SOP, we’ll utilize KWFinder due to its superior quality-price balance.

Configuring the Environment

1. Register for KWFinder or request access if your organization already possesses an account.

2. Ensure that you have Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, or any other comparable tool available.

3. Equip yourself with patience. While the process isn’t particularly challenging, it can demand a significant amount of time. However, the greater the effort you dedicate, the more impressive your outcomes will be.

Conduct a Thorough Keyword Analysis

For the purpose of this SOP, we utilized a hypothetical wedding venue in New Hampshire that is currently in the process of creating its website and aims to ensure that couples can discover them when looking for venues on Google within the region.

As a result, the whole SOP is designed with this concept in mind, serving as an illustration of what a keyword research and mapping process should entail. Naturally, each step outlined will be tailored to meet the specific needs of your business.

1. Visit https://mangools.com/kwfinder/

2. Consider the keywords your prospective clients might use to locate your business. For illustration in this SOP, we’ll assume we are searching for a wedding venue in New Hampshire and begin from that point.

3. Specify your business’ location by using the box located in the center of the page. It’s initially set to “Anywhere,” but you can modify it by clicking on the box and inputting your preferred location.

a. We recommend starting with a wider geographical area, such as a country. From there, refine your search by incorporating a specific term (for example, “wedding venue New Hampshire,” which is the main keyword in our example). This method will assist you in discovering additional keywords that are both general and location-specific.

4. Input your search term in the field labeled “Enter the keyword.” Then, either click on the “Find keywords” button or press the “Enter” key on your keyboard.

a. A set of keywords will be displayed on the page. Beside each keyword, you’ll find the average number of monthly searches listed in the “Search” column and the ranking difficulty score shown in the “Difficulty” column.

5. Select the sorting parameters for the keyword list presented by KWFinder:

• “Suggestions”: This is the standard (and actually advised) sorting criterion; it will arrange the keywords according to their relevance in connection with the primary keyword you looked for (as in our example, “wedding venues New Hampshire”).
• “Search”: Choose this sorting option only if you’re focused solely on volume numbers (this is generally not advised as effective optimization requires considering both volume and search intent).

• “PPC” and “CPC” are filtering metrics applicable primarily when engaging in an online paid advertising campaign, such as Google’s PPC program. Therefore, you’ll likely not require these metrics for keyword research and mapping.
• “Diff” will organize the keyword list based on the difficulty level of each keyword. Before applying this criterion, ensure that you have generated difficulty scores for any keywords that have not yet been evaluated (refer to the instructions below).
• Check the keyword difficulty score located in the “KD” column. If a score is not displayed, click the magnifying glass icon, and KWFinder will calculate one using the latest data. It’s essential to do this for every keyword that holds significance and relevance for your business, as you’ll be compiling them into a list later.

6. Mark each keyword that you consider appropriate for your website. Be mindful of the search intent (what you believe users were looking to discover when they entered that specific term), the search demand (the average number of monthly searches), and the keyword’s difficulty.

a. Right now, you don’t need to be overly concerned about choosing extremely broad or diverse topics; the goal is to compile a thorough list of pertinent keywords.

7. Incorporate the selected keywords into your list by clicking the green “Add to list” button located at the bottom of the page. If you’re starting a new project, you need to create a fresh list (for example, “New Hampshire Wedding Keyword Research”). If you have previously worked on this project, just choose the existing list where you want these keywords to be added.

8. After you have finished choosing keywords from the initial list generated by KWFinder, it’s essential to delve deeper into your research. Achieve this by examining each keyword on the list and looking for its associated keywords. You can do this by clicking the arrow next to the keyword.

9. After completing your work on the “Suggestions” tab (which is set as the default), proceed to carry out the same keyword research steps on the “Autocomplete” tab. This section will show you results akin to what Google’s Autocomplete feature would provide, such as when Google finishes your search query for you. Using the “Autocomplete” function in KWFinder can uncover additional keywords for your website’s optimization.

10. Apply the same keyword research technique using the “Questions” tab. This will generate a list of search terms framed as questions. Utilizing this feature, you may need to focus on more general keywords (such as “wedding venue” rather than “wedding venue in New Hampshire,” for instance). The keyword phrases you choose are likely to serve as great topics for blog posts, so be sure to include the appropriate ones in your list.

11. Keep in mind that patience is crucial in this process. Ideally, you should be identifying keywords and compiling an extensive list. Aim to gather as many keywords as possible! If your competitors neglect this step, developing a solid keyword strategy will give you a significant edge over them.

Organize Your Keywords

1. After successfully compiling an extensive keyword list, transfer it to your computer. To do this, simply click the “Export” button located at the bottom of the KWFinder list (adjacent to the “Add to list” option). You have the choice to either copy the list to your clipboard or save it as a .csv file.

2. Import the .csv file into Google Sheets (or any spreadsheet application you prefer). To accomplish this, open your spreadsheet software and load the keyword list (navigate to File -> Open, then choose the .csv file).

3. Create a duplicate of your sheet to ensure you always have a backup. Label these sheets as “Canonical List” for the original version and “Keyword Mapping Blueprint” for the one you’ll work on. From this point forward, focus solely on the “Keyword Mapping Blueprint” sheet.

4. Align all the text to the center and then expand your cells to ensure that all crucial information is visible.

5. Apply a filter to your columns and organize the entries based on “Search Volume.”

6. Eliminate any columns that are currently irrelevant to you (such as the CPC and PPC Competition columns).

7. Sort keywords based on search intent by organizing them into distinct, smaller groups, which we’ll refer to as “buckets.”

a. For instance, the phrases “wedding venue in nh” and “nh wedding venues” share identical search intent (users are looking to discover available venues within the specified area, indicating a location-specific search targeted at New Hampshire).

b. Conversely, the term “New England wedding venue” expands the search (indicating that the goal is to locate wedding venues not only in New Hampshire but throughout the whole New England area).

8. Assign new names to each of these buckets based on the site pages where they would be most suitable.

a. In our case, the keywords related to New Hampshire wedding venues were categorized under “/wedding-venue” (which would function as a homepage).

b. Conversely, the keywords related to New England wedding venues were categorized under “/new-England-wedding-venues” (which might be an entirely separate page and could potentially link to competitors).

9. Certain keywords might not align with any specific category. Place these in an “Outlier” bucket. These can be useful ideas for generating blog topics, or you can refine your keyword research by inputting each of them back into the KWFinder and repeating the same procedure from scratch. Yes, once more. 🙂

10. To simplify the process, apply distinct background colors to each bucket you establish in your spreadsheet.

11. After categorizing all keywords into separate buckets, eliminate any empty columns and consolidate the buckets into the same columns. Ensure they’re clearly separated, perhaps by leaving several empty rows among the groups.

12. These categories will form the base of your website. While you might not be able to incorporate every single one, they will provide a clear understanding of the structure your site should have and guide you on the keywords to implement for optimizing each individual page.

Leverage Your Keyword Map to Inform Your Business Decisions

After completing your keyword research and mapping, you might be tempted to proceed directly to implementing them on your website. However, to maximize the advantages of your efforts, consider using your keyword buckets for business calculations and making informed decisions based on those insights.

From analyzing the total number of monthly visitors to your website to estimating the potential revenue your business could earn, there are numerous ways to leverage each of the buckets you have categorized. Here are some actions to consider if you aim to gain a deeper understanding of your potential market and identify the key user intent to concentrate on:

1. Begin by inserting a row labeled “Total Monthly Volume.” Choose the cell where you want the cumulative monthly searches to appear. Navigate to the “Functions” option in Google Sheets, opt for “SUM,” and then highlight the cells you wish to total. The tool will automatically calculate and show the sum.

2. Next, add a row titled “Expected CTR of #1 Result” (with “CTR” standing for “Click-Through-Ratio”). Typically, this figure ranges from 35% to 40%, but for illustration purposes here, we’ll use 40% (represented as “0.4” in the spreadsheet).

3. Third, add a row for “TAM” (Total Addressable Market). This represents the “Total Monthly Volume” of the category or bucket multiplied by the “Expected CTR of the #1 Result.” To compute this, enter “=” in the cell, then select the cell for “Total Monthly Volume” (B18 in our example), followed by “*,” and then choose the cell for “Expected CTR of #1 Result” (B19 in our example). For instance, the formula will look like this: “=B18*B19”.

4. Add an additional row labeled “Expected Conversion Rate.” If you’re aware of your pages’ conversion rate, input that figure as an initial estimate. If you do not know the conversion rate, you can apply a general approximation. In this example, a 1% rate (entered as “0.01” in the spreadsheet) is used, but remember that this figure will differ significantly between businesses.

5. Include an additional row for “Total Monthly Conversions” and apply the same method you used to determine the “Total Monthly Volume” (multiply “TAM” by the “Expected Conversion Rate”).

6. Add an additional row labeled “Top Line Revenue” (representing the gross revenue generated from each conversion) and another labeled “Bottom Line Revenue” (indicating the net revenue earned from each conversion). These figures can differ significantly between businesses, but for our example, we used $10,000 as the Top Line and $5,000 as the Bottom Line.

7. Add two new rows titled “Monthly Top Line” and “Monthly Bottom Line.” Calculate their values by multiplying “Monthly Conversions” with “Top Line Revenue” and “Bottom Line Revenue,” respectively.

8. Remember, these estimations are influenced by numerous factors, such as the average monthly searches, which might not be accurate, and your conversion rate, which can significantly differ from one business to another and from one location to another. Therefore, this is merely an approximate valuation. However, it can provide you with a basic understanding of the potential benefits of having a well-optimized website.

You’re Never Truly Finished!

From the beginning, we’ve maintained that keyword research and mapping are not particularly challenging tasks. However, they are indeed quite time-consuming. Be meticulous and relentless. Pursue it to the extent that your vision blurs, your friends no longer recognize you, and your children leave for college without you realizing it.

To be frank, it’s an ongoing process since there will continually be new opportunities in search. Searchers’ intentions evolve over time, trends evolve, and keywords also undergo transformations. Therefore, it’s essential that your SEO strategy evolves with emerging trends. This necessitates regularly repeating the research and mapping process with unwavering persistence and dedication.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is SEO keyword research?

SEO keyword research involves discovering and examining the terms and phrases that individuals use when conducting online searches. This process aids businesses in understanding what potential customers are seeking and how to optimize their content to fulfill those needs. Given that over 90% of online experiences begin with a search engine, effective keyword research is crucial for driving traffic to a website.

How important is keyword mapping for SEO?

Keyword mapping is a critical component of SEO as it involves assigning target keywords to specific pages on your website. This strategy helps ensure that each page is optimized for the most relevant terms, improving the site’s overall structure and search engine visibility. In fact, a comprehensive keyword mapping approach has been shown to improve rankings on search engine results pages by up to 25%.

What tools can help with keyword research and mapping?

Several SEO tools can assist with keyword research and mapping, including Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz. These tools provide insights into search volume, keyword difficulty, and competitive analysis, making it easier to identify high-potential keywords for your site. According to statistics, websites with well-implemented keyword research and mapping strategies can experience a 40% boost in organic traffic.

How do I find high-ranking keywords for my website?

Finding high-ranking keywords involves using keyword research tools to identify terms with high search volume and low competition. It’s essential to focus on keywords that are relevant to your business and target audience. Utilizing long-tail keywords in your content can also be beneficial, as they typically result in a 55% higher conversion rate compared to generic keywords.

What factors should I consider when selecting keywords for my content?

When selecting keywords for your content, consider factors such as search volume, keyword difficulty, relevance to your audience, and the intent behind the search. It’s important to choose keywords that not only attract visitors but also align with what your audience is looking for. Additionally, well-selected keywords can enhance your site’s ability to meet user needs, leading to better engagement and higher rankings.

Elevate Your SEO Strategy with Expert Assistance 

In conclusion, mastering the art of researching and mapping SEO keywords is essential for driving your website’s visibility and success. An effective keyword strategy provides a competitive edge, guiding your SEO efforts and content creation. If you’re looking to elevate your SEO game but lack the in-house expertise, consider partnering with Virtual Sherpa. We connect you with virtual agents who are meticulously trained to assist with your SEO needs, ensuring that your business reaches its full potential in search results. Let Virtual Sherpa help you navigate the complexities of SEO, freeing you to focus on what you do best.