Since Google started using the Hummingbird in September 2013, the idea of keyword research as part of the online marketing strategy has become somewhat played down. Until the launch of Hummingbird, keyword research was pretty simple and straightforward. Many people may be misled into believing that keyword research has become complicated or ineffective. In fact, not much has changed since the launch of Hummingbird.
Google has simply changed the way its algorithm works to focus more on the semantic aspect of the keywords. The search results focus more on what users intend to find than on the exactitude of the keywords. To create effective keywords that increase traffic to a website, it is absolutely important to understand the nature of the website, its products, and the search words and terms that customers will normally use to look for similar websites and products. So understanding the user search terms is the secret of creating effective keywords.
You will gain more insight into the competition by understanding the websites that rank for your major keywords. You will also know a high value keyword from the search ads appearing at the top right-hand side of the organic search results. By understanding the keywords that allow users to find your competitor’s website, you will be able to easily choose relevant keywords for your website or product page.
Bing Adcenter and Google AdWords are valuable tools for keyword research especially for beginners. You can choose exact match for keywords you want to rank and point the traffic to your website or sales page. When choosing keywords, it is important to understand that long tail keywords convert more than single words. For instance, someone searching for “best books” will be just curious to know what is out there in the market, but the person searching for “the best rice recipe books” will certainly be ready to buy something.
It is crucial to understand the search demand curve if you are to drive traffic that convert to your website. The keyword search exercise has been simplified by the tools in the market. You can start with Bing Ads Intelligence, Google AdWords, and Google Trends.