By far the most widely used keyword planner is the free version available from Google. But recently, more brands like SEMRush and others have opted to provide new versions that are considered “premium”, let’s take a closer look at the these tools:
Getting started with the latest keyword planning tools
Keywords in blog posts or articles are used in a similar way to the way hashtags are used by instagram or they can even be compared to the way hash values (hashing) are used in computer programming. In essence keywords function as an index; they are used to help the reader / user discover your content more efficiently and quickly and you the creator can use keywords to target specific audiences that you believe would be most interested in your content.
Basically when creating content you should always keep in mind the importance of using the proper keywords that will help your content get discovered and noticed by the most people possible. Even if you write the most compelling piece of journalistic writing if nobody ends up reading it then your content doesn’t serve its purpose – to benefit and add value to your audience.
Don’t sacrifice the quality of your content over keywords
Content Marketing and Keywords go hand in hand when it comes to creating compelling content that creates value for users and higher search traffic for blogs and websites.
Keywords should work for your content and not against it. You should stay away from keyword stuffing tactics that don’t take into account the flow of your writing and the meaning you want to convey.
You want content that satisfies a need or a want; constantly creating value for your customers, users or readers. Researching your content and backing it up with trustworthy sources helps make what you’re writing more credible. Stick to the EAT formula, i.e Expertise, Authority, and Trust, which is a fancy way to say stick to writing what you know, if you are an expert in the field of health insurance then write about that.
A keyword planner can also help you research and “spy” on the competition; getting insights on what competitors are writing about and what keywords they are ranking for can help you create your own content on popular subjects that are already doing well. It’s not wrong to base your content on what competitors are doing as long as you elevate the existing standards and offer something extra.
Pro tip: remember when doing your keyword research to use long-tail keywords that are more specific to the content that you are creating. Don’t just use shorter keywords that might be searched for more often like “Keyword planners”, instead you can target more specific longer phrase keywords such as “best keyword planners for small businesses” that might have lower traffic but a higher conversion rate, targeting a more specific audience.
Which are the best keyword planners out there?
Speaking of the Best Keyword Planners you might want to check out Sitetrail’s comparison guide on the top paid and free keyword planners at the moment. From your classic Google keyword planner to Ahrefs, Semrush along with free planners such as Wordstream and Infinite Suggest.
How can keyword planners help elevate your content?
Keywords are purely descriptive. Choose keywords that are first of all relevant to your post, to your blog or to what you’re writing about at the moment. Popularity of keywords is secondary. Also try to minimize content overlap, make sure that no two pages are so alike that they risk competing for visibility on the same keywords.
Figure out what your “thesis statement” is. What core idea does your post, article or page express? Think about which questions your post / page could answer and then imagine what you would type into a search engine to answer these questions. Your primary keyword should always be the one that is the most relevant to that page’s content.
Determine which keyword or keywords correspond to the search audience most likely to be satisfied by reading your page by doing some keyword brainstorming. This is where keyword planners can come into play and really help you determine the most relevant and popular keywords for your specific audience. Create audience personas that can help you plan your content so it aims at the most valuable visitors / readers.
Keywords that have a high CPC (Cost Per Click) rate tend to also have a high conversion rate and end up helping you ultimately generate more money/income for your business.
Final takeaway: Start by writing about the things that you love and are passionate about. Then use keyword planning tools to target the right audiences that are most likely to enjoy and value that content. Keep your content authentic – focusing on bringing real value to your users/readers. Researching your competitors and using all of the relevant keywords is important if you want to gain more traffic, but if your content isn’t really up to par then you will fail to keep your users engaged, losing them in the long run.
