Inbound Marketing Plan: How to do Keyword Research

A?First Step to an Inbound Marketing Plan is Keyword Research

Are you developing an inbound marketing plan? If so, one of your earliest steps will be to build a list of relevant and popular keywords. Keyword research is a critical step in any effective inbound marketing plan. It drives your search engine ranking as well as the effectiveness of any pay-per-click strategy that you may implement.

Just follow this simple three step process to develop your list of targeted and popular keywords. Then strategically use those keywords in your site’s copy and in your pay-per-click campaign to draw visitors into your site.

Here’s an easy step-by-step guide to get you started:

1. Create an initial list of possible keywords.

The goal in this first step is to create as large a list as possible from which you can cull the best keywords. At this point, don’t worry about whether the keywords are good or not. Just think about whether they may be relevant.

A good first step is to simply brainstorm keywords. Think about a few different types. Obviously, the name of your business should be in some of the keywords. Also, include the names of various products that you sell. One good strategy is to use your competitors as keywords. Then people will see your site when they’re searching for a competitor.

Also, think about how your target audience may type in the keywords. They’ll likely won’t just type in the keyword, but rather a phrase, such as:

• What is the best ___________?
• Negative reviews about __________.
• Should I buy _____________?

Finally, look for outside help in gathering your list. Take a look at your competitors websites. Browse relevant forums. Look at the terms that customers use when they review products online. Between all of those sources and your own knowledge, you should be able to create a pretty broad list.

2. Use a keyword research tool to refine your list.

The first step will give you a good base for your keyword list. The next step is to go straight to the source and find out when keywords may work best. You can use a keyword research tool to eliminate some of your keywords, and maybe add some new ones.

There are a lot of keyword research tools out there. The best one, though, is free. It’s Google’s Adwords Keyword Research Tool. You can use it to see how many searches each of your keywords is getting and how much the typical bid price is one each word.

When you put in a keyword, you’ll also get a list of similar keywords. Look through those for inspiration on new words that you may need to add. If you see that a keyword on your list isn’t getting much traffic, you may want to eliminate it.

3. Drill down your list to the best words.

The final step is to find the 15 or 20 words that work best for you. There are a few ways to do this. First, look at the competition tab in the Google keyword planner. Ideally, you’d like to find some words that get good traffic with low competition.

Also, search for the words in Google to see what comes up. You may see that certain keywords seem to align more closely with your services than others. Finally, take a look to see what keywords pull up your direct competitors. You can try to win those words or cut a different path.

Keyword research doesn’t have to be difficult. This three-step process should get you off to a good start on formulating your keyword list and launching your inbound marketing plan.

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Marketing Matters Inbound?is an inbound marketing firm specializing in online conversions, content?strategy, PPC campaigns and traditional media placement. Our experience in?B2B digital?marketing?and?traditional media?allows us to deliver results through a strategic media mix. We believe in?aligning and merging marketing and sales/operations for optimal return on your marketing investment.