subject: Keyword Research - Why Bother? [print this page] "Every long journey, starts with a single step" says Confucius. And with every successful SEO campaign, one must start with proper keyword research. Think of it as the first step. If you think it is too trivial, think again.
Keyword research is more than just knowing which keywords to use for a campaign, it also determines the direction of your campaign in relation to whatever key phrase you are targeting.
A lot of business owners may have several keywords in mind, but that alone is not enough. It is important to find out which keywords to use that are worth optimizing for. Because the most obvious keyword to rank for is also obvious for every other business. If you choose a keyword that is used by a number of other businesses, then it will be difficult to rank for it. If you choose one that has thousands of competitors, then this will make ranking for it, near impossible.
Three key areas in keyword research is important to understand.
The first is relevance. Is the phrase relevant to your site or business?
Then there is search frequency. Ask yourself, do people even wish to search for the phrase you chose?
Then finally, there is competition. How many others are ranking for this phrase or keyword? Is it feasible to rank for it? Or nigh impossible?
The right and proper keyword research is therefore the foundation of your SEO campaign. And as we all know, build something with a shaky foundation, and everything will fall. But build from a solid one, then watch it all rise. Same goes with SEO, solid keyword research means a solid campaign. Shaky research, shaky campaign. Simple as that. This is why you should bother.
Don't think of keyword research as an extraneous step you could forego, because more often than not, your success rides on how thorough and well-thought out your research is.
