Targeting every keyword you might rank for isn’t practical or an efficient use of your resources.
Instead, focus on comparing keywords to find those with the highest potential for your SEO and paid search efforts.
This guide will teach you to compare keywords based on search volume, keyword difficulty, and other factors. This way, you can choose target terms that align well with your business goals.
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Why Comparing Keywords is Essential
Comparing keywords allows you to select target terms that match your priorities. It ensures you invest in keywords with the highest potential ROI.
When executed correctly, keyword comparisons can boost your search result visibility, attract more visitors to your website, and increase conversions.
For instance, imagine you own an e-commerce store that sells unique coffee mugs, and you want to boost sales through organic traffic.
Using a keyword research tool, you identify the following keyword options:
- “handmade coffee mugs”
- “customized coffee mug”
- “funny coffee mugs”
How do you determine which keyword to target?
You need data to answer questions like:
- Is my website authoritative enough to rank for this keyword?
- What type of content do searchers find most useful for this term?
- What’s the potential maximum traffic this keyword could drive to my website?
- When is the optimal time to target this keyword, or does timing not matter?
In the next section, we’ll discuss how to gather the information necessary to answer these questions.
Tips to Compare Keywords
Utilizing a reliable keyword research tool allows you to view specific metrics and attributes for each search term. It determines if a keyword is suitable for your website or ad campaigns.
Though reputed SEO or Search Engine Optimization agencies can handle this task the best, here are eight methods through which you can also compare your options and find the best ones:
Compare Your Options by Keyword Difficulty
The difficulty of obtaining a high rank for a particular keyword in organic search results is measured by the keyword difficulty (KD%). A lower percentage indicates an easier keyword to rank for.
Marketers can use this data to target keywords where their websites have a higher chance of ranking well.
Consider Search Volume
Search volume, which is usually displayed as monthly search volume in the majority of keyword research tools, is the number of times a keyword is searched in a specific time frame.
By comparing keyword search volumes, you can estimate the potential traffic each keyword might bring to your website. And it will surely help you prioritize which keywords to target.
For instance, if your goal is to double your organic search traffic in six months, focusing primarily on keywords with low search volumes may not be the best strategy.
Keep an Eye on Search Intent
The term “search intent” describes the motivation behind a user’s Google or other search engine query.
Understanding search intent helps you determine what content will be most useful to searchers. If your content doesn’t align with the search intent, your chances of ranking well get significantly reduced.
There are four types of search intent:
Transactional: Users want to take action, such as making a purchase (e.g., “buy coffee machine”).
Commercial: Users want to compare options (e.g., “best coffee machine”).
Informational: Users seek information on a subject. (e.g., “how to clean a coffee machine”).
Navigational: Users want to connect with a specific page or site (e.g., “Philips home appliances”).
Compare by CPC (Cost Per Click)
A keyword’s Cost Per Click (CPC) denotes the average amount advertisers pay to an ad platform each time a user clicks on an ad triggered by that keyword. Keywords with high competition typically have a higher CPC.
By comparing the CPC of various keywords, you can optimize your ad spend and avoid allocating your budget solely to highly competitive keywords.
Follow the Trend
In keyword research, trend refers to how the interest in a particular keyword changes over a period, typically over the past 12 months.
Comparing keywords using trend data helps you identify which keywords are increasing or decreasing in popularity. It enables you to prioritize keywords with high growth potential or those that consistently maintain user interest.
Compare by Seasonality
Some keywords experience fluctuations in popularity based on seasonal trends.
Comparing keywords using seasonality data allows you to identify which terms are ideal for seasonal promotions and which are better suited for evergreen content.
For instance, if you’re a swimwear retailer in Australia, you would notice that interest in the keyword “Swimsuit” peaks around December each year. This makes it suitable for an annual advertising campaign. On the other hand, a keyword like “Swimming” shows a more consistent trend, making it better suited for website content that is not tied to specific seasonal timing.
Take into Account the SERP Features
SERP (Search Engine Results Page) features are search results beyond traditional website links. These features can attract more attention than standard results. Comparing keywords based on SERP features helps you identify terms that offer more opportunities to connect with your audience.
Google offers various SERP features, including People Also Ask (PAA) sections, featured snippets, and knowledge panels. Understanding which keywords trigger these features can guide your SEO strategy toward maximizing visibility and engagement.
Compare by Competition Level
The competition level indicates how many other websites and advertisers are targeting the same keyword. Higher competition generally means challenging to rank organically or more expensive to bid on in a paid search.
By comparing keywords based on their competition level, you can prioritize those where you have a better chance of standing out or achieving a lower cost-per-click (CPC) in your advertising campaigns. This strategic approach helps optimize your resources and improve your overall keyword targeting effectiveness.
Just like how proper web design and development are essential for a site, SEO is also an unavoidable element. And to get the most out of SEO, you need to focus on keyword selection. So, follow the ways provided above for your next SEO optimization project.
Use the Power of Keyword Comparison to Rank High
Comparing keywords ensures you choose terms that match your business objectives, optimize resource allocation, and achieve superior outcomes.
Using a comprehensive suite of tools and following the tips, you can efficiently sift through numerous keywords and identify those that will propel you toward your goals.