Digital marketing is a tricky arena to play in because even something as small as word choice can be the difference between a successful and a fruitless marketing campaign. Keyword research and implementation is an important component of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for manufacturers. As one of the best SEO companies for manufacturers, Vive retains first-hand knowledge of the criticality of conducting and implementing keyword research effectively. Keywords not only boost your site’s visibility but can also provide increased exposure to an audience better catered to your offerings.
Like most things, having a solid foundational knowledge is crucial to proper and strategic execution. Allow today’s blog to act as a comprehensive guide on how B2B manufacturing companies should conduct keyword research and seamlessly integrate it into their digital marketing initiatives.
Understanding and Conducting Keyword Research
Keyword research is the process of identifying target words and phrases that potential customers frequently use to search for products, services, or information related to your business. Adopting a customer-first mindset is a common business tactic to ensure that a company is addressing key customer needs. That same logic applies here.
Keyword research requires you to step out of your shoes as a business owner and into shoes as a customer. Walk the mental paths that your customer would in order to find the products or services your business offers. This can be one of the most challenging aspects of keyword research as it can be largely based on assumptions. Thankfully, there are several tools of the trade available to help with identifying the top keywords in your industry.
Recommended Tools
Some of the most popular keyword research tools are:
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- Google Keyword Planner: Provides keyword ideas and traffic estimates based on historical data from Google’s search engine.
- SEMrush: Offers comprehensive keyword research functionalities including keyword difficulty, competitor analysis, and related keyword suggestions.
- Ahrefs: Known for its powerful backlink analysis, Ahrefs also provides powerful keyword research features such as keyword difficulty score and SERP overview.
- io: Generates long-tail keyword ideas related to your topic from Google autocomplete.
Researching Tips
Research can be daunting, so here are a few tips to aid with your keyword researching process:
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- Incorporate long-tail keywords (phrases containing three of more words) because they often have higher conversion rates due to their specificity. AnswerThePublic generates long-tail keywords in the form of questions and prepositions based on people’s searches.
- Use Google Autocomplete to identify popular searches. Type a keyword into the Google search bar and see what auto-populates as a result.
- Employ a tool like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz to determine the level of ranking difficulty associated with the specific keyword based on competition.
- Look for and favor keywords that maintain a balance of decent search volume and manageable competition.
- If your business has a physical location, appeal to your local audience by incorporating keywords catered to local search queries, such as location-based keywords, or by optimizing your Google My Business
Implementing Keywords Strategically
Now that you’ve identified your target keywords, you can begin integrating them across your digital marketing channels. There are multiple checkpoints or points for consideration that can help with the integration of keywords.
1) SEO Optimization – Is your website optimized for search engines?
Keywords should be naturally woven into your website content. Incorporate keywords into your website’s meta tags (title tags and meta descriptions), headers (H1, H2, etc.) and URLs. It’s important to have a balanced ratio of keywords versus content; avoid overuse of keywords as it can ultimately harm your SEO efforts.
2) Keyword Placement – Are your keywords strategically placed throughout your content?
Elevate your SEO strategies for manufacturing by including your primary keyword near the beginning of the title tag and within the introductory paragraph. It’s also helpful to include variations of your keywords in the meta description, headings, throughout the content, and within the conclusion paragraph.
3) Keyword Synonyms and Variations – Are you using a variation of your keywords?
Use synonyms or variations of your keywords to avoid redundancy, keep your content fresh, and capture a broader range of related search queries.
4) Image and Alt Text Optimization – Are your images and alt text optimized with your keywords?
Add descriptive filenames that include your target keywords to the image content. You should also add meaningful alt text for images that provide a description integrated with keywords. These optimization efforts contribute to accessibility and SEO.
5) Content Creation: Is your content high-quality, engaging, and relevant?
Keywords are meant to draw attention to the other content on the page, so it’s critical to develop high-quality content that aligns with the intent of your chosen keywords. Your content should provide value to the reader and answer their queries.
Monitoring and Refinement
When it comes to manufacturers marketing, the best way to stay on your A-game is to assume there’s no off-season. Keyword research requires continuous dedication and refinement. Follow these guidelines and adjust your strategy accordingly to maintain your momentum with your keyword optimization:
Performance Tracking
Using analytics tools, regularly evaluate the performance of your keywords to determine which keywords are top performers in terms of traffic, engagement, and conversions.
Competitor Analysis
Keep an eye on your competitors’ keyword strategies because they may take a different approach to keyword implementation. Close monitoring of your competitors gives you the upper hand because you can leverage that knowledge to refine your approach based on the gaps or opportunities you’ve noticed in their strategy.
Analyzing your competitors is made much easier by keyword tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, and SpyFu. With these tools, you can analyze your competitor’s keywords, their rankings, and the keywords they bid on for pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns.
Alternatively, you can take a manual approach and visit competitors’ websites and analyze their content and meta tags to see which keywords they are targeting.
Adapt to Trends
Adaptability is a key trait of any successful marketing strategy, and the same goes for keyword research and implementation. It’s best not to have your list of keywords set in stone, as they are likely to evolve as industry trends and search algorithms change. Be prepared to routinely adjust your keyword strategy to align with evolving search behaviors and market demands. Google Trends and social media, such as Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, can help you identify and learn about trending topics and keywords.
Takeaways
Keywords can significantly influence the visibility of your content and boost your ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). When getting started with keywords, it’s important to understand the scope of work it entails. Thorough research and strategic implementation are vital to the successful execution of keyword marketing for manufacturers. By mastering keyword research and strategically implementing it into your digital marketing initiatives, you can enhance your online visibility, attract qualified traffic, and ultimately drive higher conversions. Remember, the key lies not just in finding the right keywords, but in using them effectively to create valuable experiences for your audience.
Stay tuned for our next blog, in which we will take a deeper dive into the tools that can assist in your SEO efforts. If you’re looking for professional guidance with your digital marketing endeavors, we know just the right team to help. At Vive, we utilize our specialized knowledge as a manufacturing marketing agency to develop and deploy SEO strategies for manufacturers that increase their web visibility and elevate their content strategy. Contact us today to bring your marketing game to a new level!
