Developing an SEO strategy is a creative process that involves tasks like data analysis, predictive analysis, and estimation of current, past and future trends of the internet.
Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to making an SEO plan.
What you need is to take all that you have into consideration and come up with a plan that makes sense.
More often than not, this is done through a keyword research brainstorming session.
Six Keyword Research Brainstorming Tips for Top-Notch SEO
Here are six top-notch tips that can help you get the most value out of your keyword research brainstorming session:
1. The first thing that pops into one’s mind
The first thing you need to understand is the fact that an average search engine user types the first thing that pops into their mind into the search box.
Needless to say, this idea needs to be your starting point.
This should be your seed keyword so make sure that you go as simple as possible (even limiting yourself to one or two words).
From this point on, you can start working on variations.
Try considering synonyms, rephrasing or inflectional alterations of the same word. Just keep in mind to type what you believe people will actually look for, not just what is possible.
2. A quest for something unique
In order to be effective in a competitive industry, your keyword needs to be unique (or as unique as possible).
The simplest way to make this work is to go for a long-tail version of the keyword. Start with seed keywords (like before) and then use a specialized tool like Google Keyword Planner to get some ideas.
When doing so, make sure that the keyword in question is:
A. relevant (high average number of monthly searches) and;
B. not in use by too many of your competitors (marked as low in competition line).
Another thing you need to keep in mind is the fact that you shouldn’t settle for anything but the very best.
Think of it this way, the ideas that you come up with will determine the future course of your business, as well as its success rate.
This is why you need to give it your very best and don’t wrap things up as soon as you come with something that is ‘good enough’.
You can even split this into several smaller meetings if this is what it takes to get the job done.
3. Use adequate tools
The simplest way for you to identify this unique keyword is to go for adequate tools that can make your job a lot easier.
These don’t have to be complex premium software and sometimes by just using Google Suggest as your guiding beacon, you can indeed achieve quite a lot.
Other than this, you should probably also use Yahoo Search, Soovle and Google Trends, as well as check out platforms like Wikipedia and Amazon in order to see what kind of answers they have to offer.
In other words, you need to use whichever platform can provide you with some insight into the mind of your average user.
One more thing that you need to keep in mind is the fact that different people use these platforms differently.
Millennials are using the internet differently from members of Generation Z, while baby boomers are an entirely different thing.
You need to adjust your strategy based on your primary demographic target, which is definitely not a simple thing.
4. Make necessary preparations
Keep in mind that in order to increase the effectiveness of the process, you might need to work a bit on the conditions of your brainstorming, to begin with.
First of all, if your team is too big, make sure to pick people who represent different demographics (age group, sex, origin, position in your company, etc.).
Second, prepare all the materials, finds and tools that you’re going to use beforehand.
Other than this, it is also quite important that the office has all the necessary tech in the form of a projector or a well-positioned TV installation so that everyone has access to the visual data being presented.
Painting the room in blue or yellow can also be quite stimulating.
Yet, if you aim to make the screen into the focal point of the room, you should also pick a non-reflective hue, in order to enhance the overall effect.
Whiteboards are a somewhat traditional, yet, effective technique for your brainstorming efforts.
There are so many options and it’s up to you to pick those methods that suit your team the best.
5. Study your competition
Now, this issue may sound controversial but there is nothing wrong with just checking out what is taken by others so that you can avoid it.
Moreover, this provides you with some much-needed user insight, seeing as how it puts you in a different perspective from what you have when reviewing your own online presence.
Check out their website in professional tools like Ahrefs and then do the same for your own domain.
This way, you’ll see all the parameters in which they outperform you, which will help you figure out which elements of your digital presence need the improvement most urgently.
6. Try talking to customers
Sometimes, the best way to understand how people think is to take some necessary steps to get to know them. In other words, it’s time for you to start gathering feedback.
First of all, you might want to learn a bit more about the habits of your own target demographic, due to the fact that they may use the internet somewhat differently than an average user does.
This is particularly true if a sizable part of your audience consists of baby boomers.
As you can see, the list of things to improve your keyword research brainstorming sessions for your SEO ranges from the methods that you can use all the way to tech innovation and organization of your workspace.
Keep in mind that in a field this competitive, you have to do all that it takes to remain on top of the game. With all that in mind, this is a small price to pay indeed.
Diana Smith is a full-time mom of two beautiful girls interested in the latest SEO and social media news.
