Are you a Guelph business owner? Do you need keyword research to get ahead in an already saturated market? It doesn’t matter if you own a local restaurant, have a clothing retail shop, or a service-based brick and mortar; people are seeking them online. But you need to compete to make your brand known. One surefire way to make sure your brand gets recognized is to do keyword research to find the best words and phrases for targeting. But how do you find the right keywords for your Guelph business? This is how to find keywords that will serve your immediate purpose and help increase your SEO.
Why Are Keywords Important For Guelph Businesses?
Keywords are the terms and phrases that people search for when they go on Google to find products, services, and general inquiries. Therefore, it’s essential that local companies use relevant keywords to make sure their company is on the first page of results as opposed to the infinite black hole.
For example, if you are a Guelph bakery, you want to be in the rankings for “Guelph bakery” or “best cupcakes in Guelph.” If you are, it means that Google believes your company is associated with the search query results and therefore, more likely to link your listings to potential customers.
Step 1: Generate Your Own Keywords
Begin by creating a brainstorm of any products, services, or information that your business provides. You need to consider the thoughts of your consumer. Ask yourself:
- What problem are they trying to fix?
- What questions would they have?
- What would they need to search to find my business?
For example, if you’re a plumber in Guelph, you may come up with “emergency plumber Guelph,” “Guelph plumbers,” and “how to fix leaky faucet Guelph.”
Step 2: Narrow It Down With Keyword Research Tools
After you’ve come up with your keyword ideas, it’s time to narrow it down using keyword research tools. These will give you search volume, competition, and suggestions of other relevant keywords. Some reputable sites include:
- Google Keyword Planner: A free tool from Google that shows volume and competition for keywords.
- Ubersuggest: Another keyword search tool that provides ideas, volume, and difficulty scores.
- AnswerThePublic: Shows the questions and phrases people are asking about your topic.
So, for example, if you typed in “Guelph bakery” in Google Keyword Planner, it would spit out “Guelph gluten-free bakery” or “Guelph wedding cakes.”
Step 3: Use Local Keywords
You want local keywords. If you’re a Guelph business, local keywords are terms relevant to your business and include your city or geographic location. They help Google know you’re relevant to those searching in the area. Examples include:
- “Salon Guelph”
- “Massage Guelph”
- “Hair stylist Guelph”
- “Electrician Guelph”
Don’t forget neighboring regions or towns like “Downtown Guelph” or “Guelph Ontario” to potentially cast an even larger net.
Step 4: Research Your Rivals
Research your rivals. Enter the keywords you’re considering and see who ranks in your space. Use SEMrush or Ahrefs to explore what keywords they’ve chosen and how you may be able to find a hole in their strategy.
For example, if you see that someone ranks for “Guelph landscaping,” but not “Guelph affordable landscaping,” you can use that keyword.
Step 5: Use Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that usually have less search volume, but more intent. For example, when you’re in the market to buy a gym membership, you may search “Guelph gym with personal training” or “Guelph gym for beginners” instead of the broader “Guelph gym.” These are less competitive and easier for conversion with customers already in the buying stage.
Step 6: Optimize Your Site and Content
Now that you’ve found your keyword target, it’s time to implement the keywords. Here’s how to optimize your content and site:
- Title Tags: Each page of your site should have a title that contains your target keyword.
- Meta Descriptions: Each page of your site should have a compelling meta description that includes your keyword.
- Headers: Include keywords in H1, H2, and H3.
- Content: Include keywords where applicable in blogs, product descriptions, and service pages.
- Alt Text: Include keywords in the alt text of all images you have.
For example, if you’re a florist in Guelph, write a blog post “5 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Flowers in Guelph” and spread that keyword throughout your content.
Step 7: Track and Adjust
Always be tracking and adjusting. Use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your keyword rankings and more. Use Google to get your website traffic info. Change a keyword if it’s not working the way you want it to.
Conclusion
Don’t worry about finding significant keywords for your Guelph business. All you need to do is think a little, check out a few keyword generator tools, find some localized keywords, but make sure you’re optimizing your website appropriately surrounding them, and you’ll be good to go for better rankings and more in-store traffic. Just remember that SEO takes time and effort, but it works.
Ready to take your Guelph business to the next level? Call SEO Guelph today and see how we can help you gain a competitive ranking for local search!