4 Secrets of How to Research Keywords For Winning Blog Posts

Can you keep a Secret?

Here’s the step-by-step method I use to research keywords when I write an article using WordPress.

Notice I’m giving you 4 steps but only showing you How to research keywords when writing blog posts.

If you need further information read my 15 SEO Tips For Writing Blog Posts or subscribe to this blog by email to get all the information since this article is part of a series I’m writing on how I got to the top of  the search engines in my spare time … I email my unedited articles out to all confirmed subscribers.

Also, If you haven’t already done so, you’ll want to read my previous article called How to Research Keywords – Blogger’s Secret Sauce for some valuable preliminary steps.

OK, read carefully as I reveal my secret SEO formula for success…

My Step by Step Method to Research Keywords in Blog Posts

Some of these steps for keyword research overlap. You may not find that you have to perform these steps in order but you will find that they are ALL necessary components in writing strong SEO oriented  blog posts.

Step 1: Choose your subject.

I told you in my last post that I do a lot of series. In fact, I already have my 15 step outline planned out.. Most of the time I know my subject weeks in advance. Besides the organizational benefits… writing on the same topic, Search Engine Optimization for blog posts in my case, also helps positionyou to top Google rankings.

So how do you know you’ve chosen a good subject for a blog post or a blog post series? Is it because you saw a certain number of searches or what?

I don’t always look at how many  searches are performed on a given subject. Rather I choose many keywords based on the relevancy of the topic I’m writing about. In other words I don’t just write an article based on a keyword I like. instead I write about the subject I want and get the best keyword to fit my theme.

Step 2:  Look up your large traffic main keyword using the Google Keyword Tool .

Many times I prefer to use the SEO Book Keyword Suggestion Tool and sometimes I use the wordtracker tool.

So how do I choose between the 3 options?

I would use the Google keyword tool if I were looking for buyer keywords since the information relates almost entirely to their adwords service.

The SEO Book Keyword Suggestion tool is  one of my favorites because it’s quick and gives me an overall picture of what types of terms real people are searching for across multiple search engines.

And If you’re a research-a-holic and want to get the most information go with the wordtracker tool.

Step 3: Narrow down your main keyword to a more specific longtail  keyword using free research tools.,

Use my preferred free tool, the Google Wonder Wheel, to narrow down to a 3 or 4 phrase long tail keyword.

See my previous article to find out WHY you should do longtail research

I’ve included a video from Terry Dean below to help you learn how to use it.

Step 4: Keep Notes of Extra Keywords.

When you do the research you’ll begin to find that there are some great  extra keywords you found in the process.  I get a lot of my ideas for writing subjects from these extra nuggets of information.

Keep track of the information you’ve found.

You may use Notepad  and copy your keywords and number of search into it, then file it under a name or category or you may choose to use an excellent all in note clipping system such Evernote.

Whatever you do,  save your acquired knowledge so you wont forget the great  keyword ideas you’ve discovered.

Continue Reading….

How To Use SEO Keywords When Writing Blog Posts