Keyword research is a big job, and you need the right tools to do it successfully. There are plenty of keyword suggestions and research tools on the market — here are seven of them (in alphabetical order) you should be using to better meet your audience’s needs and rank better in search.

1. Answer The Public
2. Bing Webmaster Tools Keyword Research
3. Google Ads Keyword Planner 
4. Google Trends
5. Keyword Generator (Ahrefs)
6. Keyword Suggestions (SEOToolSet)
7. QuestionDB

FAQ: How can I leverage keyword research tools to enhance my content strategy and SEO efforts?

1. Answer The Public

Answer The Public serves questions and phrases related to your keyword by using autocomplete data from search engines.

Add the data to your keyword research list, then write content to address each relevant question or phrase. You can write a separate webpage for each question or phrase, or include a bunch of them within one article (you might even rank for a featured snippet if you do it the right way).

You can do a couple of searches for free each day, or upgrade to a paid subscription.

2. Bing Webmaster Tools Keyword Research

If you’re trying to compete in Bing, then you’ll want to use its Webmaster Tools keyword research tool to discover the keywords and phrases people are using on the Bing search engine.

Take your seed list of keywords and input them into the tool. The keyword tool will suggest matching or relevant keywords related to them, including search volume and trends. Keywords suggestions fall into the following three categories: related, questions, or newly discovered.

Plus, the tool also provides the top-ranked URLs for the root keywords and can also give data on the keywords that are already driving traffic to your website. There are all sorts of filters you can apply to the data to refine it as well.

Bing Webmaster Tools keyword research feature is free for those who have an account.

3. Google Ads Keyword Planner

The Google Ads Keyword Planner is not just for advertisers; it’s also a handy SEO keyword research tool for websites competing in Google.

Input your seed list and the keyword suggest tool will help you find the most relevant keywords. Or, you can enter your website and Google will look for keywords related to the content.

The Keyword Planner gives data on search volume and will provide bid estimates for advertisers (which can also help gauge how competitive a keyword in organic search will be). You can narrow down your search by using various filters as well.

Keyword Planner is free for anyone who has a Google Ads account.

4. Google Trends

Google Trends offers — you guessed it — trends on search queries. You can enter a given keyword and get various data points on it, including:

• Interest over time
• Interest by region
• Related topics
• Related queries

You can also apply filters like what type of search — web search, image search, news search, etc.

You can also check out the Trending Now page to see what’s currently trending around the world. This can be useful for writing on timely topics.

Google Trends is a free keyword research tool.

5. Keyword Generator (Ahrefs)

Ahrefs’ Keyword Generator is a keyword suggestion tool that lets you enter up to 10 words or phrases and generates keywords for the search engine of your choice (there are nine of them), including Google, Bing, YouTube, Amazon and more. Filter by country.

The data is offered up into six categories of keyword types, including: Phrase match, having the same terms as your seed list, keywords the top-competing pages also rank for, search suggestions via autocomplete, newly discovered keywords and question formats.

Get data like keyword difficulty scores and search volume for each keyword listed. You can use filters to find those keywords with good search volume and low competition (the sweet spot!).

Also, find out any SERP features associated with that keyword (a must when you are doing a whole-SERP SEO strategy). And, you can use this tool to find out SEO metrics on the top-ranked webpages for a term, too.

You can use the free version with limited functionality, or try a paid trial for a small fee. After that, if you upgrade to a subscription, the Lite version is $99 per month, and the Standard version is $199 per month at the time of writing.

6. Keyword Suggestions (SEOToolSet)

Of course, we have to mention our solution to keyword research, too, and that’s our Keyword Suggestions tool, which is part of our SEOToolSet®.

With the Keyword Suggestions tool, you can find terms that are semantically related to the keywords in your seed list. The tool can provide search activity for each keyword, three metrics to indicate competitiveness, categories, and a trending chart.

The SEOToolSet allows you to research keywords further by presenting more data, including keyword relative “activity” as a search query.

You can use the Keyword Suggestions tool for:

• SEO research
• Content planning
• Discovering word associations for video descriptions
• Finding keywords you might want to exclude from your PPC campaign, and more.

The SEOToolSet offers a free trial and then is $24.95 per month after that. The free version of the Keyword Suggestion tool will serve up five related words and phrases to your keyword (entered one at a time) pulled from search engine data.

7. QuestionDB

QuestionDB allows you to enter a broad keyword and find relevant questions related to it, pulled from its database of more than 32 million questions that “have been asked on various websites over time.”

The generated list will give you the relevant questions for keywords, plus volume and difficulty data from DataForSeo, an SEO data API provider. (“Keyword difficulty represents the median backlink profile strength of the top 10 webpages ranking for a specific keyword,” according to DataForSEO.) From here, you can view related topics and download the list of questions.

QuestionDB is free with limited functionality, offering 50 results per search. You can upgrade for deeper dives into the data and unlimited searches for $15 per month at the time of writing.

Keyword research is not a small feat, and the right tools can help you get the keywords most relevant to your audience and your business. For more on keyword research, check out:

• What Are Keywords?

Don’t have the time or resources to conduct thorough keyword research? Let our SEO experts do the work for you. Schedule a free 1:1 consultation to discuss how we can help.

FAQ: How can I leverage keyword research tools to enhance my content strategy and SEO efforts?

Navigating the complexities of content strategy and search engine optimization demands strategic precision. Keyword research tools are beacons of insight, guiding your content toward relevance and your SEO efforts toward success.

Engaging in a comprehensive content strategy necessitates more than just high-quality writing; it involves strategic keyword integration. Keyword research tools serve as the compass in this journey. By delving into these tools, you uncover trending keywords and gain insights into what your target audience seeks. This valuable understanding empowers you to curate content that resonates deeply with your readers.

Seamless integration of meticulously researched keywords directly influences your search engine rankings. Search engines thrive on relevancy, and these tools offer you the means to align your content with user intent. As you strategically pepper your articles with these keywords, you provide search engines with clear signals, ultimately enhancing your chances of climbing the results ladder.

One key advantage of leveraging keyword research tools lies in uncovering untapped niches. These tools illuminate the uncharted terrain of long-tail keywords, where competition might be less fierce and relevance is more attainable. Incorporating these hidden gems into your content enriches your strategy and helps you reach a more targeted audience.

Beyond keyword discovery, these tools facilitate monitoring and adaptation. Continuously tracking keyword performance offers insights into user behavior shifts. As search trends evolve, these tools empower you to adjust your strategy in real time, ensuring your content remains aligned with your audience’s evolving needs.

Keyword research tools transcend mere words; they are the compass, guide and beacon illuminating your path to successful content strategy and SEO. By harnessing their power, you position your content to resonate with audiences and increase search engine ranks.

Step-by-Step Procedure: How To Leverage Keyword Research Tools for Enhanced Content Strategy and SEO

1. Understand the significance of keyword research in content strategy and SEO.
2. Familiarize yourself with different keyword research tools available in the market.
3. Research your target audience’s preferences, interests and pain points.
4. Explore trending keywords related to your niche using keyword research tools.
5. Identify long-tail keywords that align with your content’s focus.
6. Analyze the search volume and competition level of selected keywords.
7. Prioritize keywords with a balance of search volume and competition.
8. Incorporate relevant keywords organically into your content.
9. Ensure that keywords match user intent and enhance the overall reader experience.
10. Monitor the performance of integrated keywords using tracking tools.
11. Adapt your content strategy based on emerging keyword trends.
12. Utilize keyword research tools to identify content gaps and potential niches.
13. Create content that addresses specific long-tail keywords and user queries.
14. Incorporate keywords in key areas such as headings, subheadings and meta descriptions.
15. Regularly update your content to reflect evolving keyword trends.
16. Engage in competitor analysis to identify keywords driving their success.
17. Leverage keyword research tools to refine and optimize paid advertising campaigns.
18. Collaborate with your SEO team to align keyword research with technical optimization.
19. Continuously educate yourself on emerging SEO and content trends.
20. Keep a pulse on your audience’s preferences to consistently refine your keyword strategy.

The post 7 Keyword Suggestion and Research Tools to Figure Out the Right Keywords for Your SEO Strategy appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..

During a recent live SEO Q&A at SEOtraining.com, someone asked me: Does SEO mean the death of creative page titles? This is a great question – it seems like there are so many “rules” when it comes to writing page titles that it can stifle creativity.

Good news: There is a way to write attention-grabbing page titles that also support your SEO goals.

In this article:

• Keywords, page titles, and SEO
• SEO targets for title tags
• What about when Google rewrites title tags?
• How to write creative page titles that support SEO
• FAQ: Does SEO mean the death of creative page titles?

Keywords, Page Titles, and SEO

When creating a webpage, you want the keywords for the page to show up in strategic places. Those places include but are not limited to the title tag.

​​The most basic signal that information is relevant is when a webpage contains the same keywords as your search query. If those keywords appear on the page or in the headings or body of the text, the information is more likely to be relevant. – Google, How Search Works

The page title, or title tag, is one component of the meta tags that show up in the “head” section of a webpage on the HTML code side. The title tag serves as a headline for the web page in the search results – it’s what shows up as part of the snippet when you rank in Google.

Here is a screenshot of the head section on a webpage on BruceClay.com:

And here is a screenshot of the search results for that page in Google where you can see the page title is showing as “BruceClay – Search Marketing Agency: SEO Services …”

​​Research from Backlinko shows that most pages ranking high on Google contain page titles with keywords that are an exact or partial match of that search. In other words, Google uses the title tag to determine the relevance of a page to a Google search.

Our own research confirms this. We took a page ranking well and took the primary keyword out of the title. It lost its rankings. We added the keyword back into the page title, and the rankings came back. (I should also mention that we did the same with the keyword in the body text and had the same results.)

That said, the page title is an important part of SEO. Not only does Google use it to determine relevance, but searchers read it in the search results and decide if they want to click through.

SEO Targets for Title Tags

So, yes, we have SEO targets when it comes to title tags. This is where some people get creative paralysis because there are a few things to remember.

For instance, some of the things we consider in SEO for the title tag include:

• Make sure the keyword you want to be found for shows up in the title tag, preferably towards the beginning.
• Use 6–12 words in general, and for custom advice based on the top-ranked pages, use our SEO WordPress plugin.
• Make the title tag sound natural and not forced.
• If your brand is established and trusted, consider putting the brand name in front of your keywords.
• Write in headline format and appeal to the reader, making sure to address their reason for searching.
• Make it unique for every page on the website to avoid duplicate content issues.

So in addition to writing an attention-grabbing title tag, you have all these little details to consider. SEO is a little bit of science and a little bit of art and nobody claims it is easy.

What About When Google Rewrites Title Tags?

Nothing kills your creative spirit more than pouring your soul into attention-grabbing page titles, only to have Google change it in the search results.

It’s true, Google does do this. In fact, research coming from Zyppy (2022) shows that Google does this 61% of the time. And the reason Google does it, according to Zyppy, is because webpages have:

• Overly long titles and short titles
• Very short titles
• Used the same keyword more than once
• Used separators, such as dashes “-” or pipes “|”
• Had titles with [brackets] or (parentheses)
• Had identical “boilerplate” used across many titles
• Had missing or superfluous brand names

I believe too many websites do not pay attention to title tags and that is why Google rewrites them. Here, my advice is to follow best practices for title tags and there is a better chance that Google will retain your title.

However, it’s important to note that Google still uses the information in the title tag that you create to understand if your page is relevant. The rewrite is simply a rendering issue in the search results. Google’s John Mueller confirmed that, too.

There is some evidence that matching the page title with the headline can limit the amount of title rewrites by Google. Research from Zyppy found that “using H1 tags strategically could limit the amount of title rewriting Google might perform on your site.”

And that “matching your H1 to your title typically dropped the degree of rewriting across the board, often dramatically.”

For more, read:

• What Are Heading Tags and Why Are They Important to SEO?

How To Write Creative Page Titles That Support SEO

Guess what? Creativity and SEO can exist in harmony.

So what to do?

• Start with a killer headline formula. Do a search for “headline formulas” and you’ll find ample results to get you going in the right direction. Semrush analyzed more than a million articles and found that list-focused headlines followed by how-to headlines got the most page views. Other types of headlines that garnered interest included questions and guides.
• Tweak it to include your primary keyword. In most cases, it shouldn’t be hard to include your primary keyword in the headline you are trying to create. It might be harder to get it towards the beginning of the title tag – sometimes you’ll accomplish it, sometimes you won’t.
• Refine it using SEO best practices. Take into consideration the SEO criteria for title tags, including the length of the title. As I mentioned earlier, you can get a range for how long your title tag should be based on the top-ranked websites by using our SEO plugin.

A note: It is common for there to be a separation of the creative writer who wrote the page and the SEO professional who has the final say on optimizing the page, including the page title.

And while SEOs are usually savvy marketers, not all of them may be as creative as a writer. So sometimes this title and heading tags end up, well, kind of SEO-y.

That is something to think about if you are looking to improve the creativity of your page titles. Can the creative team and the SEO team work together?

Our SEO experts can provide you with content development services that ensure your content — and your page titles — get you ranked in top search engine positions. Reach out to us for a free consultation.

FAQ: Does SEO mean the death of creative page titles?

Some have voiced concern regarding SEO’s effect on creative page titles – could we witness an end of creative, catchy titles being replaced with more keyword-driven options?

Page titles play an integral role in engaging users and conveying their essence. Users’ first experience when browsing search engine results is often the page title, meaning it has an irrevocable impression on visitors. Does SEO mean creative page titles no longer matter? No – just because including relevant keywords into page titles for SEO purposes is key doesn’t mean creativity must go by the wayside!

An effective SEO strategy must strike a balance between optimizing titles for search engine results and engaging users through compelling content. To find the optimal keywords, conduct in-depth research about your audience to understand their needs and the needs of their titles.

Use long-tail keywords as page titles to increase SEO without compromising creativity by targeting specific niche audiences with these phrases. Instead of choosing generic terms like “Best Cameras,” more engaging titles could include something such as: “Capture Memories With Our Top-Rated DSLR Cameras!”

Experiment with various title structures. Consider employing more engaging headlines than simple questions or bold statements to draw in users and encourage them to click. Include emotive or descriptive words into page titles so they are memorable and appealing.

Optimizing other website elements, such as headers and meta descriptions, can ease some of the pressure to place all keywords in the title. Achieve effective SEO without over-stuffing titles by strategically placing keywords throughout the content.

While SEO requires including relevant keywords in page titles, creative and engaging page titles can still exist within SEO’s parameters. Achieve this balance through keyword research, using long-tail keywords, and playing around with title structures — essential tasks for digital content publishers who aim to capture users’ attention in today’s online environment.

The post How To Write Attention-Grabbing Page Titles That Support SEO appeared first on Bruce Clay, Inc..