SEO is a great marketing strategy to grow your business, blog, or podcast in organic search. Furthermore, it’s a cost-effective way to understand and reach customers in key decision-making moments.

What is SEO? And what are the best keyword research tools behind it to help grow traffic to your site?  

 What is SEO? 

SEO stands for “search engine optimization,” meaning it is the process of improving the quality of your site to increase visibility when consumers are searching for products or services related to you. SEO targets unpaid traffic rather than direct traffic or paid traffic. The goal is to increase website traffic from search engines through an organic approach.

SEO and keyword research tools are here to help you identify trends in the business that people are searching for. Leveraging trending hashtags to draw more people to you promptly is key to greater success.  

 What Is a Keyword Research Tool?

Keyword research is crucial for growing traffic to your site. So, what better way than to use a keyword research tool to help with keyword ideas? A keyword research tool helps you find keywords and topic ideas that are seen in search queries for search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc.

Utilizing a keyword research tool helps you find content ideas that your customers are looking for. As a result, planning your content strategy to cover those topics in your blog posts, podcasts, and landing pages becomes easier while maximizing your ability to rank higher on result pages.

We recommend using the Yoast SEO plugin for WordPress and one of the keyword research tools below for maximum ranking improvements.

Let’s dig in and look at the best keyword research tools for SEO that you can use.

Google Search Console

First, we suggest Search Console. It is a wealth of information for websites of all kinds. Better yet, it is free! And it’s a great way to grow your business when you’re starting. You can navigate technical issues, identify which search terms people use, see what pages of your site are getting seen, and analyze important metrics like your average position in Google search, clicks, and impressions. This is a place to track your site’s performance in SERPs (search engine results pages).

Semrush 

Semrush is a goldmine of information and one of my favorites. Your complete SEO toolbox for keyword research and improving your SEO rankings. There is a free version to start. However, bumping up to the PRO plan is worth its weight in gold. You can increase your ability to research and unlock the social media poster. Semrush PRO is a win when you can cut down on the platforms you need to run your business. 

 Google Keyword Planner 

Ready to move to the next level and explore SEM “search engine marketing,” where you spend time on SEO and paid ads? Google Keyword Planner is your answer to keyword research regarding paid ads. Planner is free to use and is already on your Google account. 

Now What?

After spending years trying out various keyword research tools, it all comes down to what you like and find easy on your SEO strategy. Every business is different, so trying to tell you which tool to use might not be the best fit for you. Get out there, put some skin in the game, explore the tools we have discussed, and find the one that works best for you! Take this plan to action; no one will do this for you, and it can be manageable. 

Regardless of where you are in the SEO process—a DIYer, ready to hire an expert, or just starting your journey—understanding these tools will give you the confidence to dig in. When you are ready to take it to the next level or have any questions, let’s chat!

Happy SEO Gains!

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