There are a lot of tools available to the modern digital marketer looking to boost interaction with a brand and increase conversion rates. After all, the goal of all marketing is to eventually get consumers to make a purchase. Converting a looker to a buyer is critical to the revenue of a company, and even the simplest actions can have an impact on conversion rates. Take keywords, for example. The difference between well-researched and implemented keywords and those that are haphazardly used can have a big impact on your business. Keywords can play a big role on whether or not consumers are eventually drawn to your brand, find its value, and eventually decide to take action (convert). Below, you can learn three important keyword do’s and don’ts that can impact your conversion rates in the end.
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Do – Eliminate Negative Keywords
As you complete your research on keywords, you are going to come up with a list of terms that apply broadly to your industry or niche and more specifically to your product or service. The overarching goal in digital marketing in the 21st century is to showcase what it is that makes your brand unique. Why is it valuable and why is it better than the competition? Speaking of competition, here comes the first do.
Do make sure when you set up your keywords that your ad campaigns have restrictions in place to eliminate negative keywords. A negative keyword can be best defined as a term that is broadly similar to your chosen keywords, but is not specific enough or applicable to your particular product or service. If you don’t eliminate negative keywords, when consumers search and your ad pops up, they might click on it thinking you offer a product or service that, in reality, you do not. This not only results in a bounce (the consumer leaving your website or landing page), but it also means lost money for that ad impression.
Do – Use Long-Tail Keywords
Next up, make sure you don’t ignore the value of long-tail keywords. A long-tail keyword could be more accurately defined as a long-tail key phrase. These are typed in by consumers who have a very specific product or service in mind. They don’t just want a “locksmith near me,” they want a “24/7 emergency locksmith in [city].” Long-tail keywords are closely aligned with user intent and target consumers who are further down the sales funnel. Whether it’s an emergency situation of they’ve simply done all their research already, consumers using long-tail keywords are ready to buy. As such, long-tail keywords can boost your conversion rates by targeting consumers who are ready to make a decision.
Read More: Boost Your Conversions with Long-Tail Keywords
Do – Consider Similar Keywords
While negative keywords can help you eliminate irrelevant consumer searches that waste your time and money, similar keywords can actually help you effectively expand the net your marketing campaign casts. Similar keywords can help you capture the attention of consumers with the same intent as your target audience, but who might simply be using different terms as part of their search phrasing. In the hospitality industry, for example, it might be common practice to use terms such as “luxury hotel in [city].” However, you might find that a term with a similar intent, “5-star hotel in [city],” works just as well and targets the same audience.
Don’t – Skip Your Research
Now, let’s move to the don’ts of keyword use. You should never select your keywords willy-nilly without doing research first. You want to know that the terms you’ve chosen are actually being used by consumers. What you think the consumer is using or should use and what the consumer is actually using can differ. If you are using the wrong keywords, you are going to see the impact on your bottom line when no one converts.
Don’t – Overdo it with Keyword Inclusions
Digital marketing is no longer just about coming in first in the search results because you have the right words in place. Google ranks sites based on the value proposition, and consumers are increasingly thinking the same way. If you want your brand to be visible and its value to the consumer to be clear, your content should be an enjoyable read and should not outwardly look like you’re trying too hard by simply stuffing keywords into it everywhere.
Read More: How Many Keywords Are Too Many Keywords?
Don’t – Forget to Test, Test, and Test Again
Like everything else in digital marketing, keyword use is a matter of trial-and-error. You cannot simply select a keyword and leave it in place forever. Consumer thinking and trends will change. Voice search growth could change the manner in which keyword searches are conducted (longer question formats in voice search vs. shorter terms in text searches). With all the knowledge gained from above, don’t forget to try new things and test how search terms perform. Even the best-researched terms could lose their power over time. If you don’t test and check results, you’ll never know.