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October 29, 2018 Content Chat Recap—Community Conversation: Keyword Research for Content Marketing Planning and Editorial Calendaring

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Content Chat keyword research

Like the old saying goes, if a tree falls in the woods but nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound? The same goes for your content. You can spend hours crafting content and publishing it, but if nobody is around to read it or find it, it is almost as though it never existed.

In this #ContentChat Community Conversation recap, we dive into ways to drive traffic to your posts through keyword research and keyword prioritization.

Q1: Ah, keywords. What’s the first step a content marketer should take when it comes to identifying their primary keywords?

All steps should bubble up to audience personas so that you understand who you are targeting and what they need, but there are a multitude of ways to get there.

A safe start is learning the language of your audience and crafting content that meets their needs. It’s important to put your corporate messaging or agenda aside to create what your audience actually wants to see (and how they want to see it).

You can also research what your competition is doing (and saying) to not only ensure you’re on the same playing field but to also identify markets that are untapped by current keywords.

If you already have a piece ready to go, conduct a keyword search on your existing content to gauge if you’re on the right path.

Often times, your search engine can point you to the right keywords, too.

But you can’t rely on the same tactics year over year. Keep up with the latest trends with search engines—like voice search—so you don’t fall behind with the technology.

Don’t ignore the value in your existing content and audience data to help show what is currently working.

By trying out the above options, you may realize you’re not the best voice for all conversations, and that’s OK. Your audience would rather you create content where you’re a relevant voice, versus you trying to be an expert in everything.

Q2: How many keywords are enough? And at what point do you have too many keywords to reasonably address?

In general, less is more when it comes to keywords.

The quality of those keywords should outweigh sheer volume, especially if you want to keep your content useful for your audience.

If you are looking to fit in specific keywords, consider creating a hierarchy of your keywords. Keep in mind that this hierarchy can shift based on your different personas or the type of content you are creating.

Your keyword use should be tied to your goals for each piece of content.

If you’re looking for a more analytical approach, Kevin is here to help.

And if you’ve done any research on available content resources and the number of keywords vs SEO progress, let us know!

Q3: While some teams work with an SEO consultant to define their keywords, many of us don’t have that luxury. What are your favorite sites and tools for keyword planning?

Q4: You’ve got your list of target keywords. Now what? How do you make the most of your keyword research to inform your content planning and populating your editorial calendar?

Mind-mapping can help you plan future content, including the intended format.

Keep an eye on the goals you’re trying to accomplish and identify gaps in your current strategy. Remember, you need to create content that is useful for your audience.

And don’t forget to optimize your older posts!

About Alek Irvin

Alek Irvin is a content marketing professional with a rich history in social media management, executive thought leadership development, and media relations. As a consultant at Erika Heald Marketing Consulting, he creates human-focused content and thought leadership platforms that help brand leaders connect and engage with their communities. Alek has worked with a range of startups and Fortune 500 companies across the B2B technology and consumer spaces, including IBM, Dell Technologies, Hitch Works, Emtrain, Integrate, and Frameable. Connect with him on Twitter @AlekIrvin.

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