Since the dawn of the internet and search engines in general, brands have used keywords to adequately target select markets and be seen by relevant audiences. In the past, it was quite easy to use – or even abuse – these methods to obtain visibility. However, it is much more difficult to take advantage of these strategies today in such an overt way.

As the years have progressed, keyword research has become increasingly important. With an unprecedented number of brands targeting virtually every search niche on the web, more finesse is needed to ascend the ranks of search. Additionally, many tweaks and reforms by search engines themselves have made the process more difficult.

To clear the air and pave the way for a modern approach, we’ll look at the basics of what keyword research entails in 2021.

Search Volume and Competition

Even with a premium list of keywords, not all may be suitable for targeting in search engines. Depending on the relevance, natural audience size and number of competitors targeting such words, your SEO and/or paid search marketing efforts may not be best suited for each possibility.

Before you start pinging your website and its pages at specific audiences based on keywords, understanding the variables of search volume and competition are crucial. Search volume helps you uncover just how popular the keyword is before committing to any action. This can help you determine how many people you’ll reach or impressions you’ll make each month before other factors are considered.

However, competitiveness in a particular niche is important. Even if a keyword has a search volume of 1,000,000 users per month, targeting a small alternative may be better if the former has a ton of people bidding or targeting while the latter has relatively no competition.

Long Tail Versus Short Tail Keywords

Not all keywords are created equal. Some offer more search volume and competition as mentioned prior, while others have less. In many respects, variations of keywords focused on the same niche will be affected by this due to how long or short they are.

Short tail keywords are simple keyword phrases that consist generally of three words or less. Virtually all of these keyword options are highly-contested and enjoy large amounts of traffic each month. Long tail keywords are less popular in terms of search volume, but make it easier for smaller brands to break into various relevant search niches.

Knowing the difference between the two is essential for proper keyword research in 2021 and beyond.

Competitor Analysis

Every brand has competitors within its own niche, whether it is realized or not. It doesn’t matter if direct profit is the name of the game or not: traffic that is going to other websites via search engines is traffic that’s not going to yours.

It is very likely that competitors are pinging your website for ideas, so it only makes sense to ping your competitors for inspiration as well. One of the most essential components of modern-day keyword research is to investigate which keywords your competitors are targeting. This strategy can actually help you quickly simplify a larger list of potential keywords into a smaller, more reasonable and effective list.

Keyword research in 2021 requires plenty of steps and tricks, but the basics are relatively simple. Focus on keywords that are attainable goals, see what your competitors are doing and know the difference between long and short-tail keywords in order to generate the best possible outcomes.