Understand the Common Challenges to Keyword Generation

This series describes how to identify the best keywords to help your target customers find your company online. The keywords can be used to optimize your online content (e.g., your corporate website, landing pages, blogs, social media status updates) and other online channels. The more you use your target keywords throughout your online content, the easier it will be for your target customers to find you and the more relevant you will become in their minds. The ultimate benefit will be increased relevant traffic to your website.

4 Common Roadblocks to Generating the Best Keywords for your Company

Incomplete coverage

With such a research-dependent process as keyword generation, a common pitfall is not having complete
coverage of input sources or prioritization data, which will result in incomplete or deficient output. To alleviate this, the keyword generation team needs to be exhaustive in its planning of research activities, be open to input from all staff members so they don’t miss any major data sources, and stick to their research plan even it requires additional time or resources.

Faulty prioritization criteria

A faulty understanding of the prioritization process can lead to the wrong/inappropriate prioritization criteria being applied. To avoid this, use the tried-and-true prioritization scheme described by experts in the field as a reference, and make sure that each factor in the ranking process makes logical sense.

Inaccurate data

Bad data (e.g., outdated data sources, data entry errors, and data corruption) can be introduced at a number of points in the process (e.g., during calculation or prioritization). To alleviate this, the keyword researcher should always check for a data source’s last date of update/refresh, check for data entry mistakes, and keep backups of data files during the process.

Lack of buy in

The prioritization process and its final outputs might not be completely accepted by the stakeholders. This is expected, as team members who do not participate directly in the process might have questions about the prioritization criteria, the research process, or simply have strong opinions about particular keywords. To address this, keep all stakeholders on the same page, be extremely transparent about the research and prioritization process, and make clear that keyword generation is an iterative process, whereby after each “run,” further inputs and feedback are collected to be incorporated in the next “run.”

Stay tuned for more information on finding the best keywords for your target audience.  Next week I will begin sharing some tips on getting started with keyword generation research.