Every SEO strategy starts
with a good market research. Market research is a huge undertaking that often
overlaps with user experience research. However, getting the time to learn the
entire field of research can be difficult.
with a good market research. Market research is a huge undertaking that often
overlaps with user experience research. However, getting the time to learn the
entire field of research can be difficult.
To ease the process, here
are four simple steps that will help you gather market research data to
understand more about your clients’ and their competitors’ rankings, without
spending days on end or a fortune to learn the entire process.
are four simple steps that will help you gather market research data to
understand more about your clients’ and their competitors’ rankings, without
spending days on end or a fortune to learn the entire process.
For an SEO agency, market
research helps you in multiple ways. First of all, it’s important to understand
more about your client’s target audience, if there is a niche to market those
products to, the size of the market, and who the potential customers are.
research helps you in multiple ways. First of all, it’s important to understand
more about your client’s target audience, if there is a niche to market those
products to, the size of the market, and who the potential customers are.
In addition, it will help
you find out how much the competitors are willing to pay, how strong the
competition is, and the best ways to get the products and services in front of
your client’s customers.
you find out how much the competitors are willing to pay, how strong the
competition is, and the best ways to get the products and services in front of
your client’s customers.
Let’s use a big platform
such as Plumfund.com as an
example for a potential SEO client. Many individuals use it for getting extra funding from crowdfunding campaigns. As you must’ve
heard of at least 2 more websites such as this, you are aware of the strong
competition in the crowdfunding industry. An in-depth research will help you drill
down all the necessary information about your client’s competitors you need to
outrank them.
such as Plumfund.com as an
example for a potential SEO client. Many individuals use it for getting extra funding from crowdfunding campaigns. As you must’ve
heard of at least 2 more websites such as this, you are aware of the strong
competition in the crowdfunding industry. An in-depth research will help you drill
down all the necessary information about your client’s competitors you need to
outrank them.
Essentially, market
research is a profession on its own. However, do not let that put you off.
While you can still hire a professional market researcher, here is a simple
four-step process to get you started.
research is a profession on its own. However, do not let that put you off.
While you can still hire a professional market researcher, here is a simple
four-step process to get you started.
The 4-Step Market Research Strategy
For an effective market
research for your SEO campaign, you need to answer four simple questions:
research for your SEO campaign, you need to answer four simple questions:
Step 1: How will the analysis help you?
You do not do research for the sake of it nor
because it is the right thing to do. Identify whether the data you receive will
help you improve your marketing efforts, placement of the product.
because it is the right thing to do. Identify whether the data you receive will
help you improve your marketing efforts, placement of the product.
Step 2: What data will you need?
Research is done to answer specific questions
that will boost your SEO campaign and the first step involves finding out the
money making keywords and questions people search for. Once you know what
keywords and questions you need answers for, you can tell what information you
will get from them.
that will boost your SEO campaign and the first step involves finding out the
money making keywords and questions people search for. Once you know what
keywords and questions you need answers for, you can tell what information you
will get from them.
Step 3: How will the data be collected?
There are a million ways you can collect data,
including using advanced Google search, exploring in SEO tools such as Ahrefs, SEMRush, AnswerThePublic and many others. The method you choose to collect
data depends on your time and budget resources.
including using advanced Google search, exploring in SEO tools such as Ahrefs, SEMRush, AnswerThePublic and many others. The method you choose to collect
data depends on your time and budget resources.
Step 4: Finally, how will you analyse your data?
You can carry out a qualitative analysis, meaning making sense from the data collected. Many of the drilldowns are
performed in programs such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. These programs
allow easy manipulation of large data files and help you make use of the
numbers you just collected.
performed in programs such as Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. These programs
allow easy manipulation of large data files and help you make use of the
numbers you just collected.
Fortunately, all the data
you require for your market research effort can be found via the Internet using
different SEO tools. A few years ago, you had to do most of the legwork and
manually extract data using search operators and going through your
competitor’s profiles for hours. But today, SEO has advanced as an industry and
thus many of the grunt work has been automatized and made easier both by SEO companies
and Google itself.
you require for your market research effort can be found via the Internet using
different SEO tools. A few years ago, you had to do most of the legwork and
manually extract data using search operators and going through your
competitor’s profiles for hours. But today, SEO has advanced as an industry and
thus many of the grunt work has been automatized and made easier both by SEO companies
and Google itself.
Hire Market Research Company
Of course, you can easily
outsource your SEO research tasks to the professionals, if you can afford them,
but you should at least try out the four-step process above to get a feel of
what kind of data to expect.
outsource your SEO research tasks to the professionals, if you can afford them,
but you should at least try out the four-step process above to get a feel of
what kind of data to expect.
This will also help you
understand what question is too complex to answer, as well as make it easier
for you to communicate with your market researcher. In most cases, the data
collection step is what needs to be outsourced. If you need to control your
costs, online time management tools like Clockspot can help you make the most of the paid research
time.
understand what question is too complex to answer, as well as make it easier
for you to communicate with your market researcher. In most cases, the data
collection step is what needs to be outsourced. If you need to control your
costs, online time management tools like Clockspot can help you make the most of the paid research
time.
Follow the process, and you will find market
research to be an invaluable part of your SEO campaign. Make friends with some of the
many SEO tools.
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Search Queries in Webmasters Tools
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