{"id":78529,"date":"2022-05-13T09:25:02","date_gmt":"2022-05-13T13:25:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diymarketers.com\/?p=78529"},"modified":"2024-07-17T22:36:30","modified_gmt":"2024-07-17T20:36:30","slug":"seo-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diymarketers.com\/seo-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Why SEO Research Has Gone Back to Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Google has done it again! If you’re a content marketer or niche blogger, this is why you should use this new way to do SEO Research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read our SEO Strategy Guide <\/a>by Ann Smarty<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I’ve been experimenting with several different ways to do SEO research. I already spend a couple hundred dollars on SEO tools, but what I’ve discovered is that the best way to do SEO research is to use the only SEO tool that matters — Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Google is Your BEST SEO Tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

SEO tools can see as much as 30x variation<\/a> on the same keyword research data from tool to tool!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2016, Google Ads had stopped sharing exact search volume numbers<\/a> with free users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So you went from seeing accurate data in units<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"seo<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

— to data numbers in ranges.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"seo<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

You can get your geek on and get more info from the <\/em>SEO Power Suite<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For our purposes, all you need to know is that SEO tools are HELPFUL and every SEO person uses them for many good reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BUT if you’re a niche blogger or creating very specific content, you might be missing out on opportunities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There’s a better way that I’ve learned from my friends over at Income School <\/a>and I’m going to share it with you.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"andy<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Go to Google Trends to See if There’s Search Volume<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’re already dealing with ranges of data with an SEO a tool, then you might as well deal with Google’s data — right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So now you want to find out if your overall topic has enough search volume to write about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This will take some back and forth, but I start with a general topic phrase.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Google<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The fact that there’s a nice trend line across 12 months tells me that this is worth exploring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I look further down to see if there’s any more data:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"google<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

All these data slots are filled out — and that says “SEO research” is super popular and has a search volume over 10K per month. (there is so much more here – but you’ll have to sign up for Income School<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Search on Partial Question Phrases<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So there’s a lot of volume around this basic phrase. What if I decided to answer a question around that phrase? That might be an interesting niche topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what type of question?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is where the Income School folks created a whole new search worksheet that’s super helpful (again – you’ll have to become a member, but here’s a peek)<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"project<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

THIS spreadsheet right here is totally worth every penny of the affordable monthly membership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These guys have taken tens of thousands – maybe hundreds of thousands of searches in niches and done the research for you to come up with these awesome niche blog post idea starters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New Way to Use Google Autocomplete<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You see, Google is tracking billions of searches and by the very fact that they give you suggestions tells you that a SIGNIFICANT number of people are searching for these thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you enter any search term in Google, Google starts to complete that search –<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"google<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

See? Google completes that search with phrases that their data shows real people are actually searching for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You already knew that — but wait — there’s more. And it’s not what you think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DO NOT pick any of those!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past, you could. But things have shifted and these phrases are no longer as accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just click enter right after “Why seo research” and look at what comes up.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"google<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

This is where you put your “searcher” or “customer” hat on and look for great content opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be good at this, or you might suck at this. If you suck (like me) you just need to keep practicing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, it helps to talk it out — yes, aloud. I literally speak as I search and say things like “I’m a marketing consultant and I’m curious about seo research” —<\/p>\n\n\n\n