SEO for Beginners — Keyword Research for Picking Blogging Niche & Keywords
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Blogging is an exciting world both as a full-time career and also for a side hustle. For successful blogging, you need to select the right blogging niche.
Identifying your blogging niche and finding the best keywords for your content involves a strategic approach that combines understanding your interests, researching audience needs, and leveraging keyword research tools.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to using keyword research for identifying a blogging niche that aligns with your interests and has potential to generate income.
How to Select Your Blogging Niche?
Picking the niche for your blogging requires considering various aspects. You can use online tools such as Ahrefs, Moz, SEMRush and Majestic to explore keywords and analyze websites.
Here are some free tools for keyword discovery and research:
- Ahrefs Keyword Generator: Discover keywords with their search volumes.
- Moz Keyword Explorer: Keyword analysis, with related keyword suggestions.
- Google Keyword Planner: Find keywords along with advertising information (such as cost-per-click for ads) based on Google data, requires Google Ads account.
- Wordtracker: Discover keywords along with search volume and difficulty data.
1) What are your interests and expertise?
Start by listing your passions, hobbies, and areas of genuine interest. Consider what topics you could talk about consistently and enjoy exploring in-depth.
Reflect on your knowledge and expertise in various subjects. Your blog niche should align with your expertise, allowing you to provide valuable and credible content.
2) Are there lots of search queries in the niche?
You need visitors for your blog to become successful.
Based on your interest and expertise, conduct keyword research to discover if the niche gets lots of search queries for various keywords. With a substantial search volume, you can expect your blogging efforts to thrive as a full-time career or a side hustle. Repeat the process until you find your area of interest with lots of people looking for information.
3) Can you beat the competition?
A niche that’s highly competitive with lots of established blog is a clear indication that the niche is rewarding in terms of blogging revenues. However, you cannot just select the blog niche yet.
Explore various keywords and analyse the websites that appear in the top 10 positions in search results. Established websites with high authority and lots of backlinks can be difficult to beat.
- Website authority: If low authority websites appear in the top positions of search engine result pages (SERPs), you can reach the first page of SERPs easily.
- Website age: Check if the websites in the top 10 of SERPs are new, with domains registered in the past 1-2 years. Relatively new websites in SERPs should be seen as a welcome sign.
4) Are there untapped opportunities?
Before finalizing the blogging niche, it’s time to check if there are untapped opportunities. Research other blogs or websites in your potential niche.
Analyze their content, audience engagement, and overall success. Identify gaps or areas where you can offer unique perspectives or additional value.
Understand your target audience’s needs and preferences. Identify the problems they face, questions they ask, and topics they are interested in. This information helps you tailor your niche to meet audience demands.
5) What is the online trend?
In addition to keyword search volumes, it’s a good idea to understand the trend in the niche. An upward trend can help you discover an upcoming niche early.
Start by exploring Google Trends for information on what’s being searched online. It can help you identify topics that are emerging as popular queries.
Monitor social media platforms for trending topics and discussions related to your interests. This can provide insights into popular and relevant themes.
6) Can the niche support blogging for money?
Conduct initial keyword research using broad terms related to your interests. Explore seed keywords to uncover potential subtopics within your niche. Check if the search intent supports high revenue prospects. Search queries with the intent to purchase or research for buying products are generally lucrative.
Consider the monetization potential of your chosen niche. Research whether there are products or services related to your niche that you could potentially promote through affiliate marketing or other means. A niche with lots of advertisers and high advertising revenue means better prospects of a decent blogging income.
Pro Tip: Avoid niches where users get the answers on the search page itself. Google has been increasingly providing answers on search pages itself. If your potential visitors are hijacked by search engines, it’s better to focus on queries where people will actually visit your website.
How to Find the Best Keywords for Blogging?
Finalizing your blog niche is just the beginning of the journey. Now, you need a content strategy incorporating the keywords that help bring visitors and generate income.
Let’s explore how to conduct keyword research and identify the best keywords for blogging.
Identify Seed Keywords
Start with broad seed keywords related to your niche. These are general terms that represent the core topics you plan to cover in your blog.
If you are starting a blog about “blogging”, the seed keyword would be “blogging”, what else?
Keyword Research Tools
Leverage keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Majestic, Moz, SEMrush, Ahrefs, or free online tools. These tools provide insights into search volumes, competition, and related keyword suggestions.
Explore Long-Tail Keywords
Dive into long-tail keywords to find more specific and less competitive phrases. Long-tail keywords often attract a more targeted audience. For example, if your niche is “travel,” consider long-tail keywords like “budget travel tips for solo backpackers.”
Analyze Search Intent
Consider the intent behind user searches. Are they looking for information, products, reviews, or solutions? Align your keywords with the user’s intent to create content that satisfies their needs.
Competitor Keyword Analysis
Analyze keywords that competitors are ranking for. This provides insights into the terms that are driving traffic to similar blogs in your niche.
Evaluate Keyword Difficulty
Assess the difficulty level of keywords using tools that provide a difficulty score. Choose keywords that match your website’s authority, balancing high, medium, and low-difficulty keywords.
When you are just beginning or where your blog faces strong competition, you should pick keywords with low competition. Instead of focusing on the most popular keywords, optimize your content for long-tail keywords that are easy to rank.
Consider Seasonality
Be mindful of seasonal trends within your niche. Some keywords may experience fluctuations in search volume based on the time of year.
Check Trending Topics
Explore trending topics using tools like Google Trends or social media insights. Incorporate trending keywords to stay current and attract timely traffic.
Use Google Suggestions
Take advantage of Google’s autocomplete feature to discover additional keywords related to your niche. Start typing your seed keywords in the search bar and note the suggested queries.
Create a Keyword Strategy
Organize your selected keywords into a structured strategy. Group them based on themes or topics to create a content plan that covers various aspects of your niche.
Regularly Update and Refine
The digital landscape evolves quickly. Keep track of changing trends, user behaviors, and emerging opportunities. Update your keywords according to the emerging trends.
By combining your personal interests with audience needs and thorough keyword research, you can identify a niche that aligns with your passions and has the potential to attract a targeted audience. This strategic approach ensures your blog not only reflects your expertise but also addresses the specific needs and interests of your readers.