The Art of SEO: What is a Good Search Volume for Keywords?
Jack Hardy, our CIM Midlands Education Ambassador answers the question - “What is a good search volume for keywords” with the ever-shifting landscape of SEO?
He also gives us 10 great tips for getting the most from our SEO activity!
Recently I was asked “What is a good search volume for keywords” which is a very good question to ask continuously with the ever-shifting landscape of SEO.
As with most “what is good” questions you first need to understand your aims, objectives and goals whether that is brand awareness, demand gen or lead gen. But as most marketers report on MQLs and ROI let’s focus on lead gen in this example. So, what is a good search volume for keywords when aiming to convert visitors.
Ultimately, the search volume itself does not determine this. Your conversion rate does. Let’s say you pick a keyword with 10,000 monthly searches and you have been able to capture 5% of the clicks resulting in 500 visitors a month. These visitors then have a conversion rate of 0.2%, which in real terms is 1 MQL a month. The chances are this would not be profitable or sustainable for the business.
But if you had a keyword with 5,000 monthly searches and capture 5% of the clicks resulting in 250 visitors a month and these visitors have a conversion rate of 2%, which in real terms is 5 MQLs a month. You will have a much higher chance of generating a positive ROI.
Success in SEO will be determined by many factors before you even start to look at the technicalities of the specialism. What is the average CLV, at what rate does the sales team win/lose a deal and how many deals do you need to close to make SEO profitable for your business each month.
These are all questions you will need to answer yourself but keep in mind success is determined by having clear goals which you can achieve. They might not be achieved instantly, in fact, I can almost guarantee they won’t be, but if you apply a continuous improvement strategy to your efforts you will be half of the way there. Keep testing, keep learning and keep improving… as a marketer, that should live at the heart of everything you do.
If you’ve managed to read up until this point you have earned the ten SEO tips below:
1. Define Your SEO Goals 🎯
Start with clear objectives. Do you want to increase brand visibility, drive traffic, boost conversions, or all three? Your goals will guide your SEO strategy.
2. Know Your Audience 🧑🤝🧑
Understand who your target audience is and what they're searching for. Use this knowledge to create content that meets their needs and answers their questions.
3. Long-Tail Keywords are Key 🔑
Focus on long-tail keywords. They might have lower search volume, but they often have less competition and target users with specific intent.
4. Quality Content is King 👑
Create high-quality, valuable content that's relevant to your audience. Google loves fresh, engaging content, and so do users!
5. Optimise for Mobile 📱
More people than ever are searching on mobile devices. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly to improve user experience and boost SEO.
6. Focus on User Experience (UX) 🕹️
Great UX leads to longer site visits and lower bounce rates, both of which are good for SEO. Make your site user-friendly with easy navigation and a clean design.
7. Speed Matters 🚀
Fast-loading pages improve UX and help your SEO. Optimise your site's speed to keep users (and Google) happy.
8. Earn High-Quality Backlinks 🌐
Backlinks from reputable sites improve your site's authority, which can boost your ranking. Create great content, and others will naturally want to link to it
9. Keep Up with SEO Trends 📈
SEO is always evolving. Stay up-to-date with the latest SEO trends and algorithm updates to stay ahead of the game
10. Measure, Analyse, Adjust 🔄
Use SEO tools like Google Analytics to measure your success, analyse the results, and adjust your strategy as needed.
Remember, SEO is a long-term game, but with patience, consistency, and a focus on delivering value to your users, it can yield significant results. 🌟
About the Author
Jack Hardy is the Head of Marketing at Jam 7, a Chartered Marketer, and an award winning CIM board member with over a decade of experience in crafting B2B growth strategies across various technology platforms and SaaS providers. At Jam 7, he leads a team of Growth Agents by fusing human expertise with AI to unlock ambitious B2B tech brands growth potential.