In the previous episode, we delved into the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Fundamentals, laying the groundwork by discussing what SEO is and how it can benefit your business. We also touched upon the various facets of keyword research. Today, we’re taking it a step further with “Essential Keyword Research Techniques: A Basic Guide for SEO Beginners.“

In this episode, I’m thrilled to provide you with a step-by-step guide on conducting effective keyword research. You’ll be introduced to essential tools and, most importantly, empowered to offer this valuable service to your clients. Whether you intend to provide it as a standalone service, incorporate it into support packages, or offer it alongside web services, keyword research can significantly enhance your VA business.

Now, let’s embark on this journey to explore the core steps and tools required to deliver exceptional keyword research services. It’s not just about SEO; it’s about becoming a valuable partner in your clients’ online success.

Welcome to Systems Sunday! The theme this month is Foundations of SEO: Key Fundamentals Every VA Should Know.

I am Lisa Wells, your Virtual Assistant Trainer.

In the previous episode, we delved into the world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Fundamentals, laying the groundwork by discussing what SEO is and how it can benefit your business. We also touched upon the various facets of keyword research. Today, we’re taking it a step further with “Essential Keyword Research Techniques: A Basic Guide for SEO Beginners.”

In this episode, I’m excited to provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to conduct keyword research effectively, introduce you to a few essential tools, and, most importantly, empower you to offer this valuable service to your clients. Whether you choose to provide it as a standalone service or include it in your support packages, keyword research can be a significant value addition to your VA business.

Now, let’s dive into the core steps and tools necessary to deliver exceptional keyword research services that drive SEO success for both you and your clients. To kick things off, let’s explore the fundamental importance of keyword research within the realm of your VA services. Keyword research serves as the compass that guides us in understanding the words and phrases used by our client’s target audiences when searching the vast landscape of the internet. Armed with this knowledge, we can strategically optimize their content, websites, and marketing efforts to effectively reach and engage their audience.

This isn’t just about SEO; it’s about elevating your VA services by becoming a valuable partner in your client’s online success.

Step 1 is Brainstorming. Think about the services you provide for your clients. If you provide social media services, your keywords may include ‘social media marketing services’ ‘social media campaign management’ or if you specialize in LinkedIn, you can drill down to “LinkedIn profile optimization”

When it comes to brainstorming with your clients, start by having a conversation with your clients about their business, goals, and target audience. Consider what topics or services they offer, as well as their unique value propositions.

For example, if your client is a coach specializing in career development, brainstorm keywords related to ‘career coaching,’ ‘job search tips,’ or ‘professional growth.’

Once you’ve gathered initial ideas, it’s time to expand your list. Utilize keyword research tools like Ubersuggest or WordStream to discover related keywords and phrases that potential clients may be searching for.

For our career coaching example, these tools might reveal keywords like ‘resume optimization,’ ‘interview preparation,’ or ‘finding the right job.’

Next, let’s talk about analyzing keyword metrics, which is vital to ensure you’re targeting the right keywords. Pay attention to two key metrics: search volume and keyword competition.

Search volume tells us how often a keyword is searched for, while keyword competition gauges how challenging it is to rank for that keyword.

In our industry and for what we do, we should aim for keywords with a reasonable search volume and manageable competition. What is considered a reasonable search volume and manageable competition can vary depending on your specific goals, niche, and resources. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer because what’s reasonable for one business may not be the same for another. However, here are some general guidelines to help you assess what might be considered reasonable:

Using keyword research tools, you will see indicators that a keyword is considered to be high, medium, or low volume.

Here I’m using Ubersuggest. Keywords with thousands or tens of thousands of monthly searches are considered high volume. These can be highly competitive and are suitable for attracting a broad audience. Examples might include “Virtual assistant.”

Medium Search Volume: Keywords with hundreds to thousands of monthly searches fall into the medium range. These keywords strike a balance between potential traffic and competition. They are often a good choice for many content pieces and can include phrases like “Email campaign management” shown here with a few hundred in search volume.

Here I’m using WordStream. Keywords with fewer than a hundred monthly searches are considered low volume. These keywords are often very specific and can be valuable for targeting niche audiences. In this example, I searched for “Real estate virtual transaction coordinator.” This is a really good example showing how you can use a key phrase for real estate virtual transaction coordinator and it will yield 40 searches and has low competition, but switching around the words to virtual real estate transaction coordinator will give you more volume but bumps up the competition a little. So this is something you can play around with to see which works better for you.

Don’t forget about long-tail keywords! These are specific phrases that can attract highly relevant traffic. Long-tail keywords often have lower competition, making them excellent choices for content targeting.

For our career coaching client, a long-tail keyword could be ‘how to write a marketing resume with no experience.’

Understanding user intent is crucial in keyword research. Help your clients align their content with what users are seeking when they enter specific keywords.

Ask questions like, ‘Are users looking for information, seeking to make a purchase, or just browsing?’ Tailoring content to match user intent can significantly improve SEO.

Let’s say you’re working with a client and when you ask them what their users’ intent is and she responds that for one page that you are to optimize, people are looking for information or answers to their questions. The content strategy would be to create informative blog posts, articles, or guides that provide in-depth information, explanations, and solutions. Use keywords like “how to,” “guide,” “tips,” or “what is” to target informational queries. Include well-researched content with comprehensive explanations.

How you can help your clients: assist in keyword research, once you’ve identified target keywords, assist your clients in creating high-quality, user-focused content. Use optimization tools, for example, if they use WordPress, you can use the Yoast SEO plugin as well as ensure that these keywords are naturally incorporated into their content, including titles, headings, and throughout the body. Finally, you can track and analyze SEO performance using tools like Google Analytics and Search Console. If certain keywords aren’t performing as expected, adjust the content strategy.

As I mentioned in the beginning, I want to empower you to offer this valuable service to your clients. You can:

• Offer as a standalone one-time service
• Offer as a part of a support package for ongoing clients
• Offer as an ala carte to another service (web design or build-out)

If you need guidance on pricing or packaging strategies, check out my comprehensive program, “Profitable Packages.” It’s a valuable resource designed to assist you in navigating these crucial aspects of your business. I put a link in the Resource section below.

To provide you with a comprehensive starting point and empower you to offer this valuable service to your clients, I’ve developed a brand-new downloadable resource. Introducing the ‘Keyword Research Brainstorming Worksheet,’ designed to serve as a set of prompts for gathering all the essential information from your clients. This information will enable you to enhance their online visibility and web presence significantly. Moreover, you can also leverage this worksheet for your own business needs. Simply sign up below the video, and the worksheet will be promptly delivered to your inbox.

Keyword research is a valuable service that you can use to improve your marketing efforts as well as offer to your clients to boost their online visibility. By following these steps and using the right tools, you can play a pivotal role in enhancing our clients’ SEO success.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to put it into action, check out my newly updated SEO Template Pack. In this template pack, I include tools, resources, checklists, templates, worksheets, tips and strategies to help guide you through the maze of optimizing your site for the search engines. You can find a link to the product below or visit my VA Business Builder Boutique by clicking on Shop in the menu bar.

Join me next week for “On-Page SEO Best Practices: Optimizing Your Website for Success.”

See you then.

Catch up on other “Foundations of SEO” episodes + resources mentioned in the video:

• [Video] SEO Fundamentals: Building the Foundation
• [Video] On-Page SEO Best Practices
• Ubersuggest
• WordStream Free Keyword Tool
• Yoast SEO WordPress plugin
• Google Analytics and Search Console
• Profitable Packages training program
• SEO Template Pack

Did you enjoy this episode and want to put it into action? Grab this Template Bundle!