5 Keyword Research Mistakes Recruiters Should Avoid

It can’t be stressed enough how important it is to make keyword analysis/research the foundation of your digital marketing strategy. Whether you’re trying to generate more organic search traffic through SEO or obtain more leads with PPC advertising, you should always start your campaign with a thorough study of your main keywords. By having a good grasp of the keywords you want to target, it will be easier for you to create content that matches your audience’s needs and win higher Google rankings.

However, many recruiters don’t like performing keyword research. Many marketers and business owners also share the same sentiment. It is because researching keywords is one of the most challenging SEO tasks there is. While it is indeed challenging, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do it. Analysing the keywords you want to rank for can help you create more effective marketing strategies. At the same time, it gives you a glimpse into the search habits of candidates and employers.

Keyword Research Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make

When doing keyword analysis, you’d want to commit as few mistakes as possible. By avoiding crucial mistakes, you can maximise your time and effort. More importantly, it helps improve your chances of achieving success. Here are the mistakes that you should avoid when researching and analysing your keywords.

1. Ignoring search intent

It’s vital to examine what motivates your target audience to look up specific information online. This can help you position yourself exactly where job seekers and employers are looking. To get the best results possible, therefore, you should never disregard your audience’s search intent.

Also called keyword intent, search intent is what a user wants to achieve when they perform a particular search query. Understanding search intent is now more critical than ever, especially with Google’s recent algorithm update. It helps you understand what your audience is looking for when they use search engines. When you possess such vital knowledge, it is much easier for you to create content or ads that match what your audience wants. As a result, you’re more likely to drive quality traffic to your site.

2. Ignoring SERPs

Never disregard search engine result pages or SERPs. If you do, you might be unable to see what sort of content is ranking well for your target keywords. 

At times Google offers users content that doesn’t match what you have for a keyword you want to rank for. For instance, let’s say you’re targeting the keywords “job interview.” To help candidates, you have written a thorough guide on how they can ace one. However, instead of showing your post on the search result page, Google offers links to companies providing coaching services for job interviewees.

To avoid such a scenario, you shouldn’t focus too much on the research tools you’re using. It would help if you also studied SERPs to determine the types of content that work well for the keywords you want to target.

3. Putting too much emphasis on search volume

While it is beneficial to rank for keywords with the highest search volume because it helps you attract a considerable amount of web traffic, this strategy doesn’t always work. At times, it may not be even good for your business, especially if you’re using PPC.

To get better results, you should determine the other factors that can affect your content significantly. For example, instead of focusing too much on keywords with high search volume, you should identify the search queries your audience is using to find you online. This should help you determine what sort of content you should create to better provide for their needs.

4. Disregarding long-tail keywords

When performing keyword analysis, don’t put too much emphasis on general or broad-match keywords. It would be best if you also targeted long-tail keywords. While long-tail keywords often have lower search volume, they can help you create more relevant and accurate content for your audience.

Also, you are more likely to create conversions when you use them on your content or ads. It is because users who utilise long-tail keywords in their search queries are often at the final stages of the sales funnel. This means that they are more ready to sign up for your services than those who utilise general keywords.

Another benefit of long-tail keywords is that they are less competitive, so it wouldn’t be too difficult to rank for them. They are also more likely to match your audience’s search queries, making candidates and employers trust you more. The more audience trust you have, the bigger the chance your leads will come back later on to enlist your recruitment services.

5. Adding keywords after creating content

Never make the mistake of adding keywords to existing content. Remember, you should conduct keyword research before creating content, not after. Otherwise, it would be not very easy to craft quality content that matches your audience’s needs. It also makes it more challenging to rank well for the keywords you want to target. 

Always Remember the Importance of Keyword Research

Performing keyword analysis is a must if you want to acquire more web traffic and leads. Regardless of your online marketing strategy, ensure that you research and understand your main keywords well to maximise your results. Also, see to it that you avoid the mistakes mentioned above so you won’t waste your time and effort.

Are you having a hard time performing keyword research? We can help. Contact us today at Recruitment Traffic and let us lend you our expertise.