Keyword research is the foundation of any successful online business. Everybody searching on the internet for information starts by typing in a description of what they are looking for into a search engine like Google or Yahoo e.g. “wedding planning” or “Italian recipe.” These descriptions are called Keywords and they are the core of market research for any successful internet business. Keywords provide the link between the business and the customer. Keyword research lets you find all the terms people are using to find an answer to a specific question or problem. With that knowledge you can uncover untapped markets by finding problems a lot of people are seeking answers to… and not getting many results. The success of your online business depends purely on how well you answer what people are looking for.
Many internet marketers start by creating a product they think will save the world or answer a problem without first validating the “great idea” this is the first fundamental flaw and the main reason why most online businesses fail within the first year. The trick is to first find a responsive hungry market first, then develop the product that provides answers to the problems, needs, wants or desires of that target market.
Once you have identified a responsive market, you’ll use keyword research to build a website that attracts the very people who’ll buy your products. Every time a search is done on the various search engines the keyword phrase used is recorded and this means there is a mountain of data about what people are searching for… And its all waiting to be analyzed
There are many keyword research tools available both free and paid. I have tried many of the paid tools and find it makes what should be a simple process into a complicated one. Google’s keyword research tool is by far the most accurate and best of all its free. Here is a brief run-done of the keyword research process for finding a profitable niche market. Use one word to describe a passion or interest you may wish to market. E.g. golf. One of the best ways to start is to go to amazon.com and look at the best sellers. This is what people are buying right now!
Combine the interest word (golf) with “how” to generate a problem statements in your keyword research tool e.g. “how golf.” People asking the word how have problems they want to solve and are more likely buyers of your product or service. Use Google’s free keyword tool! Record the action words that come up e.g. How play golf or how to fix golf slice. These are terms that people are using to solve a problem they have.
From that list, choose some problems that you have the interest, knowledge or skill to solve. Find as many ways as possible to express your interest and action words. Enter the interest and action phrases into the keyword tool and you’ll get a long list of actual searches that people are doing in the market you are focusing on.
Organize your keywords into groups or clusters according to the intention of the action. Now you have some specific problems you can solve for your potential clients. Use the keywords to build your product and business. You might not find a killer niche right in the beginning, keep going, you will find one eventually. Once you have mastered the keyword research process, you’ve unlocked the door to online success.
