Advice for Using Keywords for B2B SEO
Categorized in: B2B Digital Marketing, SEO
These days, keywords are still a part of B2B SEO, and therefore still a part of digital marketing, but using them is somewhat tricky. In the early days of SEO, the algorithms were written differently, and they basically depended on keywords to understand the flow of a page. Basically, if a keyword weren’t literally present in the content, the website wouldn’t be returned in the search engines. These days are long in the past and search algorithms are far more sophisticated. They assess the topic of the page and return the website for relevant search. Keywords don’t need to be present. This has changed the game. Here’s a look at the best practices for today’s B2B SEO climate.
Don’t Abuse Keyword Usage
You can still optimize your pages with keywords, but these days, it needs to be an afterthought. Your content should flow naturally. If you have a clear point to your page, the keyword optimization will happen naturally. If the page is “stuffed” with keywords, you could actually be penalized. The content needs to have a focused point and connect with the audience. Keywords should be secondary. It’s okay to research keywords a little, but you should never consciously use them, only unconsciously and naturally.
Keywords Can Reach the Right B2B Audience
It’s true that we shouldn’t obsess over keywords, but they still have a purpose. Keyword research can give you insights as to how your audience searches for information. This can shape your content because ultimately, you want to use your content to connect with your audience. It can help you determine things such as the content topics you should be writing about, can give you clues about which topics are resonating in your industry, and give you insights into industry trends. Connecting with your audience starts with the topic.
Keywords can also give you clues related to the sales cycle, insights about seasonal concerns (if any), and even word usage. For example, we have a client who thought the people in their industry search online in a certain way. Keyword research helped them see that their perceptions weren’t accurate. They needed to adjust their strategy according to what they were seeing in the keyword data. They realized they were missing the chance to connect.
Tips for Finding the Right Keywords for SEO
So, how do you find the right keywords for SEO? This is an art, and one that requires the right mindset. Even saying “finding the right keywords” automatically shows a lack of proper mindset. Keywords are less about “finding” and more about “using naturally”. When you compose information on a certain topic, this automatically creates content that has natural keywords woven in. You may not even realize it!
Scan this article so that you can see for yourself. No keyword research was done for this article. In this paragraph alone, there is a great keyword – “keyword research”. Other keywords are scattered throughout, including “b2b audience”, “b2b seo”, and “keyword usage”. The article will be returned in search results for any keywords that are on topic, not just the ones present here.
As you can see, SEO has changed a lot. These are some of our thoughts for best practices of using keywords.
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