😱 The impossible task

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SEO teams have a very difficult job of predicting their audience’s search habits. Obviously, it’s very easy to miss the mark here without conducting some thorough research. Sometimes, we find ourselves asking, “Is it even possible to get it right?”

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💡 The reasonable solution

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The short answer is yes… And no. 

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It’s impossible to predict the exact terms your target audience will search on Google. People are simply too creative for brands to nail down their target audience’s search habits with pinpoint accuracy.

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What DTC brands can do is broaden their horizons and brainstorm keywords and phrases that lie just outside the box of conventional thinking. 🤔

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Let’s dive into what goes into the very preliminary foundation of a solid keyword strategy to maximize your presence on Google’s search results. 

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💪 Put it into practice

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Imagine that your brand sells baby gear, and your target audience consists of soon-to-be parents.

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Some keywords to consider might be the obvious list of: 

• “baby stroller” 
• “best baby stroller”
• “baby crib”
• “baby bassinet reviews”

Any terms that relate directly to your product or reference your industry are worth including on a list of keyword terms to first consider within your SEO strategy. There‘s little doubt that your audience will search for these terms on Google. 

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🏆 Opportunity awaits

There’s a gap in SEO opportunities for smaller brands known as long-tail keywords. These are keyword phrases, about four to five words long, that could be used to search for your product on Google. 

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As a smaller brand, it’s important to consider these long-tail keywords because they’re used by consumers who are searching for very specific results. These consumers are probably searching for exactly what your brand has to offer and are likely more willing to purchase your product if they can find it.

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For our baby gear brand, we might be better off using more long-tail keywords like, “Where can I buy the best stroller?”

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Sadly, if you’re just starting out, you aren’t going to outrank UPPAbaby on Google for the keywords “baby stroller.” Exclusively using highly competitive keywords like these will only land you on the deepest pages of Google’s search results.

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Your target audience will constantly ask Google the questions that your product is the answer to, so take a quality-over-quantity approach in generating traffic to your site. 

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Leverage specific combinations of words to build your credibility with higher-quality visitors to elevate your brand in search results over time.

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✏️ Words for your service

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If you offer services, these keyword guidelines change a little bit. Let’s say you have an app where people can acquire everything they need for a bachelorette party.

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From creating a guest list, chatting with friends, creating polls, and booking events, your hypothetical app does it all! 

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In this case, you might want to use long-tail keywords like “bachelorette bus in my area” but… Your audience may not. 👀 They might search:

• “Nashville party bus”
• “Vegas drag brunch”
• “Bar crawl downtown Austin” 

You’ll notice that these phrases reference the type of event they want to host and not the umbrella term “bachelorette party.” 

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People aren’t going to provide Google with a reason why they want a service but will usually type out what they want to achieve with the help of the service. 

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If your target consumer is in the early stages of planning a bachelorette party and at the top of the marketing funnel, they might search “farmhouse-themed bachelorette party.” 

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If the consumer is further down the funnel, they’ll probably omit the word “bachelorette” in their search since they already know why they’re planning the party in the first place and what a bachelorette party is.  

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🎉 Optimize and revitalize

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Brands should never underestimate the power of conducting thorough research when establishing the foundations of an SEO strategy. 

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Using SEO research tools to test your theories could uncover some very surprising data on what your audience is actually searching for. Refine your keywords to align with your audience’s habits and you’ll be on the front page in no time. 👌