Introduction
When you’re dealing with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), keeping an eye on keywords is really important. To boost your online presence, especially through SEO. By keeping tabs on how certain keywords are doing, you can make smart decisions based on data. This helps your website show up more in search results, bringing in more natural traffic.
But it’s not just about watching keywords on the web. Nowadays, businesses are also checking out keywords on social media. This is because more and more people are using social media these days.
Let’s begin and discover more about it, shall we?
What is keyword monitoring?
Keyword monitoring involves tracking where websites and pages stand for particular words. This helps gather some important and useful information about your SEO strategy and how you stack up against others on each keyword, using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Regularly checking your keyword ranking is a valuable indicator of your site’s performance on search engines and social media platforms, providing insights into changes in your site’s position over time based on specific KPIs.
Why is keyword monitoring important?
Similar to keeping an eye on the news, keyword monitoring gives you useful information. It helps in different ways:
1. Improving your website’s search ranking
- Understand what your audience wants from search results.
- Know which phrases lead people to your site.
- Focus on important keywords for better search engine ranking.
- Pay attention to what works best for your target audience.
2. Boosting social media visibility
- Use keyword monitoring to be more visible on social media.
- Keep track of keywords related to your brand, industry, or products.
- Understand what your audience talks about.
- Use trending topics and hashtags in your social media posts.
3. Checking on competitors
- Instead of just comparing rankings, learn from competitors.
- Analyze competitors’ SEO tactics for higher-ranking keywords.
- Identify keyword gaps to cover topics your competitors are ranking for.
- Conduct a site audit based on successful strategies of competitors.
4. Discovering industry trends
- Monitor keywords for competitors and industry trends.
- Find new keywords and check their search volume.
- Create content to rank for emerging keywords and stay ahead.
5. Early crisis prevention
- Track your brand name as a keyword.
- Manage your brand’s online reputation.
- Learn what people are saying on web pages and social networks.
- Prevent potential crises by addressing issues early.
What metrics to measure when monitoring keywords?
Keeping an eye on web and social keywords is important because it gives you useful information. We’re sharing some key things to pay attention to when you’re checking keywords:
1. See where your keywords show up
First, find out how well your content ranks for specific topics. Knowing where you stand in your industry’s search rankings helps you understand how good your content is.
2. Check how popular your keywords are
When you plan your content, think about how many people are searching for the words you’re using. More searches mean more people visiting your page.
3. Understand how tough the competition is
After figuring out how many people search for your keywords, see how other websites are talking about the same things. Some factors, like how common the keyword is, how relevant it is, what users want, the number of links, total search results, and cost per click (CPC), show how tough the competition is. You can use tools to keep track of this information.
Keeping notes of the competition helps you adjust your plan. You might decide to use less common, more specific keywords or make your content better to compete with top websites.
4. Keep an eye on words related to your brand
Don’t forget to watch words connected to your brand, like your brand name, product names, and service names. This helps you stay strong online and connected to your brand.
How to monitor keywords on social media and the web?
Social media:
To keep track of specific words on social media, you can follow these steps:
1. Get alerts:
Use tools that tell you when your chosen words pop up on social media.
2. Search for words:
Look up your keywords directly on social media sites to see where and how much they’re used.
3. Check hashtags:
Keep an eye on hashtags related to your words. They can help you find posts and discussions about them.
4. Use listening tools:
Try tools that listen to social media and give you info on how often your words are used.
5. Join the talk:
Talk to people who mention your words. It helps you stay part of the conversation and understand what’s going on.
Web:
Checking keywords on the web is different from monitoring them on social media. Social media keyword monitoring is about tracking words linked to your brand, but web SEO keyword monitoring is all about making your website better for getting leads.
When you’re exploring the web, how can you see how well your keywords are doing?
There are a few tools for web SEO keyword monitoring that you can use. As mentioned earlier, you want to look at keywords:
- Ranking
- Popularity
- Competitiveness
How often should you monitor keywords?
You can keep an eye on your keywords as much as you think is needed. How often you do it depends on your business and plans. For example, a restaurant sharing daily specials may check their ranking all day, while others might do it every day, week, or month.
It’s a good idea to check your rankings when you notice less people coming to your website. Sometimes, if a keyword that used to bring a lot of visitors goes down in the rankings, your traffic can drop. So, it’s important to see which words are going down and figure out if there’s something you can do to make your page rank better.
What should you do if your most important keywords drop in rankings?
If your essential keywords are slipping in rankings, no need to worry. Although your site traffic may dip temporarily, you can still improve your standings.
Here’s what to check:
- Ensure search engines can find your website
- Check for search penalties affecting your site
- Look out for keyword cannibalization within your pages
- Analyze your backlinks profile for quality and quantity
- Compare your page’s quality to competitors’ pages
- Understand and meet the search intent for your target keywords
5 Best keyword monitoring tools to try in 2024
Here are five tools you can use in 2024 to keep an eye on keywords:
1. Ahrefs:
Ahrefs is well-known for its SEO tools. It helps you monitor keywords by tracking rankings, analyzing search volumes, suggesting keyword ideas, and researching competitors. Ahrefs provides detailed information on keyword performance, backlinks, and search results, making it valuable for improving content strategies.
2. SEMrush:
SEMrush is another top-notch SEO tool with extensive keyword monitoring features. It gives insights into keyword trends, search volumes, and what keywords your competitors are using. SEMrush’s analytics help identify high-performing keywords, track rankings, and improve content for better visibility in search results.
3. Moz:
Moz offers various SEO tools, including keyword tracking features. These tools help monitor keyword performance, search rankings, and provide insights into keyword difficulty and search result features. Moz also allows you to track historical data, helping marketers refine their strategies based on trends and competitor analysis.
4. SE Ranking:
SE Ranking stands out for its user-friendly interface and strong keyword monitoring capabilities. It offers features like keyword position tracking, competitor analysis, and detailed reporting. SE Ranking’s tools for keyword research help discover new opportunities and optimize content to achieve better rankings in search engines.
5. SpyFu:
SpyFu specializes in analyzing competitor keywords. It enables users to track competitors’ keyword strategies, discover profitable keywords, and understand their advertising campaigns. SpyFu’s features provide businesses with insights into competitor tactics, helping them refine their own keyword strategies for improved performance.
Let’s wrap it up
That covers everything about keeping tabs on keywords. Hopefully, you now get why it matters, what stuff to keep track of, and how to go about it.
Certainly, not everyone is born knowing how to track keywords. Thankfully, various tools for SEO and social media keywords can make it easier for you.
