One fundamental aspect of our SEO services in New York is to focus on keyword planning. Regular visitors to these website pages will know that there are a whole list of different components that make up our SEO services in NY and that all of these come together to improve search rankings and boost a site’s traffic.

Keyword research and optimization is one of the most fundamental but also the one that non SEO experts are the most nervous about approaching.

Back to basics with our SEO Services in NY

When you search for something on the internet, you type keywords into a search box. For example, if you were looking for an SEO company like us you might type “SEO services in NY” or if you are looking for inspiration for where to eat out, you would key in something like “Italian restaurants in Manhattan.” From the perspective of an SEO company or Italian restaurant, it is important that those keyword phrases appear on key web pages within the site. This is the first thing the Google search bots look for to establish whether your site is a good match for that search. Keyword research is the art of working out what keyword phrases potential customers are likely to type.

Keywords and web design

As well as SEO services, we also help clients with web design in NY, and we always stress that getting the right keywords established is part of the design process. This is because there is more to it than simply inserting the right words within your content. Technical aspects such as url slugs (the web address starting www), alt text for images and meta tags that are additional pieces of coding, all need to incorporate the right keywords.

Keywords and content management

But while every web design company in New York will agree that keywords are important from the outset, it is a mistake to think that your keyword analysis is some kind of “set it and forget it” process. For one thing, none of us operate in a static market. Customer needs, technology and the market conditions are always changing, and these changes will influence the keywords people are using.

For another, your website itself should be a living and evolving thing, with new content being added regularly. This content needs to be keyword optimized, just as much as the basic landing pages of the site.

Different types of keywords

Keywords are described as short or long tail and this essentially describes the length of the keyword phrase. Think about those examples from earlier. “SEO services” or “Italian restaurant” are both short tail keywords for which businesses in those sectors would want to rank. However, you can imagine how many thousands of businesses there are competing on phrases like these.

Long tail keywords are less competitive and more specific. So while “SEO services in NY” or

“most popular Italian restaurant in Manhattan” are going to have lower volumes of search traffic, they will also be less competitive and easier to rank for.

Understanding your customers

The important thing about long tail keywords is specificity. Put yourself in the searcher’s shoes. You know that if you’re looking for an Italian restaurant in Manhattan, that long tail keyword is going to provide more relevant results than just typing “Italian restaurant” or “restaurant in New York.”

Once you have come to terms with that simple fact, you will see that choosing the right keywords doesn’t require any knowledge of SEO or the Google algorithm. It is all about understanding your customers and being able to predict what they are going to be typing into that search box.

Keywords in 2019

Keyword research might be the oldest part of SEO, but it is also one that is changing dramatically. Voice search is growing in popularity in our homes and is set to become increasingly important in B2B. It is having a profound impact on keyword research, for the simple reason that when someone asks Alexa or Siri something, they use different search phrases than they would when typing in a search box.

Is your keyword research strategy geared up to meet today’s search requirements, or could it use a bit of a tune up? Give us a call on 516-883-3851 for an informal chat, we’d love to help you get the very best out of your keywords in 2019 and beyond.