3 Unconventional Keyword Research Tools to Improve Conversions
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There are a number of great keyword research tools out there (paid tools and free tools, too). Many times, however, I really wonder if I’m doing enough work to get into the mind of the customers. Getting into the customer’s mind is critical, and there isn’t always a tool that can help you do it. You are forced to turn to other methods of keyword research. Here are my favorite ways to figure out what the hell the customer is thinking when they are looking for my customer’s product/service.
Ask a Question on LinkedIn or Yahoo! Answers
This is one of the best ways to get in touch with potential customers and to get a first hand view of what they are searching for. Ask them an open ended question that will encourage them to leave you a detailed response. Word your question carefully so that you don’t put words in their mouth, and within 24 hours you’ll have a large number of responses. Pull out any keyword possibilities and use your conventional keyword research tools to decide whether or not they are worth going after.
Interview Your Client’s Secretary, Receptionist, or Anyone that Answers the Phone
These people are dealing with the customer every single day, and can provide great insight as to what language the customer is speaking. I usually come up with a 5-10 questionnaire that is filled with open-ended questions to get them to give me a long, detailed answer. Ask them what the typical customer asks for when they call in, and what words they are using to describe their product/service. You’ll be amazed at the insight they have. This is one of my most reliable resources.
Ask Their Customers
More than likely your client has a list of preferred clients that they wouldn’t mind you speaking with. Have your client send out a personalized email requesting their help. Let them know that you’ll only need about 15 minutes of their time, and you can even send them a thank you gift at the end (it will be worth it!). You should also create another 5-10 questionnaire that gets their client talking. For example, ask them how they would describe your product/service to a coworker or friend. There are a number of great questions you can come up with to try and get them to spit out a handful of keywords.
You should never assume you know what the customer wants. More than likely, they are on a completely different wave length than you are. The best way to figure out what language the customer is using is to ask them directly. What unconventional tools are you using for keyword research?
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Sometimes when we think about SEO and SEM we overlook some of the basics of marketing. Your three tools mentioned above are the key to understanding what our target market is thinking about when looking for our product or service. The second two have been used for many years to create the Unique Selling Proposition. Today we have a ton of technology tools to help us do the same thing. Thanks for the post.
June 5th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I am glad you are reminding online marketers about some of the traditional marketing practices.
Marketing 101 should be required for SEO’s, since they, or I should say, we are really lacking there.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
In order to conduct truly effect keyword research you need to KNOW the client. You can’t expect to sit down for an hour or two, discussing their business and come up with a great keyword list.
Keyword research is all about knowing your client’s business, sitting down with employees, understanding their process as well as you do your own.
… I think I’ll write a post about this…
Thanks for the inspiration.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
I couldn’t agree more, Mike. I can’t believe how many people are surprised by that, either. You would think it would be common sense: if you want to know what someone is thinking…ask them!
Thanks for the comment!
June 8th, 2008 at 5:34 am
If you want to ask your customers what they’d search for the seed keywords engine makes it easy.
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June 17th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
I would not have thought about LinkedIn. Fantastic approach! I recently started looking at review sites as sources of keywords, e.g. Yelp. Also, looking at customer reviews on blogs, Amazon, etc. I’ve been preparing to write a post about it, now I can give you some link luv for your suggestions!
When discussing keywords with clients, I ask them to think about “desires” - “How would someone search if they had a deep desire for your product or service and didn’t know it’s name or your name?”
June 17th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I like how you phrased that, Dana. Although I didn’t mention it in the post, I think you should also make sure they understand what keywords are and why you want to know the information.
Great idea about customer reviews on blogs, Amazon, etc., I hadn’t thought of that!
August 28th, 2008 at 9:03 am
[...] blog is Gonzo SEO, and the post I wanted to highlight is called 3 Unconventional Keyword Research Tools to Improve Conversions. I particularly liked this post because it steps away from the tools and numbers game for a moment, [...]