Choosing the right keywords is a big part of achieving search engine optimization success. Knowing what is relevant to your site can make all the difference in attracting visitors and converting them into customers. It is also important to choose keywords that are the least competitive. This will save you time and effort, and will result in more qualified traffic.

The most important metric to choose from is the relevance of the keyword. If a visitor does not find what they’re looking for on your site, they’ll likely click on the next result on the search results page. This is especially true if your keywords are not highly searched.

Another metric to consider is the search volume. This is the average number of searches for a particular word or phrase within a month. This can be looked up by state or by worldwide. It is also a good idea to check out the related searches section, located at the bottom of the page. This is a great place to learn more about popular queries and the corresponding content.

The first step in keyword research is to make a spreadsheet with your topics. Your spreadsheet should have no more than five to ten categories. If you are unsure of what to put in each category, brainstorm with your customer-facing colleagues to determine which keywords are most commonly used by your customers.

Choosing the most appropriate keywords can be daunting. To get started, use Google’s free keyword tool to see what searchers are looking for. The results will give you a general idea of what is most relevant to your website. The competition column will provide a guide to how competitive the keyword is for you. You may have to make a few compromises in order to achieve your goals.