Identifying keywords is the backbone of any successful SEO strategy. This is because keywords are the words and phrases that bring people to your website. They can be used to optimize your content and help you target specific phrases.

Getting the keyword is only half the battle. Optimizing your content and ensuring that your site is placed on authoritative domains are two more steps that will make your keywords work for you.

If you’re looking to increase your site’s traffic, you may need to do a little research and see what other people are saying about your topic. You can use tools such as Ahrefs or Google AdWords to find out how many searches your site gets per month.

If you are a commercial website, you want to focus on keywords with more commercial intent. For example, a local used car dealership should focus on identifying the best keywords for their business.

When it comes to keywords, a mix of long-tail terms will balance short- and long-term wins. Long-tail keywords are more specific than their generic counterparts and are easier to identify what people are looking for.

The Search Insights Report from HubSpot helps you understand how your keywords are performing across search engines, social media, and the MSV. This data can help you formulate your strategy and editorial calendar.

The Ads Keyword Tool helps you understand how your keywords are performing in search engines, and provides suggestions for new keywords. It also provides a list of mentions, which is a good way to see how recently someone has created content related to your topic.