1. Sign up for a Semrush account
If you want to use Semrush for keyword research, the first step is to sign up for a Semrush account. You can do this by visiting the Semrush website and clicking on the «Sign Up» button. You will be asked to provide some basic information such as your name, email address, and password. Once you have filled out the form, click on the «Create Account» button to create your Semrush account.
2. Set up your project
After signing up for a Semrush account, the next step is to set up your project. This involves entering some information about your website or the website you are doing keyword research for. You will be asked to provide the domain name, country, and language of the website. You can also choose to connect your Google Analytics account to Semrush for more accurate data. Once you have entered all the required information, click on the «Set Up Project» button to proceed.
3. Enter your target keyword
Once your project is set up, you can start doing keyword research by entering your target keyword into the search bar. This can be a single word or a phrase that is relevant to your website or the content you want to optimize. For example, if you have a blog about fitness, your target keyword could be «weight loss tips». Enter your target keyword and click on the «Search» button to get started.
4. Analyze keyword metrics
After entering your target keyword, Semrush will provide you with a list of keyword metrics. These metrics include the search volume, keyword difficulty, CPC (cost per click), and competition level for the keyword. The search volume indicates how many times the keyword is searched for on average each month. The keyword difficulty shows how hard it is to rank for the keyword on a scale from 1 to 100. The CPC indicates the average cost per click for ads targeting the keyword. The competition level shows how many advertisers are bidding on the keyword. Analyzing these metrics can help you determine the potential value of the keyword for your website.
5. Explore related keywords
In addition to providing keyword metrics for your target keyword, Semrush also offers a list of related keywords. These are keywords that are similar or related to your target keyword. Exploring related keywords can help you discover additional keyword opportunities and expand your keyword list. You can click on any related keyword to view its metrics and further analyze its potential value.
6. Analyze keyword difficulty
Keyword difficulty is an important metric to consider when doing keyword research. It indicates how hard it is to rank for a particular keyword. Semrush provides a keyword difficulty score for each keyword, ranging from 1 to 100. A higher score indicates a higher level of difficulty. Analyzing keyword difficulty can help you prioritize your keyword targets and focus on keywords that are more achievable for your website.
7. Analyze competitor keywords
Another valuable feature of Semrush is the ability to analyze competitor keywords. By entering the domain name of a competitor, you can see a list of keywords that they are ranking for. This can provide you with insights into their keyword strategy and help you identify new keyword opportunities for your own website. Analyzing competitor keywords can also help you understand the competitive landscape and make informed decisions about your own keyword targeting.
8. Create a keyword list
As you explore keywords and analyze their metrics, it’s important to keep track of the keywords that are most relevant and valuable to your website. Semrush allows you to create keyword lists to organize and save your selected keywords. You can create multiple lists based on different themes or categories. This makes it easy to refer back to your keyword research and use it as a reference when optimizing your content.
9. Track keyword rankings
Once you have identified your target keywords and optimized your content, it’s important to track your keyword rankings to see how well your website is performing in search results. Semrush offers a rank tracking feature that allows you to monitor the rankings of your selected keywords over time. You can see how your rankings change and track your progress in improving your search visibility. This can help you identify areas for improvement and make adjustments to your SEO strategy.
10. Monitor keyword trends
Keyword trends can change over time as search behavior and user preferences evolve. It’s important to stay updated on the latest keyword trends to ensure that your content remains relevant and optimized for current search queries. Semrush provides a keyword trends feature that allows you to monitor the popularity and search volume of keywords over time. This can help you identify emerging trends and adjust your keyword targeting accordingly.
11. Optimize your content
Once you have completed your keyword research and identified your target keywords, the next step is to optimize your content. This involves incorporating your target keywords into your website’s content in a natural and strategic way. You can use your selected keywords in your page titles, headings, meta descriptions, and throughout the body of your content. By optimizing your content for your target keywords, you can improve your chances of ranking higher in search results and attracting more organic traffic to your website.
12. Measure your keyword performance
After optimizing your content, it’s important to measure the performance of your target keywords to see how well they are driving traffic to your website. Semrush provides a keyword performance tracking feature that allows you to monitor the organic traffic, search visibility, and other key metrics for your selected keywords. By regularly measuring your keyword performance, you can identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions to optimize your SEO strategy.
