How to Use Semrush for Keyword Research

Semrush is a well-known online marketing tool that digital marketers, writers, and SEO experts use to improve the functionality of their websites and raise their online presence. Users can extract keywords, examine website traffic, manage social media campaigns, and monitor their rivals' moves with Semrush.

What is Keyword Research?

A crucial component of SEO and content production is keyword research. It entails figuring out the key phrases and terms that people most frequently use to search for information or answers to their problems. You may improve your website's visibility in search engine results pages and get more relevant traffic to your site by choosing and utilizing the appropriate keywords in your content.

Users who conduct keyword research with Semrush gain insightful knowledge about the search habits of their target market, including the most common search terms, related keywords, search volume and other metrics. Users may improve their chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages and bringing more organic traffic to their website by analyzing this data and selecting the most pertinent and profitable keywords to target in their content.

How to log in to Semrush and where to find the keyword research tool?

You must sign into your Semrush account to utilize the keyword research tool. This is how you do it:

1. First of all, go to the Semrush website in your web browser. After the site opens, in the upper right corner of the page, click on the "Login" button.
2. Next, enter the password for your Semrush account together with your email address. You can register for a free account if you don't have an account. Also, you can use your Google ID to log in.
3. After successfully logging in, Semrush's dashboard will be displayed to you. A summary of your account, including recent projects and stats, is provided via this dashboard.
4. Click on the "Keyword Research" tab on the left side of the page to open the keyword research tool. After clicking this, you may begin examining keywords associated with your project or using the keyword research tool.
5. You need to enter a primary term associated with the specific topic you want to search for in the search field of the keyword research tool. Semrush will generate a list of similar keywords with search volume, keyword difficulty and competition level for the related term you have given.
6. Based on your preferences, you can apply filters to reduce the number of keywords in the list. For instance, you can filter results based on keyword difficulty, search volume, or level of competition.
7. Using the major keyword as the main topic and subheadings based on related keywords, you can develop an outline for your content once you've determined the keywords you want to target.

The process of logging into Semrush and using the keyword research tool is simple. You may choose the most effective keywords in your content and improve your chances of appearing higher in search engine results pages by using Semrush's keyword research tool.

Why should you conduct Keyword Research frequently?

The generation of content and search engine optimization (SEO) both depend on keyword research. It entails figuring out the key phrases and terms people use to search for information or answer their problems using web search engines. Regularly conducting keyword research has the following advantages, among others:

• Keep abreast of Search Trends: Due to a variety of variables, including changes in user behaviour, market trends, and new technology, search patterns can vary over time. By regularly conducting keyword research, you can keep up with these developments and modify your content strategy as necessary.
• Find New Chances: By using keyword research, you may find new keyword opportunities that you may not have known about before. You can find new subjects to write about or find keywords to use in your current content to raise its chances of ranking by examining the statistics properly.
• Boost Content Relevance: Using keyword research, you can ensure that your material remains pertinent to your target audience. Your content's relevance and usability to consumers can be improved by strategically using the proper keywords, boosting engagement, and improving the user experience.
• Keep one step ahead of the Competition: By figuring out which keywords your rivals are focusing on and finding fresh ways to set your content apart, regular keyword research can help you keep one step ahead of the pack. Increase your chances of appearing higher on search engine results pages and drawing more visitors to your website by focusing on keywords that your rivals are lacking.

What are the fundamentals of Semrush's keyword research?

To find high-performing keywords and optimize their content for search engines, digital marketers and SEO experts most frequently use this well-known keyword research tool called Semrush. The following are some fundamental procedures for carrying out keyword research in Semrush:

• Start with a Seed Keyword: You can use a seed keyword as the starting point for your keyword research if it is a broad term that is connected to your content or niche. You can input your seed term in Semrush's search box and choose the appropriate language and region before doing the analysis.
• Analyse Keyword Data: Semrush offers a plethora of information on keyword performance, such as search volume, keyword difficulty, and level of competition. This information can be used to find easy-to-rank keywords and determine which has the most excellent chance of bringing more visitors to your website.
• Perform Competitor Analysis: Semrush enables you to examine your rival's websites and determine the keywords they are focusing on. You can use this knowledge to find weaknesses in your content strategy and find new ways to differentiate your content from your competitors.
• Find Related Keywords: In addition to offering a list of keywords that are pertinent to your seed keyword, Semrush also offers a list of related keywords. The relevancy of your current material can be increased by using these connected keywords, which can also help you find new chances to write about.
• Use Long-tail Keywords: Long-tail keywords are more focused and precise search terms that people use, frequently showing a high level of intent to buy something or do something specific. You may find long-tail keywords that are pertinent to your content and optimize your content for them using Semrush.
• Track Website Performance for Particular Keywords: Semrush enables you to track the effectiveness of your website for particular keywords and discover fresh chances to improve your content. You may enhance the functionality of your website and broaden your online presence by frequently analyzing your keyword data and modifying your content strategy accordingly.
• Checking Repetition of Keywords: Semrush offers a keyword mapping tool that enables you to designate keywords to particular web pages on your site based on relevancy and search traffic. This increases your chances of appearing higher in search engine results pages by ensuring that your content is optimized for the appropriate keywords.

Doing Keyword Research based on Competitors

Another strategy is competitor-based keyword research, which starts with websites that are already listed in the SERP. For this approach, you typically gather seed websites to begin the investigation rather than seed keywords.

Here's how to proceed:

Step 1: Discover Your Organic Competitors through Organic Research

With the use of organic research, you can locate your rivals in organic search, check the terms they rank for, and look at the recent fluctuations in their page rankings.

Start by visiting Organic Research, typing your domain address into the search box within the 'Competitors' section, and scrolling down to the table after the search has been completed. You will own a list of your rivals; they may be now used as your seed domains. The list is ordered by "Competition Level", which measures how closely a website is a competitor to the one you entered. This statistic is also displayed based on "Competition Level", which measures the total number of keywords a competitor is ranked for and the proportion of keywords the competitor shares with the provided website.

You must sort the domain list according to the degree of competition or the number of common keywords. To reassemble the report for the website, you may click the domain name or the arrow icon to open it in a new tab.

Step 2: Extract the Keywords of your competitors

The 'Positions' report of the 'Organic Research' for your seed domain is the next destination.

Here, you can view all the search terms for which a specific domain is included within the top 100 results. The URL of the associated landing page and other metrics are provided with each term a domain ranks for to help you with your study.

By selecting the 'Advanced Filters' button, you can add filtering options to shortlist specific keywords from the likely too-long list you will receive. For instance, we can locate keywords that contain the phrase "cat food" and have a KD lower than 60. To obtain the most pertinent data, you should experiment with various combinations of additional filtering choices. If you try adding other filtering options, you might uncover some keywords that are profitable.

Step 3: Discover Chances & Optimize Content

Finding possible quick chances is now simple; all you have to do is to create a list of filtered keywords and start working on them. Additionally, you may keep a check on your competitor's ranking fluctuations to find opportunities for ranking potentials.

Look at the listings of Lost and Declined keywords in the 'Position Changes' tab.

• Declined- When the domain no longer ranks in the top 100 for specific keywords, the placements for these keywords are decreased (or declined).
• Lost- For certain keywords, the domain may show up as lost, meaning the domain is no longer present within the top 100 results on web search pages.

Since the competitor lacks these keywords to rank for, you can create better content for such keywords and optimize them by following SEO practices. In this way, you can beat your competitors.

Keyword Gap Tool: What is it?

Semrush's Keyword Gap tool is another great feature that can assist you in finding keywords for which your rivals are currently ranking, but you are not. With the aid of this tool, you may identify any loopholes in your content strategy and discover fresh ways to raise your website's online presence and draw in more relevant visitors.

Here are some steps to use the Keyword Gap tool in Semrush:

• Submit Your Domain and those of Your Rivals: Once you've identified your competitors, use the Keyword Gap Tool to enter both your and their domains.
• Choose Your Focus Keywords: Select the target keywords for your analysis. These could be general terms associated with your niche or longer-tail, more precise keywords.
• Analyse Keyword Data: Semrush can provide a detailed analysis of the keywords that are giving your rivals the top rankings but not you. This also includes information on keyword difficulty, search volume, and level of competition.
• Prioritise Keywords: Examine the keyword data to determine which keywords have the best chance of bringing visitors to your website. Prioritize these keywords and think about writing fresh content or optimizing existing content about them to increase your website's online presence and draw in targeted visitors.

Finding Keywords using Topic Research

Some people may argue that good content is simply a key to digital success, which is somewhat accurate, but we cannot ignore better content marketing approaches and SEO practices in today's competitive market. The ability to have all together can greatly affect one's success.

While content marketing is more general and focuses more on messaging, email marketing and communication, SEO can be more focused towards technical things. Finding out what your audience is interested in and/ or what's trending is the essence of keyword research for preparing good content before content marketing and SEO may take place. The tool named Topic Research may be beneficial for this purpose.

Topic Research

Semrush's Topic Research tool fully lets you find pertinent topics and article ideas for your website or blog. The Topic Research tool may help you develop content that resonates with your audience by giving you insights into the themes they have well-liked by analyzing the top-performing material in your sector. The tool provides a comprehensive list of subtopics, headlines, and questions pertinent to your chosen topic, enabling you to produce exciting and educational content that drives targeted traffic to your website. You may speed up the process of creating content, enhance your content strategy, and gradually boost your online presence by using the Topic Research tool. Using the tool typically involves the following steps:

1. Enter anything in the tool's search bar, whatever topic comes to your mind, or which you would like to discuss on your website.
2. To focus your search for inspiration, you can narrow it down to a specific city.
3. You can change the view from the Cards section, such as:
   • If you prefer working with tables, use Explorer.
   • If you'd like a summary of the report, click on Overview.
   • If you'd want your topic cards to be more visually represented, create a mind map.

You will be shown the top searched keywords regardless of the perspective you select:

• The titles with the highest resonance are ranked by the number of links pointing to the pages.
• The questions that people are asking about this subject most frequently are also displayed. By responding to these, you'll provide value to your material and increase your chances of being featured in the SERP's Featured Snippet.
• The search phrases that users regularly use in Google searches along with the subject under study are also included. Utilize them to comprehend user intent better and enrich your content.

Finally, add these headings and questions to your list of favourite or filtered ideas of keywords. Use this list to help you define your content strategy and produce the most exciting material accordingly.

The Conclusion

An essential component of SEO and digital marketing, called keyword research, is a crucial feature of Semrush as well. You may perform extensive keyword research and discover fresh ways to increase your website's online visibility and draw in targeted visitors using this powerful keyword research tool of Semrush. In addition to a keyword research tool, Semrush's Keyword Magic Tool, Keyword Gap Tool, and Topic Research Tool can all help you improve your content strategy and stay ahead of the competition. You may continuously improve your strategy and find long-term success in the fiercely competitive internet environment by conducting keyword research regularly and keeping an eye on your competitor's performance.