Understanding the SEO keywords used by a website is key to enhancing search engine visibility and staying competitive. Keywords play a vital role in SEO because they are the terms and phrases that people search for on search engines, and ranking for the right keywords can drive significant organic traffic. Checking the SEO keywords of a website—whether it’s your own or a competitor’s—can provide insights into what drives its traffic, its focus areas, and potential growth opportunities.
This article covers effective methods, tools, and best practices to check and analyze SEO keywords for a website, helping you build a robust SEO strategy that boosts rankings and reaches your target audience.
1. Why Analyzing SEO Keywords is Important
SEO keyword analysis allows you to:
- Identify Valuable Keywords: Knowing which keywords drive traffic to your site or a competitor’s site can help you target high-potential terms.
- Understand Competitors’ Strategies: By looking at the keywords competitors rank for, you can discover gaps in your own keyword strategy.
- Optimize Content: SEO keywords show what users are interested in, guiding content optimization and creation efforts.
- Track SEO Performance: Monitoring keywords helps you assess SEO effectiveness over time, ensuring your site remains relevant and competitive.
2. Best Tools to Check SEO Keywords of a Website
Several tools can help you identify the keywords a website ranks for. Here are some of the most popular and effective tools:
- Ahrefs: Ahrefs’ Site Explorer tool is one of the most comprehensive tools for keyword analysis. By entering a URL, you can view all the organic keywords the site ranks for, the traffic they generate, and the keyword difficulty scores.
- SEMrush: Another popular SEO tool, SEMrush provides insights into organic and paid keywords, top-ranking pages, keyword positions, and more.
- Google Search Console: Google’s own tool offers free insights into the keywords your site ranks for. It shows clicks, impressions, and average positions, providing a view of how your content performs on Google search.
- Ubersuggest: Ubersuggest is a user-friendly and cost-effective tool that allows you to see the keywords driving traffic to your site or a competitor’s site, along with their search volume and SEO difficulty.
- Moz Keyword Explorer: Moz provides essential keyword insights, including ranking keywords, search volume, and difficulty. The tool also suggests keywords related to your core terms for expanding your keyword list.
3. Steps to Check SEO Keywords of a Website
The following steps will help you analyze a website’s keywords using various tools:
Step 1: Identify Your Target Website and Goals
Determine whether you want to check keywords for your website, competitors, or an industry leader. Clarifying your objectives—whether it’s understanding content gaps, improving ranking, or finding new keyword opportunities—will make the keyword analysis more focused and effective.
Step 2: Use an SEO Tool for Keyword Research
- Log Into Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Your Preferred Tool: Open your chosen tool and enter the website URL you want to analyze. Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush will generate an extensive report on organic keywords.
- Analyze the Organic Keyword Report: Review the keywords the website ranks for, paying close attention to:
- Keyword Volume: This shows how many searches each keyword receives monthly.
- Keyword Position: Check where the site ranks for each keyword. Higher positions indicate stronger SEO performance.
- Keyword Difficulty: This metric helps assess how challenging it would be to rank for a particular keyword.
- Sort by Traffic: By sorting keywords by traffic, you can see which keywords drive the most visitors. This insight can guide your content strategy toward high-impact keywords.
Step 3: Examine Competitor Keywords for Strategy Ideas
Studying competitor keywords can reveal gaps or opportunities in your strategy. Ahrefs and SEMrush both offer “Competitor Keyword Gap” or “Keyword Gap” tools, allowing you to see which keywords competitors rank for but you don’t. This helps you identify keywords that are relevant but untapped on your site.
Step 4: Explore Branded vs. Non-Branded Keywords
When analyzing SEO keywords, it’s helpful to distinguish between branded and non-branded keywords:
- Branded Keywords: Keywords that include a brand’s name. These keywords are often easier for the brand to rank for, as they are specific to the company.
- Non-Branded Keywords: General keywords that don’t include brand names and are often more competitive. Focusing on relevant non-branded keywords can expand reach beyond brand loyalists.
Step 5: Review Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are extended, specific phrases that often have lower search volume but higher intent. These keywords are easier to rank for and can bring targeted traffic. For example, instead of targeting a broad term like “digital marketing,” long-tail variations like “digital marketing strategies for small businesses” may be more manageable and effective.
4. Using Google Search Console for Your Own Website’s Keywords
If you’re analyzing keywords for your own website, Google Search Console is an invaluable resource. It’s free and provides direct data from Google:
- Log In to Google Search Console: Go to the “Performance” section and select “Queries.”
- View Keywords and Search Metrics: Here, you’ll see the keywords your site ranks for, clicks, impressions, CTR (Click-Through Rate), and average position.
- Identify Opportunities: Keywords with high impressions but low clicks may benefit from better optimization, such as more engaging meta descriptions or titles.
5. Expanding Your Keyword List with Related Terms
Keyword tools also help you find related terms that can complement your SEO strategy:
- Check Related Keywords: Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz often provide “Related Keywords” or “Keyword Suggestions” to expand your list. These can help you identify variations of your primary keywords that still attract relevant traffic.
- Use Google’s “People Also Ask” and “Related Searches”: Google’s search results often display questions and related searches that give insight into additional keywords people use. Incorporating these into your content can help capture more organic traffic.
6. Tracking and Optimizing Keyword Performance Over Time
Once you have your target keywords, tracking their performance is key. Regularly monitor your keyword rankings and adjust your strategy as needed:
- Track Rankings with Ahrefs or SEMrush: Both tools offer rank tracking, allowing you to monitor keyword positions over time. This will help you assess which keywords gain or lose traction.
- Content Updates: For keywords with slipping rankings, consider updating the associated content. Adding new information, optimizing headings, or including additional keywords can help improve performance.
- Monitor Competitor Movements: Keep an eye on competitor keywords, especially if they start to outrank you. Adjusting your strategy in response to competitor shifts can help maintain a competitive edge.
Conclusion
Checking the SEO keywords of a website—whether it’s your own or a competitor’s—is a powerful way to gain insights and improve your search engine ranking. With tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Google Search Console, and Moz, you can uncover keywords that drive traffic, identify gaps, and craft a data-driven SEO strategy.
Keyword analysis is not a one-time task; it requires ongoing monitoring and adjustment to adapt to search engine algorithms and shifting competition. By implementing a structured keyword-checking approach and consistently optimizing content around high-value keywords, you can create a robust SEO strategy that enhances visibility, drives targeted traffic, and fosters long-term growth.