Ranking higher in the search results is the goal of every content marketer and blogger. That’s because over <a href="https://www.smartinsights.com/search-engine-optimisation-seo/seo-analytics/comparison-of-google-clickthrough-rates-by-position/" target="blank">62% of the available clicks</a> on Page #1 go to the top three positions in the search results.

But how do you rank higher in the search results?

That’s what you’ll discover in this article: seven tips for ranking higher in the SERPs.

# #1 - Optimize your meta tags

Every time you publish a new blog post or article, you should optimize the meta tags. Meta tags tell the search engines what your article is about.
There are only two meta tags you need to focus on: the title tag and the meta description
![optimize your meta tags](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/2UlKjdbq2zwruWczqZjdKK/b555e8a2e29811a1d469612102df3d5e/optimize_your_meta_tags.png)

## Title tag

Often called the SEO title, the title tag is the title of your article as it appears in the search results. It’s the first thing a searcher looks at when they see your SERP snippet in the search results.

Your title tag should contain your keyword and a benefit. What will the reader get from reading your article?

If you can, try to also include in your title tag:

- A number
- A power word
- A positive or negative sentiment

Numbers are easier to relate to than words. They tell the reader this is a listicle that can be skimmed and easily digested.

Power words are words that trigger an emotional response. Examples are:

- Discover
- Extraordinary
- Latest
- Unforgettable
- Irresistible
- Awe-Inspiring
- Shocking
- Step-by-Step
- Surprising

Here is a list of <a href="https://sumo.com/stories/power-words" target="blank">over 400 power words</a>.

Try to avoid title tags that are neutral in sentiment. People are either trying to get something or avoid something, so titles that have a positive or negative sentiment get more clicks.

Here are some examples:

- 5 Things You Should __Never Do__ When Selling a House (negative sentiment)
- 7 Tips For __Getting More__ Followers on Twitter (positive sentiment)

## Meta description

The other tag you need to optimize is the meta description. This is the 3 to 4 lines of text that appear in your SERP snippet, beneath the title tag. Your meta description should include:

- Your keyword
- A benefit from reading the article
- A Call To Action (CTA) (e.g. “Discover how to…”)

# #2 - Understand the search intent of the keyword phrase

To rank on Page #1 of the search results, you need to understand the search intent behind the keyword.  Search intent, also known as user intent and keyword intent, is a person’s purpose when they type a search query into a search engine. What is it they were looking for when they typed in that query?

I once did some keyword research and found a keyword with good monthly search volume and low competition. The keyword was ‘best free serp checker’. I decided I would write a blog post about ‘best free serp checkers’.

But then I typed that keyword into Google and what I found made me change my mind. Every single result on Page #1 of Google for that search query was an application or a piece of software for checking SERP results.

That was the search intent behind that keyword. People who typed that keyword into Google were not looking for an article comparing SERP checkers. They were looking for the software itself.

There are three main kinds of search intent:

__*Informational search*__

These are queries where the searcher is looking for information. An example would be ‘How many grams in an ounce’ or ‘what is a dslr camera’ or ‘lcd tv vs led tv’.

__*Commercial search*__

These are queries where the searcher is looking to buy a product or a service. Examples of commercial searches would be ‘best dslr cameras’, or ‘best lcd tvs’, or ‘flights to Rome’.

__*Transactional search*__

Transactional queries are ones where the searcher has gathered all the information they need and is ready to buy. Examples of transactional queries would be ‘dslr cameras under $1000’ or ‘lcd tvs under $2000’ or ‘cheapest flights to Rome’.

When you look at the search results for your chosen keyword, take note of what kind of results are showing up in the SERPs. Are they informational, commercial, or transactional? Your web page will need to match the type of search result that Google is showing for that keyword.

# #3 - Study the top 5 search results

A lot of people don’t realize that the secret to ranking on Page #1 of Google is staring you in the face. The top 5 results on Google for any given keyword contain all the clues you need.

That’s why you should closely examine the top-ranking pages for your chosen keyword.

Look at the type of articles that are ranking in the top results. Are they listicles, definitive guides, ‘how-to’ articles, or definitional articles?
If the top five articles for your keyword are listicles, then your article should be a listicle as well. Because that’s the kind of content that Google wants to show for that keyword.

Also, look at the word count of the top five articles. If they all have 2000 to 3000 words, then your article will have to be in that range as well. But if they are all 500 to 1000 words, then that’s the range you should aim for. I’ve sometimes gone up two or three positions in the search results simply by deleting 1000 words.

But the most important thing to do when you study the top five search results is to take note of the topics and subtopics that those articles cover. Your article will need to cover the same topics and subtopics. Ideally, your article should cover more topics and subtopics associated with that keyword than any other article on Page #1 of the search results.

To get an overall picture of the topics covered, copy and paste the headings and subheadings from the top 5 search results into a Google docs file. Sort them into categories and eliminate duplicates. Then make sure that your article covers all of those topics and subtopics.

You can add topics and subtopics to your article by looking at the ‘People Also Ask’ section and the ‘Related Searches’ section.

![people also ask](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/5535blCD03ebiBaLfcd5iS/7df75224853e73026d3371a1cf868bf8/people_also_ask.png)
![search results](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/69auwEeMwz0uorUF9jHQ0b/f2f9efb7b5563e2cad17d595d8c5d07d/search_results.png)

# #4 - Write powerful introductions

The Google algorithm records how long people stay on your page. The longer they stay, the more likely it is that your page answered their query. But if they click away within a few seconds, that tells Google that your page wasn’t a good match for the search query.

And that’s why a strong introduction is one of the keys to ranking well on Google. One of the most effective formulas for writing introductions is PAS:

- Pain
- Agitate
- Solve

Show the reader you understand their problem. Then paint a vivid picture of why it’s a problem. And finally, tell the reader there’s a solution and that’s what your article is about.

Here’s an example from <a href="https://backlinko.com/how-to-get-backlinks" target="blank">an article by Brian Dean</a>:

![write powerful introductions](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/1hxhuaJqNXw7cPcqHj2VOB/d7dbda5ca31cf1ec8d003cfd24b39e9a/write_powerful_introductions.png)

# #5 - Use transitional phrases

Transitional phrases are the lubricant that keeps your readers moving down the page. Transitions are a way of moving from one topic to the next. They are like signposts guiding the reader through your article.

But transitional phrases do much more than that.

They can also make your article conversational. They can give the reader a sense that you are having a one-to-one chat with them. And that’s the secret to reader engagement. 

Here are some examples:

- I think you’ll agree with me when I say…
- Here’s why that’s important…
- You won’t believe what we discovered…
- But there’s a catch…
- Fortunately, there’s a simple solution…

These phrases build a relationship with the reader. They make the reader feel that you understand them.

When the reader feels that you understand them, they’ll stay with you right to the end of the article. And that’s going to increase your ‘time on page’ (aka ‘dwell time’) which will improve your rankings.

You can read more about how to use transitional phrases in my SmartBlogger article: 

<a href="https://smartblogger.com/transitional-phrases/" target="blank">How to Use Transitional Words & Phrases to Make Your Writing Flow (with Examples)</a>

# #6 - Get your website to score high for core web vitals (CWV)

In 2020 Google announced three new page experience signals which affect how well a page will rank in the search results:

- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)
- FID (First Input Delay)
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)

These core web vitals are mainly about speed but they also deal with other aspects of user experience. For example, cumulative layout shift is the unexpected shifting of webpage elements while the page is still loading. This happens when content changes dimensions while the page is loading. A common cause of CLS is unspecified image dimensions. When the dimensions of an image have not been set, the space allocated to an image will change as the text in the page loads. 

You can check your website’s core web vitals in Google Search Console:

![google search console](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/4J7RYRyOZmxbRRZ7BsZQaO/1d43d02c17297248bfd80ca1dbddaf98/google_search_console.png)

You can also get a CWV report on individual pages using <a href="https://pagespeed.web.dev/" target="blank">Google’s Page Speed Insights</a> tool:

![page speed insights](//images.ctfassets.net/z8uwv83tofbw/92z3aEbhu9TmcBvBFUPBN/482f48c900913b59c94f833da1c05584/page_speed_insights.png)

Core Web Vitals are mostly about speed - how fast your web page loads.
The best ways to improve your core web vitals are:

1. Change to a web host that has a faster server response time
2. Install a caching and speed optimization plugin such as <a href="https://wp-rocket.me/" target="blank">WP Rocket</a> or <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/" target="blank">W3 Total Cache</a>
3. Optimize your images by making sure that they are not larger than they need to be (e.g. displaying an image 3000 pixels wide in a space that is only 850 pixels wide)
4. Use an image optimizer such as <a href="https://shortpixel.com/" target="blank">Short Pixel</a> or <a href="https://wpmudev.com/project/wp-smush-pro/" target="blank">Smush</a> to compress the images on your website.
5. Use a content delivery network (CDN) to deliver static web page resources such as image videos, images, Javascript, and CSS.

# #7 - Build Backlinks

Backlinks from relevant sites in your niche are <a href="https://ahrefs.com/blog/google-ranking-factors/" target="blank">arguably the most most important ranking factor</a>.

Here are three ways to build backlinks safely.

__*Contribute to HARO*__

HARO or Help A Reporter Out is a service that links journalists with sources. Journalists are frequently racing to meet deadlines and they often need quotes to use in their articles at very short notice.

When you register at HARO as a source, you can respond to journalists’ queries and get linked to from their major websites with high DA or domain authority.
What sets HARO apart from other link-building strategies is that the queries come to you. Instead of cold pitching people who are probably not interested in hearing from you, these link-building opportunities come knocking on your door. Three times a day you’ll receive an email from HARO with queries that you can answer. 

For more information on this, see my article <a href="https://robpowellbizblog.com/how-to-use-haro/" target="blank">How To Use HARO for Link Building</a>.

__*Publish Roundup Posts*__

People love seeing their name in a list of experts and they love sharing it with other people. And that’s why expert roundups are a good way of building backlinks. 

Reach out to 25 - 50 experts in your niche and ask them for a tip on a particular topic. When your article is live, send them a link and you’ll find that 20% to 30% will either share it on social media or link to it from their ‘About’ page.

__*Publish Top List Posts*__

Top list posts are articles that list the top experts or websites in a particular field. Here are some examples:

- 30 Top Marketers on Twitter
- 25 Top WordPress Blogs
- 35 Top Copywriters on Instagram

Once your article is live, send each featured expert or website a link to your article. You’ll find that a good proportion will link to it on their website as ‘social proof’.

### Conclusion
The search engine results or SERPs are hotly contested territory: the competition is intense. But these seven techniques will give you an edge over your competitors and help push your pages higher up the search results.
Even if you only implement two or three of these techniques, you will eventually see your rankings improve.


rank higher

Seven tips for ranking higher in the SERPs

7 Tips for Ranking Higher in the Search Results

![4 Ways To Find Zero Search Volume Keywords That Bring Traffic](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/1ZZOM0gOy4cHFIcJsTOKsH/44c6b67dd1100e81270f9ce16e87a851/4_Ways_To_Find_Zero_Search_Volume_Keywords_That_Bring_Traffic.jpg)
Everyone wants to be number one for high-volume keywords. They contribute to a large number of organic visitors, conversions, and sales.

However, ranking for high-volume keywords isn’t always easy or possible. It requires going above and beyond the competition for the restricted number of first-page spots.

What if you’re a small company struggling to appear higher on search? There is a simple solution: focus your SEO campaign on long-tail, low-frequency keywords. 

Do you wish to attract targeted traffic, aiming at those who are looking for specific information? Locate low-competition keywords and target them, giving yourself a far better chance of ranking well. Let’s look at what zero search volume keywords are, how you can find them, and why it’s worth the effort.

## What Are the Benefits of Targeting Low-Volume Keywords?

Zero search volume keywords can bring organic traffic from Google even if tools like Ahrefs, Moz, SEMrush, and Keywords Everywhere suggest that no one is searching for them.

What else can targeting low-volume keywords offer? Including these terms in your SEO strategy provides a lot more advantages, such as: 

- __Relevance__ to your buyers. Long-tail keywords are usually low-volume terms that are extremely fitting for your target market. And the better content hits the mark, the more likely users will convert.

- Creating interest around __a new or small niche__. Low-volume keywords are better suited for one-time search queries Google may never see again.

- __Diversity__. You can <a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/where-to-add-keywords-in-your-content-to-improve-your-ranking" target="blank">add multiple low-volume keywords</a> to one page to increase traffic potential.

- __Commercial intent__, meaning you can add buying keywords to attract customers that will convert. At the same time, they have a great return on investment (ROI) to cover the expense of the content.

When you choose keywords for your piece, you select the primary phrase. As you compose your article, product page, or other sections on the website, you will unconsciously add extra secondary and LSI keywords to drive traffic to your site.

These are phrases people will look for and get relevant results. It applies to search engines and on-site search as well, so they’re crucial by all means.

For example, visitors don’t want to scroll through an array of cardigans on the website. They may type the phrase “emerald green cardigan” to specify the request and choose from the store’s assortment offered in the <a href="https://onilab.com/blog/how-to-improve-magento-search/" target="blank">Magento on-site search results</a> or any other results, depending on your CMS.

Let’s dive deeper into the peculiarities of terms with zero search, how to find and use them.

## Four Ways to Conduct Zero Search Volume Keyword Research

### 1. Leveraging Tools to Define Search Volume

The first way to find zero search volume keywords is to use the <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/keyword-surfer/bafijghppfhdpldihckdcadbcobikaca/" target="blank">Keyword Surfer</a> or <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/keywords-everywhere-keywo/hbapdpeemoojbophdfndmlgdhppljgmp" target="blank">Keywords Everywhere</a> tools. These are free browser extensions forecasting a monthly search volume and giving other insights. You’ll have a short report while searching on Google.

The figures below are the estimated search volume and cost per click for Google Adwords campaigns. The results are received from Keyword Surfer.
![Leveraging Tools to Define Search Volume](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/4jVrC3JAmIDt2NTvl9lPzd/0c6ccb2f1e3b101457ef138fccc03006/Leveraging_Tools_to_Define_Search_Volume.png)

As you can see, there are some phrases with zero value. It means people don’t look for “*customer retention strategies saas*” or *“customer retention strategies definition*”. However, they search for similar questions, so adding these keywords will help you increase the traffic volume to the website.

If you proceed with the search, you’ll see several boxes to the right. The tools provide you with keyword ideas based on the similarity with the initial phrase.
![Leveraging Tools to Define Search Volume-2](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/3wa1CB2ShAUxH5pWVpm2op/75dd159fc2b7f2a2abac9c7c4bbef751/Leveraging_Tools_to_Define_Search_Volume-2.png)
Have you noticed the figures below the titles? These are also valuable details. For example:

- the estimated monthly traffic for a selected region;
- the article total word count;
- how many times the author used the “*customer retention strategies*” keyword.
![Leveraging Tools to Define Search Volume-3](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/44Ie2loKyuDLgiu83k4hoo/05396691d7b8a49c1a303ced814750d6/Leveraging_Tools_to_Define_Search_Volume-3.png)
You can also copy or export the list of long-tail keywords, trend data, and what other people search for, thanks to Keywords Everywhere.

### 2. Analyzing Related Searches

Compare the drop-down box and __related searches__ at the bottom of the Google results page below. They almost always return the same phrases.
![Analyzing Related Searches](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/3KQ4PkkW2p7I9fmWIKzI40/a2c3ac038b41529f6fce9efffa0812e4/Analyzing_Related_Searches.png)
The problem with checking them is that you have to scroll down to the bottom of the page. And they don’t have the additional information from the keyword research Chrome extensions. As a result, this method doesn’t consider whether or not the keyword has any search volume.

What if you need to know the exact figure or process a lot of keywords? In this case, you’ll need the above-mentioned plugins. They will allow you to see the statistics when you type the query and streamline the selection process.

Don’t stop your search after finding several suggestions from Google. You can __uncover more precise keywords__ by entering your initial keyword ideas and then searching for them on Google again.

Let’s get back to my previous example. I used the “*customer retention strategies ecommerce*” query to get more variants. Broader initial phrases, such as the one shown below, give you some good ideas if you repeat the procedure with the original suggestions.
![Analyzing Related Searches-2](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/5z1kvVzSNTAFp3IQHBNeAE/4e76e1195a0667b2d4c88368a5d47a55/Analyzing_Related_Searches-2.png)
We see that the first keyword phrase doesn’t have any monthly searches. But as Google suggests, using this strategy, we can gain more organic visitors, provided we appear in the top three results for it.

### 3. Looking for Zero Search Volume Keywords with the Alphabet Soup Method

The third method under discussion is the alphabet soup strategy for keyword research. It involves the recently evolved Google autocomplete feature.

Unlike the related searches strategy, this one will take some time and effort on your part. But it’s worth it for generating <a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/unlimited-keyword-rank-tracking" target="blank">keywords that rank</a> and drive traffic.
<br>
How does it allow you to utilize Google for keyword research? Type your primary keyword into the Google search bar. Let it be “brown mascara”. The image below shows that all you have to do is __add a letter of the alphabet__ after it. The autocomplete will provide you with various new options.
![Looking for Zero Search Volume Keywords with the Alphabet Soup Method](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/2R50ahOr1Knd91lDO2w5r1/5f61651513f80302d3a74552200f28c1/Looking_for_Zero_Search_Volume_Keywords_with_the_Alphabet_Soup_Method.png)
The keywords with the lowest expected monthly search volume on this first pass usually have the most organic traffic potential. You can take this phrase for a second run using the alphabet soup method.
![Looking for Zero Search Volume Keywords with the Alphabet Soup Method-2](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/4mbjupMNv8BIepQIDyMHoo/338131e512afabd5c47ba34317374220/Looking_for_Zero_Search_Volume_Keywords_with_the_Alphabet_Soup_Method-2.png)
These keywords typically have significantly lower traffic levels. But having less traffic doesn’t always mean something bad.

They have less competition from other websites, making them much simpler to rank. If your niche is large enough, you may perform a third run on these keywords, but they bring almost no visitors.

### 4. Getting Insights from the People Also Ask Method

When searching for something, you’ll probably see this section.
![Getting Insights from the People Also Ask Method](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/5cI4T5WL0AcCbb0GsxTWnU/2936c9ff66446b1b1e0af5c6739d6f4e/Getting_Insights_from_the_People_Also_Ask_Method.png)
That’s __what people usually ask__, mentioning your keyword in their questions. And these options may hint you at what suitable keywords you may use.

The widget usually displays four questions. But if you open and close the bottom drop-down, you can extend it and receive more requests. Keep expanding the bottom question to see more ideas.

Note that the lower the suggestion list goes, the less relevant the questions to the initial keyword. However, they are generally niche relevant and may still be valuable to you.

These questions aren’t low-volume keywords, even though they may have no expected monthly searches. Why do they appear zero volume when you check them? The reason is that they’re complete questions rather than the actual search. 

Consider the question, “*What are customer retention strategies?*”. The exact query has no monthly search volume anticipated. But if we remove the beginning of the query and check “customer retention strategies”, we’ll notice that this term has an 880 search volume.
![Getting Insights from the People Also Ask Method-2](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/1HqFr7Fduh4DeYDD4l49Qa/5808fd6cf23250480a997eed3da58fbc/Getting_Insights_from_the_People_Also_Ask_Method-2.png)
If you use the <a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/evolution-google-serp" target="blank">People Also Ask</a> section to locate a zero or low competition keyword, take away parts of the questions to find the actual search phrase. Then examine its estimated search volume to get an idea of prospective future traffic.

### To Sum Up

I described the following possible ways to find zero search queries:

- Keyword Surfer or Keywords Everywhere extensions
- the related search approach
- the alphabet soup method
- the “people also ask” option

Ideally, you should combine all four because doing so may help you compile your keyword list faster. This may help you diversify your existing keyword research methods to enhance your page content. In turn, this will attract more organic visitors to your website.

Do you still think going after low-volume keywords is a waste of time or money? Before you dismiss them, review the suggestions above to determine whether you’re missing out on any gold mine opportunities. Some unusual keywords may pay off in terms of traffic and conversions.


4 Ways To Find Zero Search Volume Keywords That Bring Traffic

Discussing why and how to locate low-competition keywords and target them.

# Keyword Research

I posed the question to SEO professionals what they thought was the most underutilized SEO strategy or tactic. I got over 100 responses which I broke up into <a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/44-underutilized-seo-strategies-and-tactics" target="blank">8 categories</a>, and 44 sub categories. This is part 1, which highlights the underutilized strategies related to keyword research.

__Keyword Research Strategy Sub Categories:__
<img src="//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/64jb2p6fQu8pv1rI2XFIik/59d010b98d2e494b1032fdb746204f93/keyword_research_post.png"  style='float: right; margin: 1rem;' />
- <a href="#Finding_and_Tracking_Keyword_Gaps_with_your_Competitors">Finding and Tracking Keyword Gaps with your Competitors</a>
- <a href="#Implementing_a_Long-tail_Keyword_Strategy">Implementing a Long-tail Keyword Strategy</a>
- <a href="#Keywords_on_Platforms_such_as_Wikipedia,_Reddit_or_Quora">Keywords on Platforms such as Wikipedia, Reddit or Quora</a>
- <a href="#Synonyms_Ranking_Technique">Synonyms Ranking Technique</a>
- <a href="#Make_a_Keyword_Mapping_Plan">Make a Keyword Mapping Plan</a>

<a id="Finding_and_Tracking_Keyword_Gaps_with_your_Competitors"></a>
<br>
<h2>Finding and Tracking Keyword Gaps with your Competitors</h2>
![Keyword research](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/6JlEIehGUsQrcey57rrfEu/93a4d2037e6a073f722c8bd2dfe81dad/Keyword_research.png)
__Natalia Brzezinska, a Marketing & Outreach Manager at <a href="https://photoaid.com/passport-photos" target="blank">PhotoAid</a> claims you need to track your competitors and their strategies.__

"We are not the only ones to operate in the industry, we all have competitors, and we need to know them! However, one of the most underestimated SEO strategies is tracking competitors. 

"It can often happen that you focus only on your work: your keywords, content, traffic, and results in general. However, having a complete insight into the industry, and therefore your competitors, will undoubtedly be helpful for your business. Tracking competitors does not just mean watching what others are doing but methodically analyzing their strategies. Therefore, focusing on Domain Rating (DR), Referring domains, Organic traffic and keywords, and those who link your competitors.

"In our startup, gathering some information from our competitors was useful since it has given us a deeper insight into our audience and their needs. Additionally, it permits us to discover what our weaknesses are and how to improve. If you want to compete, content alone is not sufficient, and to be the leader in the industry, you must know your “enemy”, their weaknesses and strengths, and react accordingly."

__Tyler Bly, Founder of <a href="http://www.betterburialinsurancetoday.com" target="blank">BetterBurialInsuranceToday.com</a> says:__

"The most underutilized SEO tactic is comparing the competition, and finding the keyword gaps between your site and your competitors. Furthermore, analyzing the competition, like game film, can be vital to your SEO success."

__David Farkas, Founder and CEO of The <a href="http://theupperranks.com" target="blank">Upper Ranks</a> says to target your competitors keywords.__

"This appears to be absolutely counterintuitive at first. That’s why, when developing an SEOstrategy, we focus mostly on non-branded keywords: if you have any kind of brand awareness, you've probably cornered the market on your own branded searches. Consider this: if you Google "Gucci," you won't get Armani's Website.

"Google understands that when people search for Gucci's, they want to access the brand's own website or even third-party articles about it. It would be pointless to show Armani material. What if someone is looking for "Gucci alternatives'' or "what to buy instead of Gucci?"

"Targeting these qualified competition keywords can be a very simple approach to improve your market share and capitalize on consumers who are already looking to switch brands,especially if you are a new entrant into a saturated market where other brands are popular or even household names.
Best of all, because these keywords have little competition, even newer or lower domain authority sites have a decent chance of ranking on page one, where they can begin attracting new visitors."

__Faizan Fahim, SEO Consultant at <a href="https://spacelift.io/" target="blank">SpaceLift</a> says not utilizing the articles that rank in the top 5 in SERP is a common SEO mistake.__

"Check the search console or any rank checker tools (like <a href="http://nozzle.io" target="blank">Nozzle</a>) to find the articles ranking in the top 5 positions. Then, study the snippet and analyse what kind of content appears - list, definition, image?

"Follow the structure and answer the query to the point. If you do it strategically, you will see your high ranking articles acquiring snippets.

"I managed to migrate multiple ServerGuy articles from the top 5 positions to snippets by adding several lines of content to each piece.

"So, you should always track the ranking article and push them to the top position."

![nozzle vision](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/xHTb1GqSw4X9GfMEgpwHm/8bee2a59ab64e8f0111203d3bd9e99a9/nozzle_vision.jpg)
__To accomplish this Rob Powell from <a href="https://robpowellbizblog.com/" target="blank">robpowellbizblog.com/</a> says:__

"Check the pages that rank at the top of Google for a particular keyword. The top ranking pages for any keyword show you what you need to do to rank for that keyword. They show you what the search intent is for that keyword, the article format that ranks for that keyword, the article length, and so on.

"It's all there on Page #1 of Google. If you know how to read the search results, you have the key to ranking at the top, yet very few people do this."

<a id="Implementing_a_Long-tail_Keyword_Strategy"></a>
<br>
## Implementing a Long-tail Keyword Strategy
![Implementing a Long-tail Keyword Strategy](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/1aXi8qOXaJ0ohCqoML25Lf/0243169e3d6624de99d98d20254382c6/Implementing_a_Long-tail_Keyword_Strategy.png)
<div><center><a href="https://www.hittail.com/blog/the-hidden-value-of-long-tail-seo" target="blank">Image Source</a></center></div>
<br>
__Connor Hewson, Managing Director for <a href="https://assuredmarketing.co.uk" target="blank">Assured Marketing</a> shares his thoughts:__

"In my opinion, the SEO strategy that I see people underutilize the most is the practice of implementing a long-tail keyword strategy in order to target more specific audiences and drive quality traffic much faster than simply aiming at core keywords. Often SEO's and business owners will become far too concerned with the high search volume core keywords, as they simply see only the potentially high number of new visitors to their site. However, as we all know, these keywords are often the most competitive in their industry - and therefore to attain a high ranking initially, I would always advise to look too at implementing even longer variations of keywords that are less competitive. 

"For example, a brand may provide the service of office cleaning in a specific location and whilst the term 'office cleaner' may be one of their best options (including for near me search) it will most likely be an incredibly competitive keyword to aim for initially, therefore, looking at longer variations such as 'best office cleaner' or 'reliable office cleaner' to begin with will help them not only target those who are looking for the best and reliable possible service. But to also begin ranking well for these more specific searches much faster than if they were to only pursue the core keywords from the outset."

__Joel Whipple is the Account Director at <a href="https://allpoints.digital/" target="blank">All Points Digital</a> says:__

Most likely, your company is not the 800 pound gorilla in your industry, which means you need different ways to compete against the large players. One underutilized strategy is leveraging long tail keywords on your site. In particular, for local companies, one key tactic is <a href="https://www.digitalexaminer.com/town-page-local-seo/" target="blank">developing town pages</a> that outline your services in the specific towns in your service area. Additionally, for all types of companies, properly deploying blog content that targets long tail keywords is an efficient way to improve your site in SERP results. As a result, your domain authority will improve, which means your core keywords will also improve in the rankings, especially for local search queries.

__Patty Malowney, SEO and Social Media Consultant for <a href="http://badasswebgoddess.com/" target="blank">Badasswebgoddess.com</a>  shares about using long-tail keywords in a blog:__

One of the things I use most in my SEO strategy for my own website and clients' websites is blog posts and internal linking.  Let me explain what I mean. Most companies have blogs, but their internal link strategy isn't used as effectively as it could be. They write blog content and exclusively use it to build links to their main keywords and don't utilize it to build links to their blog posts. Long-tail keyword blog posts are one of my biggest sources of traffic. It's much easier to get a long-tail blog post ranking well than a competitive keyword. I use my blog posts to drive traffic and build links to my other blog posts. Most businesses, including SEO businesses, are so focused on building links to their main keywords that they don't spend time linking to their blog posts. Your blog posts should be part of how you generate traffic and not just used for internal linking to your main keywords. I use my blogs to generate traffic to the individual blog posts, not just my main keywords.  I truly believe this is one of the most underutilized strategies and one that is easy to implement.

<a id="Keywords_on_Platforms_such_as_Wikipedia,_Reddit_or_Quora"></a>
<br>
## Keywords on Platforms such as Wikipedia, Reddit or Quora
![Keywords on Platforms such as Wikipedia, Reddit or Quora](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/3Ykd6UjhJgg5OIsFwa9PsK/61d07c97ea05c33b569f5d1c7aa4b895/Keywords_on_Platforms_such_as_Wikipedia__Reddit_or_Quora.png)
__Bei founder of <a href="https://beithoven.com" target="blank">Beithoven</a> advises to:__

"Look for untapped keywords on platforms such as Wikipedia, Reddit or Quora. Go to the individual platforms and search using keywords relevant to your niche, and you will see some threads pop up on your search.

"For example, if you search on Reddit for your niche such as 'mental health', you can find communities such as r/mentalhealth and r/Anxiety. On Quora, you can type in the same query and a few results such as 'How is COVID-19 affecting mental health?' and 'How do physical workouts help you mentally?' will appear. From Wikipedia, you will be able to get an information page on 'Mental Health'.

"Browse through all these resources, and you will be able to discover some gems. For instance, if some words or phrases are mentioned frequently on the threads or forums, you can take note of them and use them as seed keywords."

<a id="Synonyms_Ranking_Technique"></a>
<br>
## Synonyms Ranking Technique
![synonyms seo ](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/HnpfyXtXERsZ6WenSdkOm/e288deea089e4bd558e0b32099c49230/synonyms_seo__2_.jpg)
<div><center><a href="https://cognitiveseo.com/blog/5370/941-traffic-increase-exploiting-the-synonyms-seo-ranking-technique/" target="blank">Image Source</a></center></div>
<br>
__Brice Gump from <a href="https://majorimpactmedia.com/" target="blank">Major Impact Media</a> shares his thoughts:__

"An underutilized SEO strategy that has the potential to double your traffic is Synonyms Ranking Technique. Google is always updating its search results algorithm, and with each new update, Google aims to understand its users better. The latest algorithm uses search queries to understand the user’s intention and show results that answer their query better; as such, Google tends to use synonyms in their algorithm as well. For example, if one were to search for ‘Food Consultant,’ they would also get search results that catered to ‘Food Expert’ because, for Google, the difference between the two isn’t much. Marketers should cater their content to relevant keywords and synonyms, which will increase their ranking in search engine algorithms."

__Olivia Tan, co-founder of <a href="https://cocofax.com" target="blank">CocoFax</a> agrees. She explains:__

"The wording of your search query matters a great deal when it comes to the returned results. This is because, since Hummingbird (Google update algorithms), we know for sure the search engine is trying its best to contextualize semantic meaning in order to understand the intention behind the search query. Moreover, introducing conversational search, Google aims to provide answers that are to-the-point and accurate.

"However, the explanation for this phenomenon is as follows: whenever I search for a term, the search engine will understand that there’s a need behind my search query and will try to answer to that instead of the textual wording. Partial synonyms work great as well.

"For instance, if I’m searching for the term ‘SEO consultant’, among the first results on the first page will be ‘SEO expert’, ‘SEO services’, ‘SEO company‘, as the meaning behind the wording doesn’t differ that much."

<a id="Make_a_Keyword_Mapping_Plan"></a>
<br>
## Make a Keyword Mapping Plan
![Make a Keyword Mapping Plan](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/7edoUMeMjdi9DjXbRBWoLk/528c2d9f11fa546a9af92100e888fd5a/Make_a_Keyword_Mapping_Plan.png)

__<a href="http://genaropalma.com" target="blank">Genaro Palma</a>, a global SEO consultant points out:__

"In my opinion, the most under-utilised SEO tactic is developing a solid SEO-friendly structure. Most small and medium companies (and even some big ones) don’t have a keyword mapping plan for their website. They just don’t know which page should rank for which keywords and they don’t create specific pages to rank the keywords they specifically want to rank for. 

"This is definitely a very poor SEO approach, since no matter how much On-page and Off-page optimization you do, you will not rank for keywords that you haven’t created content for."

### In conclusion

Keyword research is a strategy that we here at <a href="http://nozzle.io" target="blank">Nozzle</a> thrive on, since we are a keyword rank tracking tool with the biggest, boldest data available, so we appreciate what the SEO professionals have to say about <a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/finding-your-top-serp-competitors-across-all-your-keyword-groups" target="blank">tracking your competitors keywords</a> and the many techniques to do so.


<br>
__Other Categories in this Series:__
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/2-underutilized-onsite-optimization-strategies" target="blank">#2- Underutilized Onsite Optimization Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/3-underutilized-content-strategies" target="blank">#3- Underutilized Content Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/4-underutilized-link-building-strategies" target="blank">#4- Underutilized Link Building Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/5-underutilized-technical-seo-strategies" target="blank">#5- Underutilized Technical SEO Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/6-underutilized-local-seo-strategies" target="blank">#6- Underutilized Local SEO strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/7-underutilized-video-seo-strategies" target="blank">#7- Underutilized Video SEO Strategies</a>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/8-miscellaneous-underutilized-seo-strategies" target="blank">#8- Miscellaneous Underutilized SEO Strategies</a>


keyword research post

This is what the experts say are the most underutilized SEO strategies regarding keyword research.

#1- Underutilized Keyword Research Strategies

Underutilized Keyword Research Strategies


![44 Underutilized SEO Strategies and Tactics](//images.contentful.com/z8uwv83tofbw/3Fl6DS4NzmZwOc5OJECq2X/fb00d3f59ce36fc2efb316c467b304e2/44_Underutilized_SEO_Strategies_and_Tactics.jpg)
Recently I asked marketing and SEO professionals what they felt the most underutilized SEO strategy or tactic was. With over 100 responses I was able to compile them into these calegories:

<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/1-underutilized-keyword-research-strategies" target="blank">#1- Underutilized Keyword Research Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/2-underutilized-onsite-optimization-strategies" target="blank">#2- Underutilized Onsite Optimization Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/3-underutilized-content-strategies" target="blank">#3- Underutilized Content Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/4-underutilized-link-building-strategies" target="blank">#4- Underutilized Link Building Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/5-underutilized-technical-seo-strategies" target="blank">#5- Underutilized Technical SEO Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/6-underutilized-local-seo-strategies" target="blank">#6- Underutilized Local SEO strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/7-underutilized-video-seo-strategies" target="blank">#7- Underutilized Video SEO Strategies</a>
<br>
<a href="https://nozzle.io/blog/8-miscellaneous-underutilized-seo-strategies" target="blank">#8- Miscellaneous Underutilized SEO Strategies</a>

My intent is to shed some light on a strategy or two that you haven't focused on yet, or perhaps remind you of some SEO basics that you haven't thought about in a while. Who knows? Implementing one of these underutilized strategies may be all that you need to push your rankings to the next level.


44 Underutilized SEO Strategies and Tactics

In response to the query, "What is the most underutilized SEO strategy?" I received over 100 responses, and here they are organized into 8 categories.

Blog - Keyword Research