While in recent years the focus has been on website SEO, this year highlights the importance of keyword research that target mobile users. It’s funny that we would utilize different keywords to search for the same products, from the same resources, depending on the device we use – but studies show that one of the main reasons mobile keyword research is vital is to expand your audience to include location keywords such as near me or nearby. Mobile keyword research enables you to market in groups as well, such as restaurants or home goods stores. Thus, increasing your conversions by about 30%.
Search engines such as Google and Bing have designed separate search platforms that cater to mobile users – making the keyword research imperative. While this can increase the speed and accuracy for mobile users, it actually adds on more work for online marketers.
Successful Mobile Keyword Research Tips
There are plenty of ways to successfully research keywords for mobile or desktop users. However, here are some pointers you should utilize in your individual process. The following marketing success tips are geared towards mobile users only.
Define Goals & Success Metrics
Clearly defining your goals before starting your research can increase your success rate tremendously. Always keep the end in mind. If you are unaware of the goals you are trying to achieve, how could you possibly generate successful keywords for the cause? Simple as that – no cause – no effect! Defining how you will be using each keyword can also enhance research results. Will you use the keywords to drive traffic to your articles or your products? When the content caters to your site, the responsiveness of your market increases. Understanding and implementing mobile-specific keywords that are utilized with a specific purpose can work wonders for conversions.
Discovering Supportive Keywords
After defining your goals, the rest is a matter of system metrics. Discovering the trends of your mobile market will help you increase exposure and relevancy. Try these steps on for size:
Using Google Webmaster Tools
Many individuals utilize the Google Webmaster Tools, more specifically the Keyword Research Tool in order to discover mobile targeted keyword research. This can also help you generate suggestions that you may not have thought to search for as well. Be sure to filter your search type to mobile users only to ensure accuracy. This generates only keywords that come from mobile devices – i.e. smartphones, tablets, iPads or laptops.
Using Google Analytics
You should routinely follow your efforts through Google Analytics to track your mobile keywords. In order to do this, log into your Google Analytics account and go to the Audience section. The mobile filter option will be listed on your left hand sidebar.
Keep in mind that unlike traditional keyword research, mobile keyword research requires creativity as you will commonly come across profitable keywords that don’t make much sense. These are usually abbreviations, acronyms or shorthand used for online marketing.
Using Bing Ads Intelligence
First and foremost, Bing Ads Intelligence cannot help you generate keywords that cater to mobile users as the Google Keyword Tool can. However, it is the only tool available on the market that accurately estimates the search volume of tablet users specifically. Using the custom keyword list you have already generated, run a customized traffic report utilizing the Bing Ad Intelligence platform. Follow these steps:
- Select Smart Phones filter
- Select Non-smart phones (i.e. feature phones) filter
- Select Tablets filter
This will generate an accurate list of mobile targeted keywords that generate monthly impression shares specifically from Bing on the different devices. Since there are unrelated match types in the Bing Ad Intelligence traffic tool, you could spend hours generating keywords that will do you no good whatsoever. However, utilizing this data has been quite successful for online marketers to ensure their Google data is accurate.
App Keyword Research Tools
Surprisingly, neither Google nor Apple has an available keyword Apps tool, making app store optimization a bit more adventurous. Many experts recommend that the best place to obtain official and validated information regarding app keyword popularity is and always will be directly from the engines themselves.
Qualifying a Keyword Effectively
By now, you should have compiled a pretty decent list of potential mobile keywords – now it’s time for the eliminations! While search volume will assist you to estimate traffic and competition – there’s more to the puzzle than that! Here are a few tips and tricks to guide you towards better business decisions and mobile keywords.
Estimating Count of Queries by Individual Platform
A good place to start is with the Google Webmaster Tools mobile search queries report. Being one of a handful of platforms that allow you to compare desktop vs. mobile queries – it also presents the tools to discover different behavior and trends as well. It may be a good idea to download all mobile and web CSV files by using the filter in the search query report and downloading the tables that appear. You can easily then edit the list with Excel to fine-tune your queries and campaign efforts.
Understanding Mobile/Non-Mobile Tag Cloud
Take a quick look at the various elements that can affect your mobile audience’s attention. Using tag clouds of the long-tail keywords can increase usability and exposure just by helping navigation function. Just copy your keyword list directly into a tag cloud generator for both desktop and mobile keyword lists. This option will showcase keywords that are repeatedly utilized by mobile users.
Focus on Mobile % of Total Traffic Report
With your final draft of keyword, revert back to the Google Keyword Tool. You will now have to estimate the exact match search volume. This will give you a clear idea if the keywords you are searching are being searched in that exact manner as an alternative option? Now, you can sort the remaining keywords by total volume – optimizing your on and off site campaigns.
