Finding the Right Keywords for Your Website: The Tools You Need

By Jordan Evans

Read it to me! Click the video below.

 

Your website is like a 24/7 salesperson, but even the best salesperson won’t get far if they aren’t using the right language. When it comes to websites, that "language" is the keywords you choose to target. Without the right keywords, even the most beautifully designed website will go unnoticed by search engines and, by extension, potential customers.

So, how do you find the right keywords? It’s not just guesswork—it’s science. Let’s explore some of the best tools available to help you identify the keywords that will put your website in front of the right audience.

 

A Needle in a Haystack

Let’s be honest—choosing the right keywords can feel overwhelming. Every service area business owner knows they need to rank on Google, but where do you start? Do you target "plumber in Chicago" or "best plumbing services near me"? Is "roof repair" better than "roof replacement"?

The stakes are high. Pick the wrong keywords, and your potential customers won’t find you. And if they don’t find you, they can’t hire you.

You need a process that’s both efficient and effective, ensuring that your website shows up where your ideal customers are searching.

 

It’s Not As Simple As It Sounds

Imagine this: You run a small HVAC business and spend hours creating a website. You’re proud of it, but after months, you're still not getting any significant traffic. You check Google, and your competitors are all ranking higher than you. What’s going wrong?

The problem is keyword selection. If your website isn’t optimized with the right keywords—the ones your customers are using—you won’t rank. And keyword research is more complicated than throwing a few words into Google and calling it a day.

Bad keyword research can lead to:

• Low traffic: You might be targeting words people aren’t searching for.
• Wrong audience: You might attract visitors, but they aren’t converting into customers because the keywords don’t match your services.
• Wasted resources: All the time and money you spent building your website? Gone, because no one can find it.

Without proper keyword tools, you’re flying blind.

 

Tools That Do the Heavy Lifting

Thankfully, you don’t need to guess which keywords to use. There are powerful tools designed to help business owners like you identify the right keywords to target. Here are the best keyword tools to help you get the job done:

1. Google Keyword Planner

This tool, built right into Google Ads, is perfect for beginners. It allows you to:

• Discover keyword ideas based on your products or services.
• See historical data on how often keywords are searched.
• Get forecasts for potential keyword performance.

Real-life scenario: Commercial cleaners often struggle in oversaturated markets. Quality keywords in both SEO and Google Ads is essential for success. After testing, we found that industrial cleaning is a less competitive but still highly utilized keyword than the traditional janitorial services keywords. This means commercial cleaning businesses can outrank the competition simply by adjusting their campaigns.

2. Ubersuggest

Created by marketing expert Neil Patel, Ubersuggest gives you more than just keyword ideas. It also provides insights on how difficult it will be to rank for those keywords.

• It offers data on search volume, competition, and trends.
• The tool gives you a list of related keywords you might not have considered.

Real-life scenario: A roofing company was struggling to rank locally. They found keywords like "roof leak repair" produced better results than "roof repair" alone.

3. SEMrush

If you’re looking for a powerhouse of data, SEMrush is your tool. It doesn’t just help you find keywords; it also lets you spy on your competitors.

• Identify the keywords your competitors are ranking for.
• Find gaps in your competitors’ strategies.
• Get a detailed analysis of your keyword performance.

Real-life scenario: A local lead generation company used SEMrush and Google Analytics to identify their competitors and determine how to best compete with them.

4. Ahrefs

Ahrefs is all about backlinks, but its keyword research tool is just as powerful. It offers detailed insights into:

• Search volume and difficulty.
• Related keyword suggestions.
• The number of clicks a keyword gets, giving you a sense of user intent.

5. Moz Keyword Explorer

Moz’s Keyword Explorer is user-friendly and offers a comprehensive look at keyword metrics like:

• Keyword difficulty.
• Organic click-through rate (CTR).
• Priority scores to help you focus on the most impactful keywords.

 

Key Takeaways: Choosing the Right Keywords Without the Guesswork

Here’s what you can do right now:

• Start simple: Use Google Keyword Planner to get an initial list of keyword ideas.
• Analyze competitors: Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs let you see which keywords are driving traffic to your competitors’ websites.
• Go niche: Focus on specific, less competitive keywords to stand out in your local market.
• Test and adapt: Use tools like Ubersuggest and Moz to track the performance of your keywords and adjust your strategy as needed.

Finding the right keywords doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right tools, you can stop guessing and start driving real, targeted traffic to your website.

 

Help Your website start working for you—not the other way around

Don’t let your website get lost in the noise. Start by running your current site through these tools and see what keywords you’re missing out on.

At 99 Calls, we specialize in helping service area businesses just like yours get found online. Have questions? Let’s chat!