Keyword research is one of the most important pieces of an SEO or SEM strategy. Before you can dive into website optimization, content marketing or ad campaign setup, you need to choose the right keyword targets.

Eager marketers can fall into the trap of quickly selecting what they think are the best keyword targets so they can move on to the fun stuff. But are those top-of-mind keywords really the right choices?

Choosing the Right Keywords

There are many variables to consider when selecting an SEO keyword target, including:

  • Search Volume
  • Keyword Length (Short or Long-Tail)
  • Keyword Format (One-Word, Phrase, Question, Local, etc.)
  • Location of the Searcher
  • Intent of the Searcher
  • Keyword Usage (SEO vs. SEM)
  • Content to be Optimized (Do you have the webpages and content to support the chosen keywords?)
  • Cost-Per-Click Bid (for SEM)

That’s where keyword research tools come in.

I’ve tried several tools for keyword research over the years, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Recently I tried StoryBase, which promised “over 5 billion long-tail keywords, 100 million question keywords, and 2 billion related LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords.”

The interface is refreshingly simple. Type in a keyword or phrase and StoryBase returns keyword ideas in the form of questions or phrases, displayed in order of popularity or monthly search volume. You can also see related topics and keyword ideas, as well as a breakdown of the gender and ages of people who search for that term.

Select keywords with one click and add them to a designated list. You can add chosen keywords from any number of searches all to the same list, then manage, share, or download your list.

I will definitely be adding StoryBase to my SEO tool kit.