Comprehensive guide to keyword research in 2024

If you want to make serious money online, mastering keyword research is essential. This comprehensive guide will cover how to dominate over 20 niches, including food blogs, travel blogs, AI blogs, home and outdoor, software, van life, crypto, sports, insurance, and even pet niches like dogs, cats, and hamsters. We'll explore how to find new affiliate keywords that can make you a lot of money, how to identify high-volume keywords for ad revenue, and how to determine if you can actually rank for these keywords.

Keyword Research Fundamentals

Keywords are phrases that people use when searching for information online. Understanding the psychology of search intent is crucial. Search is an extension of the human mind - when something is bothering us or we need specific information, we turn to search engines like Google.

There are four main types of search intent:

1. Informational: People looking for information on how to do things.
2. Navigational: Users searching for specific websites (less relevant for our purposes).
3. Commercial: Searches for brands and services.
4. Transactional: Users looking for product comparisons, reviews, and making purchase decisions.

We'll focus primarily on informational and transactional keywords, as these are most relevant for creating content that generates traffic and revenue.

The Keyword Monetization Matrix

To help conceptualize different types of keywords, consider this matrix:

1. Low volume, low competition: Easy wins, but limited traffic and revenue potential.
2. High volume, low competition: Brand builders that can generate significant traffic.
3. High volume, high competition: "Antique" keywords that are difficult to rank for.
4. Low competition, transactional: Emerging products with good revenue potential.

The sweet spot for most content creators is a mix of high-volume informational posts (for traffic and ad revenue) and lower-competition transactional posts (for affiliate revenue from newer products).

Keyword Research Tools

1. Ahrefs: The most comprehensive paid tool for keyword research.
2. Google Trends: Free tool for identifying rising topics and keywords.
3. Google Keyword Planner: Free but limited tool, primarily for PPC advertising.
4. Answer the Public: Free for a limited number of queries, good for topical ideas.
5. ChatGPT: Can generate keyword ideas, but requires validation with other tools.
6. Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator: Limited version of the paid tool.

While free tools can be helpful, investing in a paid tool like Ahrefs is often necessary for thorough keyword research.

Conducting Keyword Research

1. Start with seed keywords related to your niche.
2. Use the "matching terms" tool in Ahrefs to find related keywords.
3. Filter results by keyword difficulty and search volume.
4. Analyze the top-ranking pages for each potential keyword.
5. Look for opportunities where lower-authority sites are ranking on the first page.

Creating Content Based on Keyword Research

Once you've identified promising keywords, it's time to create content. Here are some tips:

1. Aim for a 75/25 split between informational and transactional content.
2. Write for humans first, search engines second.
3. Use tools like Surfer SEO to optimize your content for on-page SEO.
4. Consider using AI tools like Content at Scale to speed up content creation.
5. Always verify information and add your own expertise to AI-generated content.

Remember, timing is crucial in keyword research. Look for emerging topics and products before they become highly competitive.

Conclusion

Effective keyword research is the foundation of a successful online business. By understanding search intent, using the right tools, and creating high-quality content, you can drive traffic and generate revenue through both ad placements and affiliate marketing. Keep refining your strategy, stay up-to-date with emerging trends, and focus on providing value to your audience.