Proximity to conversion
In contrast to search volume, conversion proximity cannot automatically be determined. Instead, values for each individual keyword need to be determined while collecting data. One standard that’s proved quite useful for this task is the AIDA model. According to this, customers go through four phases until they finally make a purchase decision: Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action.
The trick of this part of the analysis is to find out where (i.e. which stage of the purchasing process) a user was when they used the keyword in a search. While informational search queries may reveal a more modest conversion proximity, terms that indicate a wider interest in a specific product or service show a middle conversation proximity (e.g. red shoes). High proximities to conversions are assigned to search terms featuring transactional indicators (buy, rent, etc.)
Competition
Research tools, such as Google’s Keyword Planner, can also help give insights on the competition (i.e. their status within the SERPs). Just how influential these results are to your keyword strategy is a question that depends on your budget. With enough resources available to also reach highly sought-after keywords, the competition becomes less of an important factor to consider. Without deep pockets for a more robust campaign, however, tough competition may mean needing to adjust your keyword strategy; often focusing on promising long-tail or niche keywords may be your best bet. In addition to finding other competitors, Google itself is also a force that you’ll have to reckon with when drafting a strategy. With AdWords ads, shopping suggestions, image bars, and answer formats, like the Knowledge Graph, the search engine giant reserves valuable space in the SERPs for its own content or services that may be relevant to the searched keywords.
Ambiguity
If you’ve got any ambiguous search terms (homonyms, polysemy) within your keyword list, you should carefully consider just how useful these are for generating potential customers. The following example shows why carefully considering whether or not to include such terms is important: a Google AdWords search reveals that the term, watch, has an average monthly search volume of 1,220,000 hits. Jewelers and small retailers need to therefore evaluate for themselves how many of these searches were actually intended for a Casio or Rolex—and how many were searching for the verb, to watch.
A simple Google search will show you whether ambiguous keywords are relevant for the project you intend to optimize. Search engines interpret ambiguous search items according to how the majority of searches have been carried out using this term. If a Google search of the term in question yields results showing that the competition has an offer that matches the web project you intend to optimize, then it would make sense to include this term in your keyword set. If, on the other hand, Google displays results that reflect an alternative meaning of the word, then it can be assumed that the majority of searches are being made with this variant in mind. Putting in the effort of implementing an onpage optimization of the term doesn’t offer as much potential. When the majority of users associate different content with a specific keyword, then it’s less probable that a higher ranking will be achieved through alternative interpretations of that same keyword. In such situations, it’s often best to eliminate such vocabulary from your keyword lists.
Threshold keywords
If it’s your goal to optimize an existing project, then carrying out a status quo analysis will generally help you discover which keywords your website ranks for. You should take this positioning into account during the prioritizing phase. Current rankings can also be identified via the KeywordMonitor. Here, threshold keywords are of particular interest, as they show how much potential there is for a significant rise in visitor numbers. Such potential is exhibited within the example positions of 11, 6, 4, and 2.