In the world of digital marketing, one needs to be a step ahead of others by making use of better and more effective tools and strategies. One such tool that has revolutionized the way businesses approach search engine optimization (SEO) is SEMrush. Whether you are a blogger, an e-commerce store owner, or a digital marketer, SEMrush will allow you to analyze keywords, track rankings, and optimize your website for better visibility over search engines.
How to Get Started with SEMrush
Once you gain access to SEMrush, you need to put in the URL of your website in the main search bar. For instance, consider runningwarehouse.com-one of the most beloved running shoes and gear websites. You will only need to enter the URL in SEMrush and click search.
In a matter of seconds, SEMrush will produce a detailed report on the keyword rankings, organic traffic, referring links, and domain authority of the website. Probably the most useful section of all is Organic Research, which will show you all the keywords this website ranks for in Google.
Analysis of Top Organic Keywords
Scrolling a bit further down, we reach the Top Organic Keywords section. Running Warehouse ranks for more than 50,000 keywords. Here are a few examples:
- “best running shoes for beginners” (Position #2, 22,000 monthly searches)
- “trail running shoes” (Position #4, 18,000 monthly searches)
- “how to choose running shoes” (Position #10, 8,000 monthly searches)
This will give you an idea of what kind of keywords drive traffic to the website. If your objective is to increase search rankings, you can snoop on other similar competitors and find impactful keywords to target.
How to Find Low Hanging Fruit Keywords
One of the best strategies to improve rankings is to focus on page two keywords—keywords that rank between positions 11-24 on Google. They are just inches away from the first page, and with slight optimization, they might jump into the top ten. Within SEMrush, you’re able to filter to show only those keyword positions.
For example, suppose Running Warehouse ranks at position #12 for “best marathon running shoes.” By improving content, adding internal links, and optimizing meta tags, the website has a strong chance of breaking into the top 10.
Tracking Competitor Keywords
SEMrush isn’t only useful for analyzing your website; it’s also a great competitor research tool. So, let’s use another example: homedepot.com, a leader in home improvement.
If we put Home Depot’s URL into SEMrush, we can find out the keywords they rank for and on which positions. For example, we can find:
- “best cordless drills” (Position #1, 40,000 searches per month)
- “lawn mower deals” (Position #3, 25,000 searches per month)
- “how to paint a deck” (Position #7, 12,000 searches per month)
Analyzing competitor keywords provides room for companies to adjust their own strategies, make improved content, and target untapped keyword opportunities.
Exporting Data for Analysis
SEMrush allows users to export keyword data into CSV or Excel files for deeper analysis. Now it is easier to organize or prioritize keywords based on search volume, ranking difficulty, and relevance.
Alternative Free Keyword Research Tools
Although SEMrush does come with a seven-day free trial, most marketers don’t have the budget for a premium tool. If you’re on the hunt for a free alternative to SEMrush, try Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest. These tools provide limited keyword insights compared to SEMrush.
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Google will know that you are relevant only when your content is relevant.
Barry Schwartz
SEO Expert
Final Thoughts
For any seriously enterprising SEO professional, or for any business determined to take its search engine presence to the next level, SEMrush is a godsend that helps you dominate the search engine results with its keyword research, competitor analysis, ranking monitoring, and a whole lot more. You can tap into its features the right way to emphasize your digital strategy for further long-term success.
Time to elevate your SEO to the next level? Get started with SEMrush today!