At some point or another, most commercial enterprises will face this dilemma: go broad or go niche? Some, like Coca-Cola and Coldplay, opt for the former. Others, like Bon Iver and Etsy sellers, go for the latter. The Beatles are an example of someone who defied convention and kinda did both at different times. There are pros and cons with either option, of course â so letâs chat about how broad and niche options can help inform your keyword strategy!
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Are Keywords Best Broad or Niche?
The answer to this question totally depends on your business. Generally speaking, broad keywords are going to cover industries, while niche keywords are going to be focused more on locations and, well, niche businesses.
For example, broad keywords might include âwedding photographerâ or âhealth companyâ, whereas niche SEO keywords might include âhire an engagement photographer in San Franciscoâ or âwhere can I get a Lyme disease blood testâ. Or even âwhere can my San Francisco engagement photographer get a Lyme disease blood testâ, if youâre overly concerned about their wellbeing.
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Pros And Cons
Broad keywords should form an integral part of your strategy; theyâre essential for laying the foundations of what your business is all about. However, theyâre hard to rank for, as everyone in your industry will be using them for foundations. Google becomes swamped with these vague keywords, increasing competition to get on that all-important first page.
Niche keywords are great to push your site up the charts; however, theyâre much more specific, so fewer people will be searching for them. But when those people do search, thereâll be a good chance theyâll see your site, and an even better chance theyâll click through to it when they do.
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Broad Keyword StrategyâŚ
So, given these pros and cons, how should you approach your keyword strategy? Your best bet is to combine the two and play to their strengths. Site copy and blog copy are very different; general keywords are preferable on your main site, while niche entries are best saved for blogs.
Your main site should create maximum impact immediately. Broad, generalised keywords are perfect for optimising this kind of writing. You donât want to jar your readers with long, winding keywords which are obviously shoehorned into your copy. You also donât want to include a specific location and give the impression that you only operate there. Take the San Francisco photographer example; they may live in SF, but they might shoot anywhere on the West Coast, and donât want to miss out on clients in other locations.
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âŚVs Niche Keyword Strategy
When it comes to blogs, however, the opposite is true. As weâve said before, blogs should form a crucial part of your SEO strategy. Among many advantages of blogs is the fact that theyâre niche keyword factories; you can even design content around a specific keyword if itâs extremely niche. And the best part is it all looks nice and natural, providing solid content for your audience while improving your SEO at the same time.
If all this broad vs niche keyword strategy talk has you a little undecided about the best approach for your business, we can most certainly help. Our SEO Audit service will pack your copy with dynamic keywords, while our blogging expertise will help you carve out a digital niche for yourself in a competitive landscape. Letâs chat!