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 – so let’s 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 ‘wedding photographer’ or ‘health company’, whereas niche SEO keywords might include ‘hire an engagement photographer in San Francisco’ or ‘where can I get a Lyme disease blood test’. Or even ‘where can my San Francisco engagement photographer get a Lyme disease blood test’, if you’re overly concerned about their wellbeing.
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Pros And Cons
Broad keywords should form an integral part of your strategy; they’re essential for laying the foundations of what your business is all about. However, they’re 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, they’re much more specific, so fewer people will be searching for them. But when those people do search, there’ll be a good chance they’ll see your site, and an even better chance they’ll click through to it when they do.
How do I find niche SEO keywords? Well, have you checked this niche?
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Broad Keyword Strategy…
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 don’t want to jar your readers with long, winding keywords which are obviously shoehorned into your copy. You also don’t 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 don’t want to miss out on clients in other locations.
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…Vs Niche Keyword Strategy
When it comes to blogs, however, the opposite is true. As we’ve said before, blogs should form a crucial part of your SEO strategy. Among many advantages of blogs is the fact that they’re niche keyword factories; you can even design content around a specific keyword if it’s 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. Let’s chat!
