In the digital age, content marketing is a big deal. It’s an even bigger deal for organizations offering membership in specialized or elite club activities. In other words, a golf course.
Staying competitive as a golf course takes a lot of work. From grounds updates to clubhouse renovations, there are many quality-of-life amendments you need to stand out from the rest. However, competition doesn’t just exist in the physical world. If you have a website of any kind, you need to be performing keyword research to boost your SERP rankings.
Does this all sound like gibberish? Thankfully, it’s a lot easier than you might think. Let’s take a deep dive into the world of keyword research, and discover how it all relates to your content marketing strategy. We’re going to look at:
- What keyword research is.
- Why it’s important.
- Ways to do keyword research.
- Where to go if you get stuck.
What Is Keyword Research?
A keyword is a phrase that customers might be searching about. Research is, well, just research. Put them together, and you get a strategy that is thoroughly equipped to take your golf course to the next level.
Researching keywords for your golf course can take many forms. You might use the Google search bar to look for suggested searches underneath umbrella terms. You could invest in much more expensive keyword tools like Ahrefs to help you narrow down a list. Or maybe you would prefer to rely on a suite of marketing tools like the ones here at foreUP. Either way, it’s going to take a bit of legwork on your part.
The Importance Of Keyword Research For Golf Courses
You won’t be doing all this keyword research for nothing. In fact, you’re going to be addressing the whopping 60% of traffic that comes from keyword-heavy Google searches. The keywords you use to describe your business will either make or break the traffic you generate on its landing page. The smallest amount of keyword divergence can lose customers, even if it’s entirely unintentional.
But how do you perform keyword research in the first place, and what tools can you harness to get the job done?
10 Easy Ways To Perform Golf Course Keyword Research
Keyword research for golf courses is a lot more pain-free than you might believe. Below are ten of the easiest ways to start optimizing your on-page SEO with keywords, phrases, and more.
Try Answer The Public
An easy way to target keywords that customers are already using is Answer The Public. This aggregate tool collects all keyword phrases made around a particular subject. For example, when “Louisiana golf club” is searched, keywords such as “country club Louisiana golf course,” “LA golf course tee times,” and “Louisiana golf course for sale” all pop up under related searches. This can be used to your advantage in a number of ways.
User Intent
If you were your own customer, what would you be searching for? Probably something along the lines of ‘golf,’ sure, but there would be other searches that are unique to your company. Make a list of these, and see what you come up with. You might be surprised just how useful these keywords can be!
Check The Google Search Bar
Typing keywords into the Google search bar can be extremely enlightening while completing the first leg of your research. Find yourself surrounded by a host of interesting keywords, as well as suggested keywords along the bottom of the page.
Use Questions And Statements
Your keywords don’t have to be floating nouns and adjectives. Consider turning them into answerable statements, such as “best golf course near me,” or “how much are golf club memberships at X?”
Perform A Traffic Report
Complete an entire audit of your website using software or a very skilled individual. What keywords are you already ranking for, and which ones work best? This will allow you to optimize your approach moving forward.
Consider Your Competitors
The enemy of your enemy is your friend! Look through your competitor’s websites, and take a good look at the keywords they are ranking for.
Target Lower Ranking Keywords
The more heavily searched a keyword is, the more difficult it will be to rank for. Try targeting lower and slower keywords for a balanced portfolio.
Test Google Keywords Planner
Plan out all your keywords using the Google Keywords tool. Staying organized has never been so efficient!
Understand Fringe Keywords
Sometimes customers search for fringe keywords rather than primary terms. Make sure they don’t get left in the dust by focusing on peripheral components of your club. Does your property have a fitness center? Fine dining? What about a sauna? Do some research to see what your competitors might be using.
foreUP Helps With Golf Course Marketing And Beyond
In the world of digital marketing, the best businesses are embracing keyword research and SEO optimization. You can handle it on your own, but you can also let experts like our foreUP Marketing Services team take the reins.
foreUP’s revolutionary golf course software is your solution to the SEO dilemma. Ready to get started? Let’s chat.
Request a demo and see the difference we can make in your golf course’s success. Let’s continue playing the world’s greatest game together!