Keywords play a crucial role in determining the visibility of your personal trainer business. When potential customers search for information, they rely on keywords. Search engines use algorithms to present results based on these terms. To increase your chances of being found online, it's vital to understand the importance of keywords and develop an effective keyword strategy.
In this post, we will give you all you need to start your keyword journey and help you understand what your potential customers are searching for and how to use these keywords to create valuable content.
Keywords are the words and phrases potential customers type into search boxes to find information online. Search engines use algorithms to present the most relevant results for those terms. So if you want to increase your chances of being found online, you need to pay some attention to keywords.
An effective keyword strategy combines a) identifying the words and phrases your target audience might use to find you and b) understanding how and where to use these for optimal search results.
It’s all about helping search engines and those who use them to determine how relevant your content is. There is a technical element to trying to satisfy the algorithms. Still, it also requires a fundamentally human approach by presenting organized, scannable, reassuring content that can be quickly assessed for relevance.
Establishing a robust set of keywords helps with revisiting and optimizing existing content. In addition, it can help you identify topics to write about to create content you know people will be interested in.
Many free tools can help you find keywords for your site. Google Keyword Planner is an obvious starting point, but there are plenty of others, such as Moz Keyword Explorer.
All you need to do is type in a topic like ‘personal training’; the tools will suggest all kinds of related keywords and phrases, along with their associated stats. Then, start compiling a list of the ones you feel are most relevant.
You need a mixture of single generic words (known as ‘head’ keywords) and longer, much more specific phrases (known as ‘long-tail’ keywords), ‘workouts’ and ‘best workouts for building core strength,’ for example. The head keywords will be much more widely used and, therefore, harder to perform well against in search results, but they are still essential to include in your list in terms of both algorithmic and human assessment.
As well as using these tools, you can check your analytics and see which words and phrases people use to find you. Try typing different keywords into search engines and getting a feel for the results you get.
The ‘related searches’ section at the bottom of the Google results page is another great resource for building your list. There are also various tools available for what keywords your competitors are using finding out, which could be a good starting point.
Keyword research is not a one-off task. It needs to be ongoing. Keep an eye on trends and competitors, experiment using different keywords, monitor results and keep tweaking your strategy.
The days of ‘keyword stuffing’ is long gone; this was the widespread practice of cramming as many keywords as possible into a piece of content with little thought given to sense or readability. Instead, it’s generally understood that search engines favor high-quality, well-organized content with keywords used sparingly in the most strategically important places.
Think about the subject of your piece of content, and from your master list of keywords, make a shorter list of the most relevant ones to use in this particular instance (a mixture of head and long-tail keywords). The best places to include them are:
This is the page heading in search results. Ideally, the keyword or phrase should come near the start of the meta title so it doesn’t get cut off in shorter display formats.
This is the chunk of summary text that appears below the meta title on the search results page. A quick scan of this text for relevance is often critical to whether the searcher clicks through to the content.
This is important for the algorithms and the reader who has landed on your page and wants assurance that it is what they are looking for.
This is the address of that particular web page, and it should include keywords in it for better search rankings and to give a professional and trustworthy impression. It is automatically generated from the meta title but sometimes benefits from a bit of editing (e.g., a long title may be cut down to a shorter URL).
This includes alt text (the descriptive text that displays if an image doesn’t load or is read out by screen readers), title text (the caption that appears if you hover over a picture) and file name.
Links are essential to search engine optimization, so you should carefully consider using keywords in your link anchor text.
Make sure you use keywords early on in your main content (ideally within the first couple of sentences) and then sparingly throughout. Remember not to overdo it, though!
You could add keywords to content other than on your web pages in two places. One is the bio/description section of any social media platforms you use; the other is in business directory listings.
Now that we've covered the fundamentals of SEO, let's explore some quick hacks that can propel your personal trainer business to success. In 2003, search engines recognized the growing demand for localized content. Individuals searching for services like an "electrician near me" wanted to find local professionals in their area. The same concept applies to those in search of personal trainers.
This recognition led to the birth of Local SEO. Google's algorithm prioritizes prominence, relevance, and distance. As a personal trainer and business owner, you can optimize your online presence and capitalize on Local SEO. Here are several actionable steps you can take
Take a look at our local SEO guide for personal trainers to help you get started.
In a digital world driven by search engines, keywords are key to unlocking your personal trainer business's online success. By understanding the significance of keywords and implementing a strategic approach, you can optimize your content for maximum visibility and attract the right audience.
However, it is important to remember that you are actually writing content for your target audience, so if you choose the keyword theme and write relevant, engaging content. You will be heading in the right direction.