5 Ways to Conduct Keyword Research for a Highly Technical Industry

When it comes to mastering keyword research within highly technical fields, insights from seasoned marketing professionals are invaluable. From a copywriter and content strategist’s advice to understand searchers’ intent to a marketing manager’s tip on collaborating with subject matter experts, here are the top five strategies they recommend.

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Understand Searcher’s Intent

My best tip for keyword research is to understand the searcher’s intent. What’s their motivation for searching for this keyword? When you understand this motivation, you have a far better chance of creating useful content that meets the searcher’s needs and drives business results. This is especially true in a highly-technical industry. Such well-informed searchers are likely to have a specific result they seek. Align what they find with their thought process, and you’ll boost business results.

 Jennifer Phillips April, Copywriter and Content Strategist , Write Words Marketing 

Optimize for Long-Tail Keywords

As an SEO expert in technical industries, I highly recommend identifying and optimizing for specific long-tail keywords versus broad search terms. For one industrial manufacturing client, we targeted phrases like “3-inch stainless steel ball valve” and “pneumatic actuator replacement parts” instead of just “valves.” These specialized keywords demonstrated their deep expertise to niche B2B customers. 

We analyze competitors’ rankings for target keywords and create content like video tutorials, blog posts, and product pages to outrank them. By integrating keywords naturally into content, not just as a list, you establish authority. 

Ongoing keyword research is critical for technical industries. Data shows that long-tail, industry-specific keywords drive 50-70% more traffic and leads for our B2B clients than broad terms alone. Discover the terminology your potential customers actually use to find solutions. Match that to the products and services you want to rank for, and you’ll gain a competitive advantage.

Josh Cremer, CEO, and Creative Director, Redfox Visual

Pinpoint Technical Terms and Jargon

Focusing on precise keywords is crucial. I start by pinpointing key technical terms and jargon potential customers might use in their product or solution searches. This involves delving into industry forums, blogs, and online communities frequented by experts discussing current trends and challenges.

Next, I use tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush to expand my keyword list based on search volume and competition. Filtering results ensures the inclusion of long-tail keywords, which capture specific search intents and effectively target niche audiences.

Keywords must align closely with our product offerings or address customer pain points, ensuring our content attracts and converts visitors into customers. Regularly monitoring keyword performance and adjusting strategies based on analytics insights is crucial to staying relevant amidst evolving search trends. This method has proven successful in driving qualified traffic and enhancing visibility within our sector.

Fahad Khan, Digital Marketing Manager, Ubuy Nigeria

Engage in Industry Forums

One great and underrated tip for doing keyword research is getting into online forums and communities in that specific technical industry, and you can get to know the conversations and the experts in the field. You can become familiar with the language and the terms that are frequently used in highly technical industries, and this can add to your long-tail keywords as well.

Azam Mohamed Nisamdeen, Founder, Convert Chat

Collaborate With Subject Matter Experts

When I first started delving into keyword research for technical industries, I quickly realized that traditional tools alone weren’t cutting it. I was missing out on crucial terms and phrases that only someone deeply immersed in the field would understand. That’s when I discovered the power of collaboration.

By partnering with subject matter experts (SMEs) within my clients’ companies, I was able to tap into a wealth of knowledge and insights that simply weren’t available through keyword research tools. These experts helped me uncover niche keywords and long-tail phrases that resonated with their target audience, ensuring my content was both optimized for search engines and genuinely helpful to readers.

Beyond just keywords, SMEs also provided valuable context and understanding around the intent behind certain searches. This allowed me to create content that not only ranked well but also addressed the specific needs and questions of users, leading to higher engagement and conversions.

Collaborating with SMEs has become an integral part of my keyword research process for technical industries. It’s a simple yet effective way to ensure that my content is not only optimized for search engines but also truly valuable to the people who matter most: my clients’ customers.

Liga Rudzite, Marketing Manager, Lemon Pitch

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