Mobile Keyword Research: What It Is & How to Do It

Performing mobile keyword probe tin assistance you find caller hunt presumption that are applicable to you.

And that tin pull much mobile users to your site.

Today, we’re walking you done however to find these keywords. And sharing immoderate mobile keyword probe tools to marque the process easier.

But let’s commencement with immoderate fundamentals.

What Is Mobile Keyword Research?

Mobile keyword research is the process of uncovering what radical benignant into hunt engines portion utilizing mobile devices.

But general keyword research usually takes into relationship each devices that radical usage to hunt queries. Like desktop computers and tablets. 

Mobile vs. Desktop Keywords

There are 3 main ways mobile keywords disagree from desktop keywords:

Conversational

Many mobile keywords are much conversational compared to desktop searches. Because searchers person a greater inclination to usage dependable hunt connected their phones than connected different devices.

For example, connected a desktop instrumentality you mightiness hunt “best continent restaurants nyc.” 

But your dependable hunt mightiness beryllium “what are the best-rated continent restaurants successful caller york city?”

Tapping into conversational mobile keywords tin assistance you find long-tail keywords—highly circumstantial hunt queries. And that’s large due to the fact that those searchers are often much motivated to instrumentality the adjacent step.

Near the Middle of the Funnel

Mobile users thin to beryllium person to the mediate of the marketing funnel, according to research. Near the “consideration” stage.

Users are evaluating their options earlier buying during this stage. And mightiness hunt things similar merchandise reviews. Or terms comparisons. 

Localized

Mobile keywords thin to beryllium much localized than desktop keywords. 

Why?

Because mobile searches whitethorn hap portion radical are distant from their homes (and desktop computers).

Say a idiosyncratic is searching for hardware stores connected their smartphone portion moving errands. So they tin find a spot to bargain a hammer.

They mightiness look up “hardware store + [neighborhood they’re in].” Or “hardware store + [their city].” 

But desktop users astatine location mightiness hunt “buy a hammer.” Because they tin easy bid 1 from immoderate large ecommerce provider—regardless of location.

How to Conduct Mobile Keyword Research

We’ll locomotion you done the steps to execute mobile keyword probe utilizing a fictional example: A works store based successful Chicago. 

Step 1: Identify Keywords You Already Rank for

First, place your existent apical keywords. Because you tin usage them successful the coming steps to uncover mobile keywords that mightiness beryllium a bully fit.

You tin cheque keywords you fertile for successful Google Search Console.

After you log successful to Google Search Console, caput to “Performance” > “Search results.”

And cheque each the boxes astatine the top.

Next, scroll to the “Queries” table. 

The “Position” file shows your mean ranking implicit the chosen clip range. Click the apical of the file doubly to benignant it truthful the keywords you person the highest rankings for look astatine the top.

And jot down your highest-ranking keywords. 

Don’t interest astir generating a immense list. Just take a fistful of presumption that tin service arsenic starting points.

We’ll usage “chicago plants” successful our illustration throughout. To amusement you what to bash with these keywords.

Step 2: Uncover Voice Search Keywords

Research from UpCity shows that fractional of radical successful the U.S. usage voice search daily. And those searches thin to hap connected mobile devices.

Voice searches are usually longer and are often grammatically-correct questions. 

You tin usage the Keyword Magic Tool to find these questions.

Go to the tool, benignant successful 1 of your keywords from above, prime your country, and click “Search.”

The instrumentality gives you a broad database of keywords related to your archetypal keyword.

We privation to place questions. So, prime “Questions.” And acceptable the connection number minimum to “5.” 

This displays imaginable dependable hunt questions. 

Go done the database and prime the keywords you privation to fertile for. And click “+ Add to list” to make a database for aboriginal reference. 

Step 3: Find Middle-of-the-Funnel Keywords

Commercial keywords are located successful the mediate of the funnel (MoFu). And identifying them tin assistance pull mobile users to your site. Since radical thin to usage mobile devices for MoFu-type searches.

Head backmost to the Keyword Magic Tool to find applicable commercialized keywords. 

Search for a keyword arsenic you did successful the erstwhile step. And past prime “Commercial” successful the “Intent” drop-down.

This gives you a database of commercialized keywords to consider. 

Select applicable ones and adhd them to your keyword list.

Step 4: Perform a Competitor Analysis

Doing an SEO rival analysis tin uncover the mobile keywords you don’t fertile for but your competitors do.

To find these keywords, unfastened the Keyword Gap tool. 

Enter your domain on with up to 4 competitors. Then, prime your state and click “Compare.”

Select “Mobile” from the drop-down. To show lone mobile keywords.

Scroll down to the table. And click “Untapped” to presumption keywords you don’t fertile for but astatine slightest 1 of your competitors does.

Review the keywords. And adhd ones you privation to fertile for to your keyword list.

Step 5: Review Your Keywords

Review each keyword from the steps supra to find which ones to prioritize and however to usage them.

First, caput to Keyword Manager. Then, scroll to the “Keyword lists” conception and click your list.

Click 1 of your keywords successful the database to unfastened it successful the Keyword Overview tool. Where you tin reappraisal indispensable keyword information.

Select “Mobile” successful the drop-down. To show accusation for the mobile keyword (and not the desktop version).

Here’s what to review:

Volume and Difficulty

Start by reviewing however overmuch search volume (the mean fig of monthly searches) the keyword gets. And its keyword difficulty—how hard it is to fertile for the keyword. 

Prioritize creating contented for keywords with a precocious measurement (the threshold for “high” depends connected however galore tract visitors you thin to get) and debased difficulty. To springiness your tract a amended accidental astatine ranking precocious capable to thrust traffic. 

Search Intent

We’ve mentioned supra that mobile keywords thin to beryllium successful the mediate of the funnel. And person a search intent—what users privation to execute from their search—that’s commercial.

But mobile keywords whitethorn besides person different hunt intents. And knowing these intents tin assistance you make the close benignant of contented for each keyword. 

The 4 hunt intents are:

• Navigational intent: Users privation to find a circumstantial website oregon leafage (e.g., “semrush login”). These searches whitethorn hap astatine immoderate constituent successful the funnel. 
• Informational intent: Users privation to larn thing (e.g., “what is contented marketing?”). Informational searches thin to hap astatine the apical of the funnel.
• Commercial intent: Users privation to bash probe earlier buying a merchandise (e.g., “best nike shoes for sprinters”). These searches usually hap successful the mediate of the funnel.
• Transactional intent: Users privation to implicit an action, similar buying a merchandise (e.g., “buy iphone 15 pro”). Transactional searches typically hap adjacent the bottommost of the funnel.

Knowing a keyword’s intent tin assistance you make contented that aligns with what searchers want. And hopefully nudge them toward a conversion.

You tin find a keyword’s hunt intent close successful Keyword Overview.

Then, cheque the hunt motor results pages (SERPs) to find the nonstop benignant of contented your assemblage wants.

For example, idiosyncratic searching for an informational keyword whitethorn privation how-to guides. Whereas idiosyncratic searching for commercialized keywords could privation merchandise reviews.

So, scroll down to the “SERP Analysis” conception to reappraisal the types of pages that are ranking. 

Our illustration beneath mostly shows pages that picture a business. Which apt means radical searching for “plant nursery chicago” privation to find a business. 

This means creating a leafage that talks astir your concern would beryllium amended than creating a merchandise reviews page.

Presence of SERP Features

The SERPs incorporate antithetic types of results. And SERP features are unique results extracurricular of accepted integrated results—like videos and People Also Ask (PAA).

Knowing which SERP diagnostic a keyword triggers tin assistance you tailor your contented to those features. And perchance summation your accidental astatine ranking highly for it. 

When successful the Keyword Overview report, scroll down to the “SERP Analysis” section. And wage attraction to the SERP features. 

For example, the keyword “plant nursery chicago” includes images. So, you’d privation to see optimized images connected that page. To summation their chances of appearing for that SERP feature. 

And marque enactment of whether your keyword has a featured snippet. Featured snippets are web excerpts that rapidly reply a user’s query and are usually displayed supra integrated hunt results.

Google often pulls featured snippets erstwhile answering dependable queries. Here’s the aforesaid illustration arsenic supra arsenic a featured snippet for dependable hunt via Google Assistant:

This means you tin summation your chances of ranking for mobile searches by optimizing your contented for featured snippets. 

How to Use Mobile Keywords

You present person a database of mobile keywords that you request to strategically usage connected your website.

Here’s however you tin bash that:

Create Search-Focused Content

Creating contented that incorporates your mobile keywords—or optimizing existing contented for them—is 1 of the champion ways to amended your visibility among mobile searchers.

Semrush’s SEO Writing Assistant tin assistance you optimize your content. 

Open the tool, click the greenish “+ Analyze caller text” button. Then, participate astatine slightest 2 keywords. 

Click the drop-down to set your people audience. Then, prime “Phone” and click “Get recommendations.”

Write your contented (or paste successful existing content) straight successful the substance editor.

If you request inspiration oregon get stuck, usage SEO Writing Assistant’s “Smart Writer” features to assistance you constitute text. 

As you go, the instrumentality grades your substance (and gives you tips for improvement) based connected 4 categories: readability, SEO, originality, and code of voice. 

After penning and optimizing your content, people it to your website. 

Use Google Business Profile

Local SEO—a signifier designed to optimize your tract for adjacent hunt traffic—is captious for mobile. Because of however galore radical usage their phones to look into businesses they’re adjacent to.

So, it’s invaluable to fertile for keywords similar “[your business] adjacent me” and “[your business] nearby.” Which are location-based keywords that are often utilized successful mobile searches.

But successful astir cases, you can’t fertile for keywords similar “near me” successful the accepted sense. 

For example, a works store successful Chicago shouldn’t battalion their website with phrases similar “plant stores adjacent me” and “plant stores nearby.” 

So, what’s the fix? 

First, motion up with Google Business Profile and implicit your listing. This ensures your institution is listed erstwhile Google users look for businesses successful your niche and location. 

You should besides set your concern location connected Google Maps. 

These steps tin assistance amended “nearby” and “near me” keyword rankings.

And assistance you amusement up successful results similar this.

Optimize Your Images

Adding high-quality images to your website (and optimizing those images) tin assistance you look successful accepted hunt results, representation hunt results, and Google Lens hunt results.

To optimize images for your keywords and hunt arsenic a whole, you can:

• Use applicable keywords successful representation record names. Like “monstera-chicago.jpg” alternatively of “IMG_1467.jpg.”
• Add descriptive alt text. Alt substance describes your representation for surface readers and hunt engines. And you tin adhd keywords to alt substance if those keywords are applicable and picture your image.

Measure Your Mobile Keyword Results

Tracking your show related to mobile keywords helps you recognize what’s moving well. And what you request to improve. 

Here’s what to monitor:

Positions

Track your mobile keyword positions successful the SERPs. To spot whether you request to marque adjustments to amended your rankings.

Use Position Tracking for this.

Enter your domain and click “Set up tracking.”

Select which hunt motor you privation to absorption on, click “Mobile,” and take your location.

Then, click “Continue To Keywords.” 

Add each the mobile keywords you privation to way and click “Add keywords to campaign.” 

Lastly, click “Start Tracking.”

The “Landscape” tab tells you your site’s wide show for your chosen keywords. 

To spot the show for idiosyncratic keywords, click “Overview” and scroll to “Rankings Overview.” 

The “Diff” file tells you however your rankings changed from the erstwhile clip period. (You tin set the clip play astatine the apical of the report.)

Make enactment of immoderate keywords that are ranking worse than they were previously. Or immoderate that aren’t ranking arsenic precocious arsenic you’d like.

You mightiness privation to see re-optimizing these pieces successful the SEO Writing Assistant. 

Or effort gathering backlinks—links from different domains that constituent to those pages. Because gaining backlinks mightiness summation your rankings.

Organic Sessions

Sessions are visits that commencement erstwhile idiosyncratic loads a leafage connected your tract and extremity aft 30 minutes of inactivity oregon erstwhile a idiosyncratic leaves. And checking however galore travel from hunt results helps you spot if you’ve enactment your mobile keyword probe to bully use.

You tin way tons of metrics similar however galore integrated sessions from mobile your contented gets with Organic Traffic Insights. 

Open the tool, participate your domain, and click “Get Insights.”

The instrumentality volition punctual you to link your Google Analytics and Google Search Console accounts. And our configuration guide tin assistance you if you get stuck.

You’ll spot a study with utile metrics aft connecting some accounts.

Select “Mobile” from the drop-down to presumption postulation metrics circumstantial to mobile.

Review the “Sessions” file to spot however galore integrated sessions you get from mobile search. 

Pay attraction to pages with lower-than-anticipated traffic. 

You whitethorn privation to amended the title tags—the HTML leafage rubric that mightiness amusement successful hunt results—for these pages. 

Accurate and enticing rubric tags tin promote much radical to click your contented successful hunt results. Which increases integrated sessions.

Conversions

Conversions assistance you recognize the instrumentality connected concern (ROI) for mobile traffic. 

This is important due to the fact that portion conversions aren’t a nonstop measurement of mobile SEO success, they uncover however good your efforts are supporting concern goals. 

Look to your “Conversions” file wrong Organic Traffic Insights. 

Look astatine your top-converting pages. And effort to recognize wherefore they bash well. 

Then, reappraisal low-converting pages to spot what could beryllium impeding their performance.

Get Better Results with Mobile Keywords

Targeting mobile-specific keywords opens the doorway to a perchance ample postulation source.

And it enables you to make contented that meets searchers’ needs and preferences erstwhile they’re utilizing their mobile devices.

Semrush’s tools marque doing mobile keyword probe casual and efficient. 

Ready to effort them for free?