Working with Zero-Volume Keywords: A Research & Implementation Guide - Why gamification is broken (and how to fix it)

Working with Zero-Volume Keywords: A Research & Implementation Guide - Why gamification is broken (and how to fix it)

In the world of SEO, prioritizing long-tail keywords has been a popular strategy for success. However, there are industries and B2B companies that face a unique challenge - their core keywords have little to no search volume. This means that keyword tools do not provide measurable data for these keywords. But just because the search volume is low or undervalued doesn't mean these keywords should be ignored. In fact, they often have high intent and are more likely to convert.

So how can you work with these zero-volume keywords? One approach is to treat them as low-competition keywords. Since keyword tools have not yet evaluated their true potential, targeting these keywords can give you an edge over competitors. But how do you come up with keyword ideas for these zero-volume keywords?

One strategy is to talk to your sales and customer service teams. They interact directly with customers and can provide valuable insights into their pain points and the information they are looking for. By addressing these pain points with SEO beforehand, you can attract highly relevant traffic to your website.

Another way to uncover keyword ideas is to use trend analysis tools like Google Trends, Snapchat Trends, and Pinterest Trends. These platforms can help you identify popular topics and interests that may have SEO merit. For example, you can use Pinterest Trends to find keyword ideas related to student life, such as "Starbucks cold brew orders." This approach can help you target niche keywords that may not have significant search volume but are highly relevant to your target audience.

To tap into online communities and conversations about your industry, you can use social media listening tools like Brandwatch and Talkwalker. These tools allow you to track mentions of your brand or competitors, giving you insights into the language and keywords used by your target audience.

In addition to these strategies, you can also leverage existing research and reports. Reach out to reputable sources and offer to give them credit in your content in exchange for valuable insights. Alternatively, you can contact the sales team of companies that initiate reports and ask for questions people frequently ask and supporting data or quotes. This collaboration can provide you with unique keyword ideas and strengthen your content.

When it comes to optimizing content for zero-volume keywords, it's important to consider the type of content that works best. Tertiary pages of a site, blog content, and visual content like videos and infographics are well-suited for these keywords. After publishing your content, closely track its performance at the 3-6 month mark using tools like Google Search Console. Look for queries with high impressions and clicks but a low average position. These are new opportunities to rank, and you can re-optimize your content around these keywords.

Now, let's shift gears and talk about gamification. Gamification has become a popular strategy for engaging users and encouraging desired behaviors. However, many gamification features fail to deliver the desired results. One of the main issues is the overuse of points, badges, and leaderboards. Product designers started attaching virtual currencies to anything, assuming that people would collect them just for the sake of collecting. But this approach can be ineffective and annoying for users.

Another problem with gamification is the displacement of rewards. When rewards are offered for behaviors that should happen spontaneously, it can put people into a transactional mindset and make them less motivated. The original motivations system gets altered, and the desired behaviors become less meaningful.

Additionally, many gamified systems adopt a condescending tone in an attempt to keep users motivated. They congratulate users in an overly cheerful voice for every small action they take. This patronizing treatment can backfire and make users feel like they are being treated like children.

To fix these issues, it's important to focus on intrinsic motivation and provide a fun and engaging experience. Take the example of Duolingo, a language learning app that has successfully gamified the learning process. The key to its success is that it provides a fun way of learning something that people already wanted to learn. It strikes the right balance of difficulty, allowing users to make mistakes and enhancing the sense of unpredictability that keeps them engaged.

Other successful examples of gamification include Sublime Text, GitHub, and Trello. These platforms empower users and provide valuable features that enhance their productivity. They focus on creating a sense of progress and accomplishment without relying on external rewards like badges. The intrinsic reward of completing a task is enough to keep users motivated.

In conclusion, working with zero-volume keywords and fixing broken gamification strategies require a thoughtful approach. By leveraging keyword research techniques like talking to your teams and using trend analysis tools, you can uncover valuable keyword ideas. For gamification, it's important to focus on intrinsic motivation, avoid overusing points and badges, and create an engaging and empowering experience for users.

Actionable advice:

• 1. Talk to your sales and customer service teams to uncover valuable keyword ideas based on customer pain points.

• 2. Use trend analysis tools like Google Trends and Pinterest Trends to identify popular topics and interests that may have SEO merit.

• 3. When implementing gamification, focus on intrinsic motivation, empower users, and create a sense of progress and accomplishment without relying on external rewards.

By following these strategies, you can effectively work with zero-volume keywords and create a successful gamification experience.