Do you run a website in a super-specific niche market? I mean, not everyone is in a giant niche like marketing, sales, yoga, or health food.

Do you struggle to pull in website traffic as a result?

It’s tough. I get it. There just aren’t a lot of people on the planet searching for your particular topic. You might struggle to generate content ideas  or attract organic traffic.

Don’t give up hope, though. You can still pull in plenty of organic traffic with a smart content marketing strategy.

That’s why you need niche SEO.

Sure, you’ll still have to turn to the usual suspects––technical SEO, page optimization, link profiles, and understanding the SEO basics. With just a few tweaks and twists on those traditional strategies, you’ll win at niche SEO.

Read on to learn how you can use SEO in a small niche that doesn’t have a lot of search volume.

Key Takeaways

• Niche SEO targets a much smaller audience, so you’ll lean on strategies like using keywords with lower search volumes and targeting more long-tail keywords.
• One of niche SEO’s biggest challenges is its low search volume.
• Writing detailed content like blogs, guides, and case studies and publishing videos aimed at your target audience’s unique pain points can help you rank for more keywords specific to your niche.
• Steps to developing a niche SEO strategy include elevating your website’s technical SEO, optimizing for mobile, and creating compelling content.
• Keywords with low search volume are valuable to niche SEO, as they attract highly qualified traffic.But, as NP Digital SEO Manager Brittany Werdowatz explains, there are ways of making up for low search volume:

  “To rank for these types of keywords, creating valuable, in-depth content such as blogs, guides, case studies, and videos can help to address the unique pain points of the target audience and rank for more keywords specific to your niche. Additionally, building authority through engagement in niche communities, forums, and social media groups allows marketers to share valuable insights and drive targeted traffic back to their website.”

  Can A Keyword Be Too Niche?

  When you think about it, getting keywords right is essential for low-volume SEO.

  Ask anyone who’s into tea gift baskets, wearable tech for pets, or even Begleri  fidget toys. There’s definitely an audience out there for incredibly specific keywords.But this can sometimes be a problem. If your keyword is painfully specific (think “fluorescent lime green yarn”) or otherwise way too niche, you could get close to zero searches.

  So, how can you tell if your keyword is too specific? Well, start by understanding your audience—think about what they search for on the web. This will help optimize your keyword research. Here are some tips to get started:

  • Enter keywords into tools like Answer The publicto discover what people are searching for and the questions they ask related to particular keywords. This helps you understand more about your customer’s pain points and search intent, providing opportunities for conversion potential.
  • Check search volume for particular keywords to see if your keyword is getting any traction. Tools like Ubersuggest are a real asset here. It can also help you find related keywords with a higher search volume. Remember, niche keywords may not have the same volume, but you must balance relevance and popularity.

    How To Execute SEO For Niche Markets

    Niche SEO is all about making your keywords more general, optimizing your technical SEO, ensuring your site is mobile-friendly, and getting your content right.

    You’ll also want to work on your backlink strategy, analyze competitors, and measure your key performance indicators (KPIs).

    The following steps will help you build a niche-driven SEO approach to your online marketing:

  • Have a Link-Building Strategy For Your Niche

    Like regular SEO, niche SEO needs a link - building strategy. The more quality backlinks you have, the more likely the search engines will see you as a trusted site. Backlinks also increase visibility and traffic.

    

    As you’re covering a niche topic, there won’t be many publications or influencers to link to, but that’s OK.

    Social media can work just as well for link-building, and you can always look for micro-influencers in your niche.

    Another approach is to look for trade publications that publish online and invite contributions. That’s an authority backlink right there.

    Finally, remember the E-E-A-T guidelines mentioned earlier and concentrate on writing the best possible content. That might be long-form content with expert quotes, graphics, or case studies for organic backlinks. 

    Firm Up Your Reporting Strategy

    Doing SEO for a niche market means managing expectations. Whether you’re working in-house as part of a team or doing client work, let your leaders or clients know there may be lower search volumes and traffic for niche SEO topics as there’s a smaller pool of searchers.

    To measure your overall performance, you’ll need to focus on your competitive performance. Also, remember that even though search volumes are lower, traffic quality is likely higher.

    As Werdowatz states:

    “Keywords with lower search volumes specific to your niche can be highly valuable, and marketers often achieve success by targeting them. These keywords attract highly qualified traffic that is ready to convert since they reach an audience already interested in your specific offerings”. 

    Keep an eye on metrics like organic traffic growth, keyword rankings, conversion engagement, bounce rates, and your authority score, and you’ll be on the right track.

    Focus on Competition

    With SEO niches, you can’t rely on traffic numbers to determine how successful your strategy is. Instead, you’ll want to look at how direct competitors are doing traffic-wise and either adapt their strategy to your site or find ways to outperform them. 

    You’ll also want to focus on content gaps, keyword gaps, and optimizing meta descriptions. 

    KPIs to track include:

    Long-tail, niche keywords: These are longer and more specific than regular keywords and focus on a more targeted market. For instance, “best vegan cafes in downtown Los Angeles.”

    Click-through rates (CTR): This helps measure the success rates of your online advertising and the effectiveness of email marketing. The higher the CTR, the more relevant your marketing is to your audience.

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