What are keywords? Why do they matter so much for SEO? Here’s a look at the different types of keywords and how they connect your business to potential customers.
Keywords are one of the core elements of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). They’re the words and phrases people type into search engines when looking for products, services, or information. Using the right keywords across your website, articles, and social media helps search engines find and surface your site in results, driving traffic your way.
Why are keywords important?
One of the main things Google’s algorithm weighs when ranking a page is its content, specifically, which words show up, and how often. That data helps Google decide whether a page is actually relevant to a given search. Use the right keywords consistently, and you’re essentially telling Google (and other search engines) exactly what your page is about, which helps the right users find you through relevant searches.
Types of keywords
Short keywords
Short keywords are vague terms that won’t do much for your website. They’re used everywhere, by competitors and completely unrelated sites alike. Ranking for them is genuinely difficult, since there’s just too much competition to break through. If you run a dog walking service, for example, the word “dog” on its own is far too broad to actually drive traffic your way.
Long-tail keywords
Long-tail keywords go the opposite direction, more specific and skewed toward your actual target audience. They’re usually longer, more descriptive phrases that narrow down search results and boost your odds of ranking well on a results page.
Seasonal keywords
These only matter at certain times of year. They’re valuable for almost any business, since they help your site rank during holiday periods, when competition is fierce but so is purchasing intent.
Branded keywords
Branded keywords are specific to your business, your company name, or the name of a particular product or service.
Geo-targeted keywords
These target a specific location, as the name suggests. If you run a pizza restaurant in Sydney, traffic from people in Brisbane won’t help your sales much. Working your location into your keywords, “pizza in Sydney,” for instance, helps you reach an audience that’s actually relevant to where you operate.
Customer keywords
Customer keywords speak directly to your target audience. These matter a lot if your business serves a specific group, women’s shoes or men’s exercise gear, for example. A generic term like “exercise gear” pulls in a broader audience, but describing your actual target customer is far more likely to drive real sales.
Negative keywords
Then there are negative keywords, the ones you should avoid. These tend to be vague terms, or words that mean different things across industries. Take “console,” it could mean a game console, a TV console, or a car console, depending on context. Sticking to more specific keywords keeps you from attracting customers looking for something you don’t actually sell.
How do you determine which keywords to use?
Keyword research is a core part of SEO. It means digging into the actual search terms your target audience uses when they search the web. That insight tells you which words and phrases to build your content around if you want to drive traffic. The keywords you choose shape exactly what kind of traffic you get, so a solid understanding of your audience’s interests and search habits matters a great deal.
What to remember when using keywords
- Use them where they sound natural
- Use them in moderation
- Always keep your target audience in mind
- Update keywords when needed, during holiday seasons, for example
- Include keywords in page titles, meta descriptions, subheadings, image alt text, and URL slugs whenever possible
Need help boosting traffic to your website? Contact our SEO specialists at gday@omdigigroup.com for expert advice on how to drive more traffic to your website.
