What are keywords? Why are keywords so important to SEO? Learn more about the type of keywords and how they can link your business to potential customers.
Keywords are one of the main elements of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). They are the words and phrases that users type into search engines when searching for products, services, and information. Using the appropriate keywords on your website, articles, and social media will help search engines find and display your website on their results pages and direct traffic to your website.
Why are keywords important?
One of the main things Google’s algorithm looks at when ranking a webpage is its content. It looks at the words used throughout a website, how often they are used, and uses this to determine whether or not it is relevant to a specific search. Using the exact keywords regularly helps show Google and other search engines what your page is about. This allows users to perform relevant searches to find your website.
Types of keywords
Short keywords
Short keywords are vague terms that aren’t necessarily going to help your website. They are words commonly used across various websites, both by your competition and unrelated websites. Using these terms to help your website rank is extremely difficult, as there are far too many results for you to compete with. For example, if you are a dog walking service, the word ‘dog’ is unlikely to drive traffic to your website, as the term is too broad.
Long tail keywords
On the other hand, long-tail keywords are more specific. As their name suggests, they are longer and are more skewed towards your target audience. They often involve more descriptive phrases that can narrow down search results and increase your website’s likelihood of ranking high on a search engine results page.
Seasonal keywords
These are keywords that are only relevant at a certain time of year. They are a valuable tool for all businesses, as they can help your website rank around holiday periods, where there may be more competition and more potential for purchases.
Branded keywords
Branded keywords are specific to your business. This includes your company name or the name of a specific product or service.
Geo-targeted keywords
As their name suggests, these are keywords that target a specific location. If you’re a pizza restaurant in Sydney, gaining website traffic from those who live in Brisbane will not help sales. Using your location in your keywords, such as ‘pizza in Sydney’, will help target an audience specific to your location.
Customer keywords
Customer keywords relate to your target audience. These are especially important if your business targets a very specific group, such as selling women’s shoes or men’s exercise gear. While simply using the term ‘exercise gear’ will attract a wider audience, describing your target audience is more likely to drive sales.
Negative keywords
On the other hand, we have negative keywords. These are words that you should not use. They may be words that are too vague or have different meanings in different industries. An example of this is the word ‘console’, which can mean a variety of things in different industries. You may be talking about a game console, television, or car console. It is important to use keywords that are more specific. Otherwise, your website will attract customers looking to buy something you don’t sell.
How do you determine which keywords to use?
Performing keyword research is an integral part of SEO. It involves analysing the search terms your target audience uses when performing web searches. With this information, you can then determine which words and phrases to use if you want to drive traffic to your website. The keywords you use on your website will determine what kind of traffic you receive, so it is important to have a deep understanding of your target audience’s interests and web searches.
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 required, such as during holiday seasons
Include keywords in page titles, meta descriptions, subheadings, image alt text and URL slug when is 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.
